Please let me get my input on this!
For the past few years, Jax, Fla. had thousands of complaints against the Duval County Police Department regarding treatment of the deafies!...Even one deaf man died in jail!
The TTY phones were "not working"!...Deafies could not use a phone that was on the wall (for hearies)....the guards would not make phone calls for deafies!
You had to wait hours and hours for an intrepretor!...Cold, cold holding cells! Along with drunks, prostitutes, etc.!...No way to call ur family to let them know where you were, to call a bondsman if needed! And the fights that went on...hearies trying to molest deafies! YEAH!...If you fell asleep...you might wind up with somebody or even 2 people on top of you!
Damn! This is 2009!!!!!!....
I along with several other deafies took the complaints to a Legal Aid lawyer here in Jacksonville! She is from Boston, Mass., proficient in sign language! She is a lawyer for the deaf!...And boy, did she ever WAKE THE POLICE DEPT, UP!!
The Justice Department was notified, etc. She got the "wheels to rolling" for better treatment for the deafies!!...
I would have gotten a lawyer if I were you!...No matter the charges! Everybody makes mistakes!! And for those who commented...."ur own fault, you should not drink, etc., etc.".....Get off ur high-horse!!! Shit happens!...Still, we should be treated with dignity! And our rights should be followed "to the letter"!!
Justice for the Deaf!!!...Since this all happened, I did learn that now at the Duval County Jail, they have a Jailor who is deaf!..Her father is a Detective, and I contacted him in the beginning about the treatment the deafies were enduring from Police Officers and the jail.
And if you're required to go to court, ask, and demand for a CDI (Certified Deaf Intretpretor)!!...Don't accept anything less!!! It's ur right!
Thks for listening!!
