As the parent of a young man with Down syndrome, I have known of Richard
Lapointe's plight for years and while I feel badly for what I believe has been a
terrible miscarriage (or absence) of justice in Richard's case, I selfishly
worry more for my own son Jim. If Jim happens to be in the wrong place at the
wrong time, or even if he is seen by law enforcement and justice officials as a
possible suspect in a violent or any other sort of crime (as unbelievable as
that is to his family), we know with total certainty that Jim could be made to
admit to anything. If a police officer put our son in a room for several hours
and eventually told him he could go home if he signed a paper that said Jim flew
to the moon, strangled an astronaut and flew back in time for supper, Jim would
leap to the request to sign the confession. He wouldn't read, let alone
understand what the document said. Jim is attending a community college class at
the moment and I know that while there will be some accuracy in what he tells
me happened in school during the day, he is just as likely to agree to anything
I suggest. So it is with many people who have intellectual disabilities who want
to be friendly and please others. Most of the time, it is just one of Jim's
qualities, one of the little quirks that make him who who is. But it is a quirk
that, in the wrong circumstances, could literally mean a life or death
consequence. I have not met Richard Lapointe, but I consider one of his
advocates, Robert Perske, one of the most honest and trustworthy human beings
I have ever known. We have talked a lot over the years about Richard's situation
and I have no doubt about his innocence. I hope that 2008 is the year Richard
can finally come home. Then I will begin to feel some reassurance that someone
would take the time to really listen to and understand my son--and those close
to him-- if he were ever to find himself in a similar situation.
Sincerely,
Karin Melberg Schwier
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
submitted January 2008