Kalief Browder, a Martyr of Due Process

    PHOENIX, AZ, July 14, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- on Saturday, the sixth day of June, 2015, Kalief Browder, who some see as a symbol for New York's broken criminal justice system and a martyr of due process, hung himself in his parent's home. Indeed, Kalief's three years in the criminal justice system, two which took place in solitary confinement, drove him mad and eventually to suicide.

After allegedly stealing a backpack, (which was never found guilty for), Mr. Browder, age sixteen, was sent to New York City jail complex without receiving a formal trial. While incarcerated, Mr. Browder was brutally beaten by inmates and guards, and driven mad by solitary confinement. Security tapes confirmed the truth value of the aforementioned statements.

Due to solitary confinement, Mr. Browder developed extreme paranoia, leading him to hallucinations and other terrifying instances of mental decline. He also attempted suicide several time only to fail miserably. He was given several plea deals, one ensuring his immediate release, but Mr. Browder insisted on innocence. Eventually, he was released but life on the outside was accompanied by the baggage he accumulated on the inside.

Browder basically recreated the walls of solitary confinement in his own existence post incarceration. He isolated in his room for long periods of times; avoided all social gatherings; and left his home only when it was necessary.

He did, however, manage to earn a GED, and he had a brief stint at a local community college. Also, his story attracted celebrities like Jay Z and Rosie O'Donnel. Browder even made an appearance on "The View" where he was gifted a laptop.

However, although he had support from the community, his mental illness was too much to bear. He was hospitalized in the psychiatric ward of Harlem Hospital Center for a brief stint. But, upon returning home, Mr. Browder suffocated himself with a cord tied an air-conditioning unit which was tossed out the window. His mother responded to suspicious noises in Browder's room, only to meet the horrifying sight of her lifeless son strangled to death by an electrical cord noose.

Browder was her youngest child, and went by the nickname "peanut" around the house. His death will hopefully not be in vain. Perhaps Browder's story can be a call to action for optimal due process? Regardless, our sympathies belong with the victim's family.

"Our condolences go out to Mr. Browder's family. Hopefully, Browder's story can help someone in the future from suffering the same fate," said David Hastings, attorney at Hastings and Hastings.

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