Our friend, Erick, was arrested on Friday afternoon at our alumni school by Pinecrest police officers. They charged him with “impersonating” an officer (he never claimed to be that officer, he just carried around an ID to seem more official), possession of stolen credit cards (that have not been found to have been used), and charged him with possession of a firearm, when in reality, he was holding a thermometer allegedly given out by the school the previous year.

Erick came to school in a suit and tie every day, bringing smiles to everyone’s face, trying to help out in any way he could. Anyone who’s met Erick knows of the mental instability he faces- genuinely believing the facade that he is a corrections officer. He would walk around at lunch, making sure everyone was okay. Erick even volunteered outside of school as a traffic mediator, and at church as well. He was friends with everyone at school- and I mean everyone. Everyone loved Erick, even the security guards that worked to keep the school safe. What upsets us all is how no one thought to seek out mental help for Erick, instead, they just arrested him for being on school grounds. Clearly, they didn’t care enough about him as a human being to talk to him and try to see his point of view in the way he sees his world. They even waited until he graduated, which shows they didn’t want the problem on their hands. 

Upon being arrested, Erick complained of chest pains and was taken to the hospital for examination. Not only did the school neglect reaching out to him for the four years he was enrolled, the nurses also failed to conduct a proper psych evaluation that would’ve clearly taken his mental state into consideration in his arrest. 

As a young black man in today’s society, these potential charges on Erick’s record can easily destroy the rest of his life. By signing this petition, you are joining us in fighting for Erick’s release in hopes of a brighter future for him. With more engagement on this petition, we hope to reach the attention of qualified defense attorneys who are willing to take this case and fight for a young, innocent man. Thank you all for being here, please share if you can!