Maine Police Are Blamed for Maine Rampage, Massive Information is Being Withheld

Police in Maine are being accused of ‘abdication of responsibility’ for not seizing Army Reservist, Robert Card’s weapons prior to Card’s killing rampage last October. The findings are the result of a report issued by Maine Governor, Janet Mills’, controversial panel and the evidence made public does not support this conclusion.

When one closely watches the body cam footage taken by police while interacting with Card prior to the Reservist’s mental health “treatment,” at the military barracks in New York, something seems wrong.

For instance, the State of Maine denies that Card was forced to undergo psychiatric “treatment,” but the police body cam footage, and Card, himself, tells a different story.

According to the body cam footage, it appears that the police arrive at the West Point military barracks and, although cordial, provide Card no avenue to refuse law enforcement’s suggestion that he receive a psychiatric evaluation at a psychiatric facility of which they will provide transportation.

It does not appear that Card is offered an opportunity to contact an attorney nor his private physician who, apparently, had recently prescribed a hearing aid to Card. Rather, Card is told that he will have to go with the police officers for the transfer to the Four Winds Psychiatric facility, and that they will use restraints if he refuses.  Card clearly states he doesn’t have a choice and goes on to say that if his commander indicates he must go, he is required to go.

The police asked Card if he had any questions before he got into the police car for transport. At that point, it does not appear that Card is read his rights, which makes sense because Card is not being charged with a crime.

What is of interest is that if Card has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam by military command, why isn’t the military transporting Card to Four Winds?   The police are brought onto military grounds to be a transfer service. Why? Is this standard operating procedure in the military to have civilian law enforcement carry out orders?

It appears that Card was ordered by his military command to have a forced psychiatric evaluation. Why the military did not transfer Card to the facility but, rather, enlist the services of the State of Maine Police doesn’t make sense and should be explained.

The head of Main’s Department of Public Safety, Michael Sauschuck held a press conference on the manhunt, and recovery of Card’s body where he rambled on about psychiatric diagnoses of many in the room and how they were not a harm to themselves or others, however, refused to get to the bottom of what psychiatric diagnosis Card may have received at Four Winds.  Weird.

Card’s mental health records were unobtainable based on the definition between forcibly taken for an evaluation and forcibly committed for “treatment” according to the commissioner.  It is easily understood this was carefully crafted language, it was delivered months ago at the press conference with a sense of qualified immunity in mind.

“when you talk about motive here right, I think clearly there is a mental health component to this, we still need to do research, trying to access records and things to that nature, as you can imagine is not that simple as calling someone and saying can you send me this thing, but what I would say is based on what I heard through conversations this morning I don’t see, or I am told, we don’t have access to any forcibly committed for treatment information referenced to Mr. Card., Ok, so you volunteer as an example to go to a facility to seek treatment for months on end, but if you are not forcibly committed to seek that treatment and it is very specific to “treatment” right, not forcibly taken for an evaluation.  An evaluation is completely different than treatment.”

Why is this important?  It still is unknown whether Card was given psychiatric “treatment” in the form of prescribed psychiatric mind-altering drugs. It has not been made public what “treatment” Card received at the Four Winds psychiatric hospital. It has not been made public whether Card received a psychiatric diagnosis from Four Winds. And, if Card had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, who made the diagnosis and why hasn’t this information been released?

The State of Maine may easily obtain Card’s records from Four Winds psychiatric hospital. In fact, it’s almost farcical that the results of the test conducted on Card’s brain have been released, yet the public still is in the dark about Card’s mental health diagnosis and “treatment.”

The results of the brain exam revealed that Card  suffered from traumatic brain injury, consistent with exposure to weapons blasts.  A medical issue, not psychiatric.  The Boston University CTE Center, conducting the brain review, said the finds could suggest “that brain injury likely played a role” in Card’s behavior.

Is it possible that Card was severely misdiagnosed at Four Winds? Is it possible that this is the reason Card’s mental health records are being withheld?  Why won’t the Governor’s panel address these issues? Ultimately, is it possible that Card was heavily drugged with mind-altering psychiatric drugs and that is what made Card violent and act out?  Of course, the public will never know until Card’s mental health records are made public.

Finally, it seems unfair to place blame on law enforcement. The police were requested to assist with the transport of Card to the psychiatric facility. That occurred. Police attempted to speak with Card after receiving calls from his family after he was released from the psychiatric facility. Card refused to communicate with law enforcement. Card had committed no crime and, therefore, law enforcement could not forcibly bring Card in or remove his weapons.  Yet, so far, law enforcement is the only “fall guy.”  There still is too much that is not known.

Wouldn’t it be more helpful for the public to know whether prescribed psychiatric drugs were part of the equation, as they usually are?  Let’s see those records, C’mon; Card is dead.  Withholding records only protects the psychiatric industry and the military.  It doesn’t bring us any closer to finding out why Card acted out so violently.