Death at Lubbock State School center of Texas statewide controversy

January 27, 3:41 PMDallas Disability ExaminerSteve Carter

Michael Nicholson was killed June 6th, 2009 by his caretakers at the Lubbock State School.
To date, only one arrest has been made. No trial or conviction has been set.

In a heinous act, of abuse of power caretakers at Lubbock State School killed MIchael Nicholson by strangulation. According to a Youtube video (see below) the violent strangulation of Michael occurred because of a dispute over clothes. It seems that Michael did not want to wear the type of clothes issued by the state school, preferring to select his own.

A common theme occurs all to often in homes for the aged and in institutions serving the disabled persons. The theme is about the loss of liberty afforded people simply because they have a disability or are of a certain age. Institutions decide a person cannot make decisons most of us take for granted such as what clothes to wear, when to entertain guests, and whether or not to have a plant in our room.

Certainly most of these do not erupt into the violent abuse that cost Michael Nicholson his life. Yet, the rules are abusive and are made without logic and enforced variably.

Prosecutors and law enforcement personnel do not take crimes against people with disabilities seriously because they "do not make good witnesses". Community Now! is an advocacy organization pushing for better enforcement of acts of abuse against those in institutions.