Disability Futures

We are disturbed by the way the Melvindale Police Department has publicly discussed the investigation of this terrible event. Chad Hayse, Chief of the Melvindale Police Department, commented that Richett “…feared his medical problems would take his life and then he wouldn’t be around to care for his son and he didn’t want to burden the family.” The implication in this statement is that Nicholas Richett, as a disabled person, was the burden. It is difficult to imagine that Chief Hayse would have made this sort of comment if the victim was not disabled.