The government of Antigua and Barbuda is actively searching for a facility to accommodate mentally ill prisoners, following a court order mandating the Public Safety Minister to find a suitable location for Ziggy Beazer, a murder accused diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Beazer, charged with the killing of 64-year-old Leroy Caesar, has raised concerns about his housing due to his mental health condition.
Justice Ann Marie Smith instructed Public Safety Minister Sir Steadroy Benjamin to locate an appropriate facility where Beazer can receive psychiatric care, prompting the government’s search efforts.
In response, Sir Steadroy acknowledged the importance of having a dedicated institution to house individuals like Beazer.
“We recognise that it is important to have an institution, or a building set up specifically to house persons such as the accused in these circumstances,” he stated.
“We therefore are in the process of identifying a suitable building and to equip it with the necessary facilities to ensure that disturbed persons who would have breached the law will get the necessary medical and mental support required to treat their illnesses.”
The need for such a facility arises from the fact that the country’s mental health facility is currently at full capacity, while mentally ill criminals are being housed at His Majesty’s Prison, where staff lack the necessary resources to manage them effectively.
Beazer and the deceased, Caesar, were reportedly involved in a fight in their shared cell at the St John’s Police Station on December 29, 2021, leading to Caesar’s death.
While the circumstances surrounding their detention remain unclear, Caesar was discovered unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.
Beazer, previously charged with the murder of Jermaine “Six Months” Destin, was deemed unfit for trial in July 2020 due to his schizophrenia diagnosis, and he is still said to be mentally unstable.
The court has also mandated that the medical practitioner overseeing Beazer’s care submit a report to the court every six months regarding his fitness to stand trial, with the first report due no later than October 11.
The lack of a dedicated facility for mentally ill prisoners has led to instances of those individuals escaping and becoming involved in altercations, prompting calls for authorities to address this long-standing problem.
The government’s current efforts aim to rectify this issue and ensure the proper care and housing of mentally ill offenders.