Again as if on cue, from a scene 75 years ago, the tentacles of racism and injustice have shown their presence in rural America, in Virginia. On May 24, 2010, 18 year old Reginald Latson, from Virginia, was from all accounts racially profiled, beaten, taunted, and jailed before being sent to Western State Mental Hospital for evaluation, as a result of a complete mental breakdown. He merely found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time in a bad situation, and at the mercy of those sworn to protect him.

Latson, who is autistic, went for a walk as normal in his neighborhood, with which he was familiar. While seen sitting in front of a library, waiting for it to open, a call to police was made, indicating there was a suspicious man that might have a gun. Reginald, completely unaware that he was a suspect, decided to leave the library when realizing that it was not opening and continued his walk.

After some time, there was a confrontation with law enforcement officers at which point, the officer in question attacked him from behind and started to choke him. A struggle ensued and Latson was pepper sprayed and hit with a nightstick. As Latson tried to stop the brutal attack, he grabbed the pepper spray, threw it and ran into nearby woods. Approximately 30 minutes later he stated he heard dogs and lots of police coming towards him. When approached, he said “my eyes, my eyes, I can’t see,” to which they responded, “screw your eyes”. While throwing him to the ground and kicking him, he continued to plead his innocence, “I didn’t do anything wrong,” to which the officers responded, “it doesn’t matter, welcome to Stafford County!”

Latson was subsequently transported to jail, where he was interrogated and subjugated to continued torture, despite the fact that a gun was never found. After a scheduled bond hearing, the judge handed down a 30 day emergency treatment order and Latson was transferred to Western State Hospital in Staunton, VA, where he received therapy. To add insult to injury, once the local judge learned of his mother’s vigorous campaign to raise public awareness about what happened to her son, he was immediately returned to jail, and has been denied bond twice! Latson has been charged with three felony counts of assaulting an officer, disarming law enforcement and assault with malice to an Officer.

The officer in question has testified with several contradictions in his story. He has acknowledged that he did engaged Mr. Latson, searched him and found no gun. The county is well aware of the wrong accusations on the part of the officer and is doing everything, in my opinion, to protect him and their interests. It is morally troubling that no one has considered the tremendous mental damage that is being done to Latson and his state of mind.

On June 29th his mother, filed an official complaint with the Department of Justice against the Stafford County Sheriff’s Department. What has happened to Latson, unfortunately, is the story of countless people, across the country, who find themselves at the mercy of the Justice system and vigilante officers. Given the facts, all charges should be dropped against Latson, and a public apology rendered post-haste by the Stafford County Sheriffs Department to Mr. Latson and his family. Not only were basic civil rights violated, but Latson’s dignity as a human being has been assaulted as well. The only thing that Latson is clearly guilty of is being the usual suspect! Young, Black and in his case autistic, justice delayed and ignored is indeed justice denied!

BlackCommentator.com Guest Commentator, The Reverend D. D. Prather, is a noted Civil/Social Justice Activist, a native of Atlanta, Georgia and former National Member of the NAACP Board of Directors. Click here to contact the Reverend Prather.