FEAT DAILY NEWSLETTER Sacramento, California

"Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet" ________________________________________________________________

- ADDENDUM TO PREVIOUS POST -

Police: Autistic Teen Starved to Death

In an Eyewitness News exclusive, Investigative Reporter Walt Hunter spoke to a father who begged a traffic court judge not to send him to jail for fear that his autistic son would not be cared for properly. The judge refused and the man's teenage son died during his incarceration.

Dewey Gillespie admits he deserved the parking tickets totaling over $2,000 but feels the judge was unfair to him. Gillespie told Hunter that the judge refused to work out a payment plan despite the fact that he brought $750 to court and argued that his son would suffer during his incarceration. He also claims that those who had racked up higher charges were set free.

Gillespie had been the sole caretaker for his autistic son Brahim for 18 years and says he was the only person who truly understood Brahim's

needs: "Nobody knows his handicap better than me...he still didn't want to hear it."

He told Hunter that he worried everyday about the teen and prayed nightly for his safety: "Bear with me I'll be out pretty soon son. I have a little bit more time to go then I'll be out."

On December 29th, two weeks into his 38-day sentence, Gillespie got a phone call informing him that his son was dead. Officials say the teen died as a result of malnutrition and dehydration in his Frankford home. Brahim had gone from a healthy 130 pounds to 94 pounds.

Police say they are close to arresting at least one, if not two people, in connection with Brahim's death. There is word that the suspects are family members.

Although he did not preside over the case, Traffic Court Judge Fortunado Perri told Hunter: "He has to answer to these traffic tickets," but said he may have ruled differently if Gillespie had appeared before him.

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APRIL 21, 2002 - 12 Noon to 5pm

THIRD NATIONAL AUTISM AWARENESS RALLY:

"The Power of ONE! I.D.E.A."

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

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Lenny Schafer, Editor@feat.org • CALENDAR EVENTS@feat.org Michelle Guppy Catherine Johnson PhD • Ron Sleith • Kay Stammers • Edward Decelie

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