The Case of Kosgar Lado

The Case of Kosgar Lado

Kosgar Lado , a 21 year old resident of Lansing, Michigan, a Sudanese refugee, and a person who was diagnosed with schizophrenia is being charged with lying to police officers, when he falsely confessed to a homicide.

And, to add insult to injury, because he is incompetent to proceed on the lying to police officers charge, he is hospitalized in the state hospital to assist in “restoring” him to competency. Mr. Lado has to pay for that evaluation. Our country has taken an innocent, harmless man, and locked him up in a mental hospital to make him able to stand trial for charges that should not even exist.

I read the transcript of his false confession and I don’t know how the police officers could have missed the fact that he is a person with a mental illness, was incapable of committing a murder, incapable of speaking coherently, and instead believed him to be a reliable source. Mr. Lado tried to ask for a lawyer for 20 minutes although clearly not understanding how he could get a lawyer to the police station. The police officers took advantage of his confused state and then proceeded to interrogate him for a murder he didn’t commit—and two months later another individual was subsequently arrested and convicted for.

A local law firm has taken up Mr. Lado’s case representing him on a pro bono basis hoping to vindicate this innocent man.

 

Iris Eytan is a Partner at Reilly Pozner LLP. She practices Criminal Defense with an emphasis in mental health defenses.