Ben Siegel Troubles

Originally Posted by ElexisOrtiz

The possibility of it intensifying? It already has, he had attacked several people, got arrested for cocaine AND has now attacked people while abusing an animal. He is showing a pattern of increase. He needs to be, I hate to say it, locked in a facility where he can get help, and only once he's stable and can show he's capable let out. They do this quite often with the mentally ill. It's not just a punishment but treatment as well. He doesn't need jailed and forgot about, he needs held in a facility and given treatment and a "parole" that requires him to continue therapy, medication, and so on. But I'm sure I'll be told I don't understand yet again. Even though I do have issues of my own and a son with autism (yes different from big polar but still a disorder) I'm incompassionate I just think differently than many on this thread I guess. Even though my son is autistic and cannot always control his actions does that mean he shouldn't get a time out or some type of punishment? No it doesnt, because he needs to learn whats wrong and try to learn better behaviors.

Nope, this is EXACTLY what he needs. He needs to be committed to a full-time care facility until this can be managed. I'm HORRIFIED no one close to him called for a psych hold on him before it got to this point.

What he does NOT need, and is lacking compassion, is to be thrown in jail while still in the throes of a psychotic break. Or the cries of "he deserved it, I hope he is (sexually assaulted) by other inmates" -- which yes, I've seen people say.

Originally Posted by SirenSanJose

Nope, this is EXACTLY what he needs. He needs to be committed to a full-time care facility until this can be managed. I'm HORRIFIED no one close to him called for a psych hold on him before it got to this point.

What he does NOT need, and is lacking compassion, is to be thrown in jail while still in the throes of a psychotic break. Or the cries of "he deserved it, I hope he is (sexually assaulted) by other inmates" -- which yes, I've seen people say.

That quoted post was supposed to say I'm not* incompassionate, but anyways who in the world is saying he needs locked in jail and sexually assualted?? Whoever is saying that needs just as much help as he does!

Originally Posted by ElexisOrtiz

That quoted post was supposed to say I'm not* incompassionate, but anyways who in the world is saying he needs locked in jail and sexually assualted?? Whoever is saying that needs just as much help as he does!

Loudmouths on facebook. Lots of them. Along with saying he needs to fry, etc. Because apparently having a psychotic break is the worst crime in the history of mankind, because the object he *happened to be holding* at the moment that impulse overtook him was a lizard. The majority opinion is that he needs to "pay for his crimes" and suffer in jail.

It is a very small minority who are even saying "look, we don't want him around animals or people right now EITHER, but we want him in a psych facility getting the treatment he needs, not in prison or tied up in court". He's 'guilty' in their eyes for "choosing to stop taking his meds" or "he had enough chances" or "there's no way he didn't know right from wrong".

Originally Posted by SirenSanJose

Loudmouths on facebook. Lots of them. Along with saying he needs to fry, etc. Because apparently having a psychotic break is the worst crime in the history of mankind, because the object he *happened to be holding* at the moment that impulse overtook him was a lizard. The majority opinion is that he needs to "pay for his crimes" and suffer in jail.

It is a very small minority who are even saying "look, we don't want him around animals or people right now EITHER, but we want him in a psych facility getting the treatment he needs, not in prison or tied up in court". He's 'guilty' in their eyes for "choosing to stop taking his meds" or "he had enough chances" or "there's no way he didn't know right from wrong".

Siren, I agree with you. It is actually very saddening that no one cared enough about him to have him Baker acted. While I believe he must pay his crimes, a couple years in a psych clinic is what he needs. If this was a 1 time incident, then I wouldn't even really care about it. But Ben has proven time and time again that he is in need of help, and I hope that he gets it.

Well, that's more than enough to make me avoid him. I don't really take kindly to people who abuse animals. I really have zero tolerance for such things as I am sure many other animal lovers do, too. They are more than just a price tag!

Originally Posted by snakesareawesome

Well, that's more than enough to make me avoid him. I don't really take kindly to people who abuse animals. I really have zero tolerance for such things as I am sure many other animal lovers do, too. They are more than just a price tag!

Apparently you didn't read anything in this thread.

I'm pretty sure he has been put under psych hold. Several times. They can only hold you for 72 hours legally. After that there's not much they can do to make you stay if you want to go.

Also, I think he's schizophrenic and bipolar rather than just bipolar...which makes a lot more sense.

That's just not true about the 72 hrs. That's the maximum stay off the bat, but if once you are in there they decide you need to stay longer, it can be longer. It's generally not more than a couple weeks, unfortunately, though.

Whole lot of judging and speculating here...as always. I never post here but now is as good a time as any. Fact is, nobody here knows exactly what goes on at Ben's shop. This is likely the first REPORTED incident. These kind of things dont just happen once. As someone who has seen a few very close friends go through drug addiction and suffer mentally (some of them losing the battle) I can honestly say that i hope he gets the help he needs in prison, sometimes that's what i takes, and i hope he's not allowed near any other animals. Lost that privelage. There's my 2 cents.

Was just in the shop this afternoon. As usual, the place was spotless, animals healthy and staff busy caring for their stock. The stores mascot adult Rhino iguana was happily enjoying the scratches offered by customers.