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Article: Teacher's case opened door for mentally ill
- Article from:
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI)
- Article date:
- August 27, 2000
CopyrightCopyright 2000 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Broken Promises / 25 Years After We Unlocked The Menatlly Ill
Teacher's case opened door for mentally ill
But some former patients became society's `new lepers'
Sunday, August 27, 2000
Alberta Lessard, the diminutive former West Allis schoolteacher
with the squeaky voice, is a most unlikely revolutionary.
But it was her case, first brought almost three decades ago, that
transformed the nation's mental health laws.
Lessard, diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, was taken into
custody by police in October 1971 after what police said was a
suicide attempt. She disputed both her diagnosis and the allegation