Convicted felon a product of his environment
The 22-year prison sentence handed down to Mount Pleasant resident Casey Amos Floyd is an example of justice being rightfully enacted.
However Floyd, 24, has led a troubled life, which does nothing to absolve him of guilt. But it is evident that more could have been done throughout his life to prevent Floyd from reaching the point that he did. To put it simply, he never had much of a shot.
His drinking was an issue long before he intentionally rear-ended a car carrying four passengers, sending it into a nearby yard and resulting in his convictions for operating while intoxicated and assault with intent to murder.
It was revealed during the trial that Floyd, who spent most of his childhood in foster care and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, began drinking at age 11. Growing up in a tumultuous environment with an extended history of substance abuse without adequately addressing his underlying problems was enough to push Floyd past the brink of reason.
Floyd, a member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, is an example of why programs such as the Tribe’s Residential Treatment Facility are so valuable, so people with substance abuse problems can seek help.
However, help needs to be sought, and people such as Floyd will only find help if they are actively looking for it.
The lack of any constant parental figures growing up is a likely contributor to Floyd’s situation as well.
The scene in the courtroom at the time of Floyd’s sentencing, which included his family members running out of the room and crying so loud they had to be removed, reflects the bleakness of his situation.
As Isabella County Judge Paul Chamberlain said that day, rehabilitation seems very unlikely once he is introduced into the prison system.
It falls to friends, family and neighbors, in future cases, to make sure troubled individuals get the treatment they need as soon as they need it, to prevent others from ending up in seemingly hopeless situations.
