[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]nnette Zaragoza-Bilow didn’t have a role in crafting Measure R, but her support for the measure is deeply personal. If it passes, the measure will not only give the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission stronger oversight power, but will also restructure the infrastructure in how Los Angeles county incarcerates people and, more importantly, treats people with mental health issues.
She hopes that the ordinance will help people like her brother, Gerry Dean Zaragoza, before it’s too late.
“My brother tried to get help for many years before the incident,” she recalls in an interview with LA Taco.
The incident Zaragoza-Bilow is referring to occurred last year when her brother Gerry suffered a psychotic episode on the night of July 25th. By the time police detained him the following afternoon, he had killed four people, including their father, Carlos Ignacio Zaragoza, and brother, Carlos Pierre Zaragoza. Their mother, Blanca Zaragoza, was also wounded.