Marshall Poe
Marshall Poe
Aisha M Beliso-de Jesús, "Excited Delirium: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease" (Duke UP, 2024)
Aisha M Beliso-de Jesús, "Excited Delirium: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease" (Duke UP, 2024)
Aisha M Beliso-de Jesús, "Excited Delirium: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease" (Duke UP, 2024)
Tuesday 10th December 2024
Dr. Aisha M. Beliso-de Jesús reveals the dark history of 'excited delirium' and its role in covering up police violence against Black and Latine individuals.
56 minutes
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Get the buttons here!The Fabrication of Excited Delirium: Unmasking Racial Bias in Medical Diagnoses
Episode Overview
- Excited delirium is a fabricated diagnosis used to explain deaths in police custody.
- The term has racial implications, often targeting Black and Latine individuals.
- Medical examiners and police have used this term to avoid accountability for excessive force.
- High-profile cases like George Floyd's death highlight the misuse of this diagnosis.
- Dr. Beliso-de Jesús's research challenges established norms and encourages critical thinking about systemic racism.
Excited delirium is not a legitimate diagnosis. It is a fabricated syndrome used to cover up police violence in custody deaths.
In this episode of New Books in Drugs, Addiction and Recovery, host Regan Gillam engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Aisha M. Beliso-de Jesús about her groundbreaking book, 'Excited Delirium: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease'. The episode dives deep into the controversial history and impact of the so-called 'excited delirium syndrome', a term coined in the 1980s by Charles Wetli, a Miami-based medical examiner.
This fabricated diagnosis has been used to explain the deaths of Black and Latine individuals during police encounters, often attributing their deaths to supposed superhuman strength induced by narcotics, rather than police violence and restraints. Dr. Beliso-de Jesús shares her personal journey and extensive research into this disturbing phenomenon, revealing how excited delirium has been weaponised to cover up police brutality.
She sheds light on the historical context of the term, its racial implications, and the complicity of medical examiners and police in perpetuating this myth. The discussion also touches on the broader implications for the criminal justice system and the persistent racial biases that underpin it. Listeners will gain insight into how excited delirium has been used to justify excessive force and avoid accountability, with notable mentions of high-profile cases such as George Floyd's death. Dr.
Beliso-de Jesús also reflects on her own experiences growing up within Afro-Caribbean religious practices and how these influenced her critical perspective on anthropology and medical classifications. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the intersections of race, policing, and medicalisation. Dr. Beliso-de Jesús's passionate and informed discussion provides a compelling narrative that challenges established norms and encourages critical thinking about systemic racism and its manifestations in society.
Tune in to hear an eye-opening discussion that not only educates but also inspires action against injustice.