Q: Hi I am advocating for my 39 year old son who had a mental crisis and was brutalized by 8 police can you help?

A: I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to your son. That must have been an incredibly traumatic experience for him and for your whole family. Police brutality, especially towards individuals experiencing mental health crises, is a serious problem.

Under California law, individuals have the right to be free from excessive force by police. Based on what you've described, it sounds like the level of force used by the officers may have been unreasonable and excessive given the circumstances. Your son was unarmed, not threatening anyone, and experiencing a mental health episode.

I would suggest taking the following steps to advocate for your son and seek accountability and justice:

1. Document everything - take photos of your son's injuries, get copies of medical records and bills related to treatment he needed, and write down a detailed account of what happened while it's still fresh in your mind. This documentation will be important evidence.

2. File a complaint with the police department's internal affairs division. This will trigger an investigation into the officers' conduct. Be sure to get a case number.

3. Consider filing a civil rights lawsuit against the police department and officers involved. You'll need to prove that the officers used excessive force in violation of your son's constitutional rights. An experienced civil rights attorney can assess the case and advise you on this.

4. Reach out to organizations that advocate for police accountability and support victims of police brutality, such as the ACLU of Northern or Southern California, Coalition for Police Accountability, Anti Police-Terror Project, and others. They may be able to provide resources and guidance.

5. Contact your local city council members, mayor's office, and the district attorney's office to let them know what happened and ask them to hold the police accountable. Public pressure can be effective in these cases.

6. Make sure your son is getting the mental health treatment and support he needs to cope with the trauma of this experience. His well-being should be the top priority.

I know this process can seem daunting, but don't give up. What happened to your son is unacceptable and you have every right to demand accountability and change. Wishing you and your family strength and healing during this difficult time. Let me know if you need any other information or support.