Cuyahoga County Courts Face Surge in Cases Involving Defendants with Mental Illness, Sparking Demand for Expanded Services
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cuyahoga County courts are experiencing a notable increase in cases involving defendants with mental health challenges, intensifying calls for greater access to mental health services and alternatives to incarceration.The strain on the system is highlighted by the tragic case of Robert Gullia, whose story illustrates the devastating consequences when mental illness goes untreated and intersects with the criminal justice system.in 2019, Gullia was accused of assaulting a police officer with a golf club. He was later found not guilty by reason of insanity, but the incident triggered a cascade of hardship for his family.”He lost every single friend. And then even family members, neighbors – everyone looked at him differently. And then he began to look at himself that way, as well,” said his mother, Anne Gullia.
Following the assault,Robert was prescribed medication that,according to his mother,induced “new and strange behaviors,” including increased aggression and constant self-talk. despite ongoing efforts by his family to secure adequate care, help remained elusive. “The family was unraveling.It was impossible for my husband or I to concentrate or work,” Anne Gullia recounted. “I went through a time period where my hands were shaking, because I was always afraid in my house.”
Robert Gullia was hospitalized again in October 2023. Anne Gullia pleaded with her husband,Ted,not to allow their son to return home,stating,”I can’t bring him home to you. It’s not safe.” Ted Gullia insisted, and a week later, he was found dead.
Anne Gullia now advocates for expanded long-term care options for individuals with mental illness before they become entangled in the criminal justice system. “All roads lead to prison for the severe mentally ill,” she stated. She grapples with the profound loss of her husband and the complex emotions surrounding her son’s actions. “I forgive him because he’s my son, but I miss my husband, too,” she said, adding, “He was my best friend…Sometimes I think: How could you do that to your dad, who loved you as much as I love you?”
