Holley arrest shocks supporters, adds fuel to detractors - Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

Everyone seems to have strong opinions about Chad Holley being arrested, again, for burglary.

Viewers are all over social networking sites saying things like "he didn't learn the first time?", "how could he let everyone down" and "he's a criminal who needs to be prosecuted, not beaten".

Well, now the 18-year old's mother is saying he's not a criminal.  She says he's sick, suffering from mental illness.  "Chad does not fully comprehend, at all, the magnitude of his decisions," says Community Activist Quanell X.  

He first met Holley two years ago in 2010 after Houston Police Officers were caught on tape beating the 15-year old burglary suspect. The officers were immediately fired by Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland and the community rallied behind the teenager.
        
Now, Holley, who turned 18-years old two weeks ago was again arrested Wednesday with three others allegedly breaking into and stealing from someone's house.  Holley was let out of jail Thursday on a $10,000 bond.  I asked the teenager's mother "Do you feel like he let you down? No," Joyce Holley answered.
 
"It is indeed a shame that this young man has let the entire community down but it's even a bigger shame that enough of us did not know that Chad Holley had some serious psychotropic situations and mental health issues," says Quanell X.  The activist says he just learned Holley suffers from mental illness, was in special education in grade school and has been on anti-psychotic medications for things like bi-polar disorder since 2010.

The community activist says mental illness runs in Holley's family, including Holley's mother.  She didn't say much to the media as her son was brought home to their apartment from jail by Quanell X.  "As I was driving with him here and I'm telling him how serious this is and how disappointed we are and how hurt we are it's almost like you were speaking to a 9 or 10 year old," says Quanell X.  
     
You may remember last summer Holley's older brother made news when he was arrested and held for psychiatric evaluation.  Holley's mother says Chad has been refusing to take his medicine for several months now.  "Miss Holley explained to me clearly that once Chad refused to take those medications he became a totally different young man.  He wouldn't listen to her anymore.  He became aggressive.  It's not that he's nonchalant or doesn't care, there's something mentally wrong with Chad Holley," says Quanell X.
 
Holley's mother also says when he turned 18-years old he was dropped from Medicaid coverage.  Quanell says he will work to help get those benefits back so Holley can get the treatment and medicine he needs.  A number of people are also on-line saying Holley's latest arrest should not affect the outcome of the cases against the officers accused of beating him.  

"Holley is a thief and should be prosecuted, not beaten.  Those officers, who have sworn to uphold the law, knew better and have the right to be judged by a jury and not beaten because of the accusations," says one woman.