Cohle's Case Files

This is my hometown – Birmingham, Alabama. I ache to be with my community, no matter how far removed I am from it now.

She's lost to the injustice system, she's lost to the racist, antiblack, transmisogynistic empire we inhabit and that many, many people benefit from upholding.

I'm so sorry Peaches. You deserved to live, and be loved by everyone who so clearly loved you. I hope you're listening to Beyoncé, or something even better tonight.

This loss is not accidental. It is a tragic reminder of the failures within the carceral system. The lack of adequate mental health resources, combined with negligence and systemic shortcomings in our system, continues to cost lives.

Far too many people are dying at the hands of systems that cause harm rather than healing. Incarceration should never lead to dehumanization. Peaches was a human being. She deserved dignity, respect, compassion, and access to the care she needed.

As we mourn her loss, we also honor her life. Let Peaches’ legacy be a call to action. We must continue advocating for a transformation of our systems of incarceration and for better responses to individuals living with severe mental illness. No one should be forgotten, neglected, or stripped of their humanity. Rest peacefully, Peaches. Your life mattered, your presence was felt, and your memory will forever remain with us.

His Holiness Father Stelios: