Emma Lugo speaks with Aisha Beliso-De Jesus about her book: EXCITED DELIRIUM: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease. In this book, Aisha uncovers the invented disease—excited delirium syndrome—which is used by medical examiners to assign cause to “unexplained” deaths of black men and women killed during police interactions.
For example, Derek Chauvin’s legal defense cited George Floyd’s cause of death as ‘excited delirium syndrome.’ Elijah McClain in Colorado was diagnosed with ‘excited delirium syndrome’ by paramedics after he was placed in a carotid hold by police and injected with ketamine, and before he was declared brain dead three days later. ‘Excited delirium’ was among the causes of death listed for Daniel Prude, in 2020 when officers covered his head with a mesh hood and held him on the ground before he stopped breathing. Angelo Quinto, who died days after a police officer knelt on his neck for five minutes, was also diagnosed with ‘excited delirium.’ The list goes on.
EXCITED DELIRIUM: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease https://www.dukeupress.edu/excited-delirium
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