My name is Ethan Elder. My son is Finnegan Elder. He is currently in prison in Rome Italy for killing a policeman. Three years ago he and his friend where out in Rome on a summer night. They had a drug deal that went bad. Money stolen, Carabinieri (police) involved. Some hours later he and his friend were tackled at three o’clock on the morning by two “under cover” police. hey had no badges, no guns and no handcuffs. They had come to retrieve a drug dealers backpack. Which the boys had taken after being ripped off. A fight ensued and my son fatally stabbed one of them. The man, a hundred pounds heavier, was on top of him choking his neck. He thought he was going to die and they were convinced they were drug dealers. He has been in prison for three years and we are working through the appeal process. Anyone who wishes to learn more need only go to the internet. Here is a link to a letter I wrote that was reprinted worldwide.
I am not here to plead his case. We are doing that in the courts. And succeeding. Against a corrupt system. Against corrupt cops. And I too have worked in law enforcement.
Our son was diagnosed with CHS at 17. I had no idea such a thing even existed. Man was I wrong. Despite Finn getting sick over and over and many trips to the ER he would not stop. After turning 18 he went to college and continued down the same dangerous path. This combined with other mental issues created a series of other problems. I know many of you can relate.
My deepest condolences go out to all of you who have lost a child. There is nothing worse on this earth. And I bow my head. We feel we walk somewhere in this strange middle world of lost and fighting for his freedom.
I know THC has become a huge problem. I sort of equate it somehow to drinking beer and jumping to the strongest white lightning made. Something is terribly wrong. Especially for these young brains, and losing anymore of our youth is unacceptable.
Dear Ethan, I live in Greenbrae CA and have watched this story unfold since the beginning. And today was the first time I heard about your son’s CHS diagnosis. So much is not right – including today’s THC content in “just marijuana”. It’s not just pot. And I am so sorry that your lives have been turned upside down because of it, as has mine from the death of my son Trevor, also a Tam Grad, from his addiction to mostly “just pot”. Thank you for sharing your story, and sending light and love to your family.