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Podcast: Billy McCarthy of We Are Augustines talks about Solitary Confinement and Mental Illness

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January 25, 2012

Billy McCarthy is the singer and songwriter for the band We Are Augustines. Many of the songs on the band’s critically acclaimed album Rise Ye Sunken Ships were inspired by McCarthy’s brother James, who suffered from mental illness and took his own life after spending five years in solitary confinement in a California prison.

In this new podcast, McCarthy talks about what it’s like to have a family member confined to solitary and the tragic outcome.

Throughout the year, we’ll bring you more stories of people who have been affected by solitary confinement. To learn more about our work to stop the overuse of solitary and to sign our pledge to take a stand, go here.

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