Courtney Luciana photo
Brian Cody was found dead in New Milford due to an opioid overdose in 2019 at the age of 20. His parents, Tony and Tracey Morrissey (pictured), founded BrianCodysLaw in his honor, and on Saturday united with New Haven Ice The Beef to rally against opioid addiction, gun violence, and domestic violence.
Thirty members of Ice The Beef’s Latino Caucus and Young Communist League (YCL), Greater New Haven Black Lives Matter, and other organizations joined the rally in Fair Haven on Blatchley Avenue.
Cody left behind a 4-year-old daughter Aubree and a 1-year-old baby.
The Morrisseys said that their insurance failed their family by denying Cody’s rehabilitation services around June2019. In August of that year, he was cut loose by the New Milford Police after a failed suicide screening. Five hours later, he was found dead in a trap house.
BrianCodysLaw, a non-profit grassroots organization, partnered with Ice The Beef in January to connect people who need access to recovery services and resources throughout the city and across the state.
“We want to make it clear that we take the lead on the responsibility for losing our son,” “Coach” Tony said. “As we unpack this, it’s important that everybody understands it’s not just the parents. The safety nets failed us. The insurance company failed us. It was a complete and total failure across all systems. We are all responsible.”
“And our son wanted the help,” Tracey added.
Ice The Beef President Chaz Carmon (far right in photo) called on the Biden-Harris Administration to add opioid addiction, gun violence, and domestic violence to his agenda of executive actions. He called on city leaders to take action as well.
“Our cities are mourning and suffering,” Carmon said. “Where is the gun violence reform bill? Why isn’t opioid addiction and mental health services on the list? Will you wait while people are dying in the streets everyday? Or maybe you’ll wait until there’s another school shooting. How are these things not in the order of change in these next four years? I’m standing here today to say you need to put them in the order. We got you elected so now I’m going to hold you accountable.”
New Haven had a spike in shootings in 2020. Carmon paid tribute to Tyrick Keyes, a former youth member of Ice The Beef, who became a victim of gun violence at the age of 14 in 2017.
“His birthday is coming up this month, and we’re remembering everyone who was a victim of gun violence this year,” Carmon said. “Shootings and overdoses haven’t calmed down this winter and it’s about to get warm out. These [points] need to be on the agenda.”
Ice The Beef Executive Secretary Marcey Jones (at far left in above photo), said one solution going forward is community outreach.
“Who here has not had a traumatic event in their life?” Jones, asked the crowd. “No hands are raised. So now I’m asking each and everyone of you to be helpers of one another by speaking your trauma. There’s somebody out here who has the same pain.”
Paul Pacheco, 21, an active member of BrianCodysLaw’s youth peer-to-peer committee (pictured on the left of Carmon) shared his story of overcoming addiction four years ago. He said that the organization’s efforts contributed to a reduction in the overdose death rate in New Milford by 20 percent in the past year.
“That’s from all of us working together. All because the police, mayor, schools, and community leaders all came together to make a change,” Pacheco said. “It’s a team effort. We are here for you and we want to make the changes at a larger scale.”
BrianCodysLaw has several partnerships within the organization, including The Redemption Houses in New Haven, a rehabilitation advisory committee composed of clinical case managers and recovery coaches, and an outreach committee.
“We want to amplify our mission,” Tony said. “Anyone in New Haven can call on us or anyone in our group for help. These are all free services.”
Black Lives Matter New Haven co-founder Sun Queen shared the story of her brother Christopher Fain, who became a homicide victim in 2012 at 19 years old. Fain was riding his bike throughout the streets of his neighborhood and was shot in the back. The shooter remains at large.
“My living brother was shot over seven times in 2019. Over seven surgeries to stay alive,” Queen said. “I say this to say that the violence that happens in our communities does not only affect the victim but the families, the communities, the city, and the state. We need more moments coming together with stronger voices and celebrating a collective change.”
Resident Dumont Gibbs, 44 (pictured below on the right) said that Ice The Beef inspired him to speak up on how the lack of resources impacted his life while growing up locally and to fight for change.
“I lost both of my parents as a teenager. You want to put an end to domestic abuse? Everything starts with family structure. I dealt with my pain in the wrong way,” Gibbs said. “I’ve been seeing these rallies my entire life, and the issues are getting worse. I’m tired of listening to things and nothing is getting done.”
Ice The Beef Vice-President Manuel Camacho (pictured on the left of Gibbs) agreed with Carmon that these issues affect all residents either directly or indirectly.
“It’s time we take the action to end this,” Camacho said. “And the time is now. And it starts with us.”
Thank you to Ice The Beef and families like the Morrisseys for turning the pain and anger of loss into action to stop the violence, and holding our elected officials accountable for the funding needed to address substance abuse, abuse and mental illness that often accompany violence.