An American man has been awarded $975,000 after spending more than two years locked up in a psychiatric hospital in a case of mistaken identity, sparking fresh concerns about systemic failings in law enforcement and mental health institutions.
Justice delayed: Man released after years in illegal detention
Joshua Spriestersbach, 54, was wrongfully detained in Hawaii after police mistook him for another man, Thomas Castleberry, who was wanted on drug charges. The mistake, which began years ago, remains uncorrected despite repeated claims of innocence.
The tradition dates back to 2017, when Spriestersbach — then homeless — gave officers the last name “Castleberry,” which belonged to his grandfather. Authorities connected the name to an outstanding warrant and arrested him. Although he insisted he was not a suspect, officials concluded he was delusional rather than wrong.
He was initially held in a correctional facility for four months before being transferred to Hawaii State Hospital, where he remained for over two years. During this time, no meaningful effort was made to verify his identity, despite available evidence that could clear him.
A lawsuit later filed on his behalf stated, “Prior to January 2020, not a single person acted on available information to determine that Joshua was telling the truth. It added that authorities instead labeled him mentally incompetent because he refused to admit to crimes he did not commit.”
Spriestersbach was eventually fired in January 2020 after the error came to light. The Honolulu City Council recently approved a $975,000 settlement to compensate him for his wrongful detention. Reports indicate he may also receive an additional $200,000 from the state in related legal claims.
The case highlighted critical issues in identity verification processes within the criminal justice system. Legal experts say it highlights how vulnerable individuals – particularly those experiencing homelessness or mental illness – can be disproportionately affected by administrative errors.
Civil rights advocates say the incident underscores the dangers of institutional bias, where claims of innocence are dismissed as symptoms of mental illness. The absence of basic controls allowed the error to persist for years, effectively depriving a person of their liberty without proper reason.
Officials involved in the case have not commented publicly on the settlement.
