Patrick Kennedy: Loughner has brain injury, too

PHOENIX -- The suspect in the January mass shootings in Tucson has been cited by former Congressman Patrick Kenndy as an example of discrimination against the mentally ill.

Kennedy, the son of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, mentioned Jared Loughner during an interview on CNN Sunday night to discuss his past problems and addictions and his campaign for recognition of brain disease.

Loughner, 22, is charged with shooting 19 people, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in a Tucson parking lot in January. Six people were killed. Giffords was shot in the head and is currently in a rehabilitation center in Houston.

Kennedy, who served seven terms in the U.S. House as a Democrat from Rhode Island, said Giffords is a friend of his. But, he said there is a big difference in attitude about her injury and the problems of Loughner, who faces a hearing Wednesday to determine if he is competent to stand trial.

"There is no stigma toward Gabby and her brain injury," Kennedy told CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta. "But, he (Loughner) has a brain injury as well because clearly his brain was not working properly when he picked up that gun and shot all those people."

Looking back in history at different victims of discrimination and bias, Kennedy said, "The most persistent stigma of discrimination and prejudice really exists to this day toward people with mental illinesses."

He said, "We have failed as a society because every time we see someone who's -- and we use the pejorative words `crazy,' you know `psycho,' `nuts' -- we look the other way. we say, oh, well, we're not going to help them."

Kennedy did not run for re-election in 2010.

On Monday, he opened a three-day meeting in Boston, "One Mind Research Forum," a gathering for scientists and politicians to discuss brain injuries and illnesses.

Watch a portion of the CNN interview: