Took a class to a county courtroom today, as observers. We first had to pass the metal detector. My purse beeped due to my car keys, but they let me keep them. No cell phones were allowed in the court room. (Left mine in my office desk.)
We sat down by 10am. The judge arrived at 11. The defendants we saw today were all in trouble for violating their parole:
1. young black male, broke his parole when he was found w/ a bit of crack cocaine. As I recall, he was sent to finish his 90-day sentence in jail. His mother and sister were in the court room. He seemed to want to serve his time and waved his arms twice to people in the courtroom as he walked out.
2. tall white male, in on violent charges, probably domestic, had not gone through either of 2 programs (not sure why), of which one was anger management. He was sentenced to serve 11 mos. in jail. Also seemed to want to do this & get it done & over with.
Both these first 2 defendants waived the right to counsel. It didn’t really seem to make a difference.
3. 2 women. The first one was in her 30s, had been convicted of sharing MJ with a 15-yr-old in her own home, also other friends present. She broke parole “to save her life” to get away from old druggie friends & had been reportedly clean for a year, and working, in AL. You’re not supposed to move w/o permission. Her entire family was with her, mother, father, sister, & all testified that her drug addiction had driven them crazy but she seemed to be clean now & didn’t want to have her return to N. Her 2 kids are living w/ the grandmother. All family members were tearful & you could tell her addiction had broken their hearts. Judge agreed to extend her probation & let her live in AL, but ordered monthly drug tests & 20 hrs community svc. to take away restitution charges not paid.
4. 25-yr-old mother of a 9-yr-old, same charge as above. In fact, they had been caught together but this was coincidence that they appeared in court together. (!) This woman, however, admittedly can’t quit the stuff, so the public defender said she was NOT a good candidate for probation. She was to return to jail w/the stipulation that she be admitted to treatment program instead, if a bed were available. IOW, she won’t be let out, it’s either jail or treatment. She had already been thru 1 treatment program. (Didn’t seem remorseful, hasn’t learned.) Wants to be there for her son. (Hmm.) She as in shackles, as were the 1st 2 men.
5. Short & stocky white dude, has not paid much on a $30,000. debt. Must owe for larceny or something. The victim wants him incarcerated if he cannot pay the bill, but the judge sympathized w/ current economic situation & just continued the parole. Guy showed papers that he had been looking for work.
6. 50-yr-old black male on probation had been found at a house w/ bunch of other people all doing cocaine. 1 lb. found on table in living room, by police.I don’t remember his length of sentence but he went to jail, not on probation anymore.
No one contested their guilt, all waived right to trial. All the last ones were represented by public defender.
The judge kept talking to my students, asking them questions, or if they had any questions! We were sitting in jury box at front of courtroom! (This is small town America.) I felt embarassed for the families of defendants sitting there waiting for their loved one to appear before the judge.
Doctor Grandma 
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