Justice...later, mercy.

This is a follow up to a previous article, "Six Days of Sand".

Today in a random courtroom, one that was not advertised to the public, a lone defendant was sentenced to three years in prison. I found that room only by insisting on my right to know it to the Clerk's office, and after much hassle, they gave it to me.

There were ten people - besides myself - in that courtroom.

One of the ten was him.

The other nine were three State's Attorneys, two Sheriff's deputies, two clerks of the court, one Judge and a person pretending to represent him that our society calls a "Public Defender".

Nine versus one 28 year old kid. And yeah, he's a kid. And given the near century of college degrees, law degrees and such in that room, you'd be a kid, too.

I sat in silence, watching the farce. I have been the only one to watch it from the beginning, besides those who were arrayed against him.

All the formalities were followed, so that each of the nine can go home and feel that they did no wrong.

The Judge asked if there really was any evidence of guilt that would justify the Defendant pleading guilty, and one of the three State's Attorneys got up, lied and said "Yes".

The Judge then asked the Public Defender if he had reviewed the State's case and verified that such a witness was able to testify, and the Public Defender got up, lied and said "Yes".

I personally know that the alleged "victim" was no where to be found and had never made an accusation against him.

Then the young man was sentenced to anal rape, torture, beatings and random solitary confinement for three years.

Oh - did some of you reading this forget that while we call it "to the care of the Department of Corrections" that what I just listed is what that actually means?

I could have stood up and said something. But I'd have been put in jail on Contempt of Court charges at once, and then they'd probably have gone harder on him. I was advised of this by one of the two Sheriff's Deputies - who know my propensity for speaking out - before the "hearing" started.

They were, hilariously, standing in watch over me, more than the Defendant.

They then had the young man walked back to the door leading to the jail. He - aware that he's not allowed any contact with the anyone - only nodded slightly so to not get in trouble.

I nodded slightly back, so as to not get in trouble. Last time I'd been threatened with jail when I quietly said, "I'll visit you tomorrow."

The door closed. All eyes swung to me, the only actual citizen in the room, as opposed to all these our Masters.

I got up and left. And yeah, cried again, like after the first hearing they screwed him at in February.

Well, he'll be having his fill of "Justice" now.  His only consolation will be mercy on the back end.  The mercy administered not by the State but by my wife and I.

He knows I'll visit, he knows I'll make sure that whatever needs done will be done, and he knows that when he's out he has a month free with us while he scrambles to get a job and get his life back in order.

Funny we don't have agencies - tax funded agencies - to make sure such can get back on their feet.  Almost like we'd just as soon they fail so they can be sent back to prison forever, toiling for the State.

This then is not the only reason for our sober living homes, and sober living homes in general, but it is something that works out well to try to clean up the messes made by our courts.

Picture if it was you, as inconceivable as that might be.  What would you do, released from prison, terrible record, no employers really wanting you, no family, no place to lay your head?

Remember this then.  And always speak in favor and support of sober living homes, halfway homes, group homes, any of these homes that give in varying degrees a chance for those ground up by our System to heal and recover and regain their lives.