Concerned about veteran with PTSD, judge orders him to jail and serves the time with him
Source: ABA Journal
A North Carolina judge who sentenced a veteran to 24 hours in jail for a probation violation was worried how the time alone would affect the defendants post-traumatic stress disorder. So the judge served the time with him.
For most of the night, Judge Lou Olivera and defendant Joseph Serna talked about their military service, report the Fayetteville Observer, WRAL, ABC11 and the Washington Post. He stepped in there for me, Serna told the Observer.
Read more: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/concerned_about_veteran_with_ptsd_judge_orders_him_to_jail_and_serves_the_t
THIS is someone to emulate
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)AuntPatsy
(9,904 posts)grasswire
(50,130 posts)mahannah
(893 posts)mountain grammy
(26,624 posts)Politicub
(12,165 posts)2banon
(7,321 posts)and bringing a little glimmer of hope for humanity and justice.
rare, that...
TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)nt
montana_hazeleyes
(3,424 posts)This is the kind of jurist who truly lives up to his calling. We need so many more like him.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)Thanks for the thread, 7962.
Amimnoch
(4,558 posts)Very touched by this person's actions!
NoRWNJ
(33 posts)basselope
(2,565 posts)It made me sad that someone suffering from mental illness was sentenced to JAIL at all. I think it is great that the judge saw a potential problem and spent the night with him, but this all goes to the essence of so many of our problems.
"Look the judge did a nice thing, what a feel good story"
Yet, this vet has to go back out there and live with PTSD and may wind up driving drunk again, not because he's a bad person, but because he is suffering with a mental disorder and not receiving proper treatment for it.
This all reminds me of some idiotic bet some DU'er wanted to make with me about the California primary.. It involved taking a homeless person out to fancy dinner depending upon who won the primary. I wouldn't accept the bet b/c it is the way we seem to "solve" so many things now a days. Okay, took them out to a nice dinner, problem solved. Gave money to a homeless shelter problem solved. Spent the night with this guy in jail so it wouldn't be so bad.
Why do we pat ourselves on the backs and get teary eyed over band-aids being placed on infected wounds? We have deep systemic problems in this country when it comes to crime and punishment, poverty, homelessness, etc..
I think this is what is bothering me most about this election. We seem to have lost the ability to think big.. we keep the shit to shoe level and call it a day.
groundloop
(11,519 posts)We need to get past these societal band-aids and fix the real problems.
I do give the judge credit for at least having some compassion for this veteran with PTSD.
Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)He was malnourished (100 lbs and 5'7" because his pancreas is almost done due to alcoholism. His liver is almost done for the same reason plus a pain killer addiction (multiple back surgeries, completely disabled). When I brought him to the ER they put in an IV but didn't attach a bag for 8 hours. His belly, legs and feet were grossly swollen and he didn't remember where he lived or his birthday. Almost all lab test were out of the normal range, the liver especially so. The ER Doctor was not going to admit him because "his labs were not that bad." He couldn't even walk, but he did have Medicaid/Medicare, so they would get paid!
He has been a little brain damaged from birth and slow. His HS nickname was "Woody" from the show Cheers. He drank due to self esteem issues caused by continual put downs etc.
I threatened to sue the hospital and that Doctor personally for patient dumping if they didn't admit him. They finally did and even told me it was only for 1 day because of my threat. Next day different doctors saw him there and freaked out over those same labs.
Spoke to the patient advocate and the chaplain. Told them I could get a Guardianship over him if I could get him into an assisted care facility. I was told the U.S tanks 50th out of the top 50 countries for treatment of mental illness and addiction. The chaplain told me other than a 72 hour commitment, there was nothing else but jail, prison or the streets if you didn't have Donald Trump type money. Most insurance policies pay for only two weeks a year for treatment.
Where are our priorities? I am always told that this is a Christian nation with Christian values. If these are Christian values I want none of them!
JimDandy
(7,318 posts)In the meantime, this vet made it through another day with the help of the judge, until we can provide him with some long-term help. Can't come fast enough.
Obama's great uncle, a vet, suffered from shell shock, or what we now call PTSD. I would have thought that by now, Obama would have brought sufficient attention and finances to bear on this problem, knowing what his great uncle had to endure the rest of his life.
Yo_Mama
(8,303 posts)This is a special intervention program for veterans. It is "Veterans Treatment Court", and getting veterans who run afoul of the law due to their personal issues treatment is the primary focus.
basselope
(2,565 posts)It's trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
The fact that they have to run afoul of the law to get treatment is the shame and then that even that only keeps the shit to shoe level.
We can do better than this!!!!
Yo_Mama
(8,303 posts)ensure that they have access and that the efforts are coordinated.
We all know the VA problems, and sadly, many individuals with substance abuse problems are first convinced to get in treatment during legal proceedings.
basselope
(2,565 posts)And what we accept as solutions.
GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)Compassionate societies form around compassionate individuals, after all.
I think of this judge as a model rather than a band-aid. That view seems more positive, as well as more respectful to everyone involved: the judge, the veteran, and the rest of us out here.
houston16revival
(953 posts)is a public servant
Jopin Klobe
(779 posts)... God bless ...
annabanana
(52,791 posts)OnlinePoker
(5,722 posts)He is very concerned with the welfare of military personnel according to a Facebook page on him (I believe it's a campaign page by supporters).
https://www.facebook.com/Oliveraforjudge/
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
democrank
(11,096 posts)Hope that vet gets all the help he needs.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)Rhiannon12866
(205,495 posts)Any chance we'll see this judge running for anything at the national level?