Before everyone gathers to fling poo at County Commissioner Henri Brooks for being enraged at the operations of Juvenile Court, even to the point of flying to DC to meet with the Justice Department, let's think about this for a moment.
Let's not forget, new Juvenile Court Judge Curtis Person has been a referee at JC for more years than I can count, and was practically joined at the hip with former Judge Kenneth Turner. My sources familiar with JC operations indicated that in the last couple of years, Person practically ran the place as Judge Turner's health deteriorated.
While it is true that I was initially skeptical about a second judicial position for JC, things like the Braxton Moore story have led me to a change of heart. Add to that the charges that juveniles from the suburbs get diversion and treatment while juveniles from the inner city get confinement and worse and I think the Commissioner is on to something here.
I couldn't help Michael Erskine's snarky note in the first sentence of the CA story that this flight and trip was at taxpayer expense. Hello, isn't this about PUBLIC business??? What is she supposed to do here, this is her JOB.
If this leads to a federal investigation, fine, not that much will happen under a Republican Administration. Commissioner Brooks has the right idea, though, and we need to get behind her, and keep the pressure up on JC, rather than sabotage her.
Flame away.
4 comments:
LWC,
After reading your post I Google Judge Kenneth Turner
http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF1603/Bernstein/Bernstein.html
and Curtis Person worked along side of him and is in charged of Juvenile Court today in 2007, Henry Brooks IS doing her job.
Thanks for writing the post.
Henri Brooks is a racist and is playing partisan politics to get her friend a job which she couldn't get elected.
She is actually doing something that is needed but she is doing it wrong way and for the wrong reasons.
I have many issues with Judge Person but he has taken steps to change JC. He has installed a long needed office for non-custodial parents (NCP). Prior to Person, the NCP was told get a lawyer and given a cold shoulder by JC while "the system" worked for the custodial parent (CP).
Person has formed an advisory committee to suggest more reforms.
Now, having said that. JC does need to be split into criminal and civil courts. Brooks just wants to appoint Coleman and throw her in the mix. Not a good idea at all!
Step one. Reform the court into two courts ... criminal and civil.
Step two. Elect a judge a take the vacant spot.
If you want to appoint someone, William Winchester, an Independent, would be the one to appoint to avoid the blatant partisanship shown by Brooks.
Steve,
Smart City has a pretty good post on this subject also. Very Recent.
I wouldn't be opposed to Winchester at all.
Tom, I read that, and I think that SCC is of the opinion that this is just subterfuge to put in Veronica Coleman and undermine Person.
Larry, they have had the ability to appoint a second judgeship for years; that was done because Turner did not have a law license.
No one wants to push out Person here, but I do believe that it is worth investigating to see what is needed.
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