R.E.R.
With Jail overcrowding becoming a major issue, Criminal Justice Judge Olga Espanza thinks she has the answer. She’s been in the spotlight recently for the unique sentencing of four inner city youths. Azwalt Cunning (15 years of age), Ishtar Uzualt (17 years of age), Joesph Barring (15 years of age), and John Herring (16 years of age) all charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, and criminal intent to cause bodily harm to person or persons unknown on last Thursday. All four youths had prior records ranging from petty theft to vandalism. Only Uzualt had a prior charge of aggravated assault, from a school yard scuffle. As you recall Suzanne Butler and her husband were driving down Highway 46 to pick up their kids from Suzanne’s mother’s house, Diane Centon. The four youths were tossing pieces of concrete they carried over from the recent demolition of the old South Lane Urban Housing Unit, two blocks from the scene. One of the larger pieces broke through the windshield and catapulted straight into Suzanne Butler’s skull. She endured 6 surgeries after waking from a five month coma. Many more surgeries are to come in the future, due to the severity of internal damage to her brain. She will never recover fully, and will require round the clock hospice care for the rest of her life. Judge Espanza knows she has the answer to this emotional, physical, and permanent dilemma for both parties. She has ordered that all four teens be remanded into juvenile detention, but they will not just sit there and serve out their sentence. All four teens must attend “In Facility” day classes for 6 hours a day to prepare them for their High School Equivalency Test. After they have completed the course, they will have to acquire their Equivalent Diploma and enter into a credited nursing school. They will attend nursing classes eight to ten hours daily, returning to the detention center after each day session. Once they gain their Nursing Certificates in Hospice Care, they begin taking care of Suzanne Butler in shifts. After each shift they return, as always, to the detention center. They will receive virtually no pay for their services. Once their jail time is served, they will be still be under contract to care for Mrs. Butler for the rest of her natural life. This is the terms of their probation, and it’s iron clad. “It is a prison they created for themselves.” Judge Espanza states. “Mrs. Butler will never be able to speak again, or hold a conversation with her children. She is barely out of a vegetative state. They caused her to be in this prison for the rest of her life. She was the innocence here. She is the victim, not just after the trial, not just after the sentence is paid. She got a life sentence, and these four individuals were Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Why should her family bear all the emotional, physical, not to mention the financial expense that will continue on? These four youths can see on a day to day basis what their careless act has cost not only this human being, but her family as well. They will see beyond their selfish act, to the full result of it, and come to understand it fully. They put their hands into this mess when they threw the first piece of concrete, that was the moment they all agreed to become involved with this family. The victims should not be punished, this is not how justice works.” The naysayers insist that this is a form of slave type justice. Forcing the boys into a labor they never had intention of doing until Mrs. Butler dies, freeing them from their services. Judge Espanza defends her actions without apology, “Mrs. Butler never had the intent to be a burden to her family. They decided to make that decision for her. To those who are claiming that this is slave labor, I have this to say. These four youths will now have a useful, employable skill when their sentence is over. They will not be a drain on society, they will have learned a skill to benefit society. Their shifts are not full time shifts at the Butler Household. They will have plenty of time to have gainful employment elsewhere.” Some have argued that the restrictions on the home care make the Butler Family victims again. Each room that Suzanne Butler is to receive care in has to be fitted with cameras, so the inmates can be monitored at all times. In addition to the cameras, the inmates will be fitted with ankle monitors. While it may be an invasion of privacy to some, it’s a welcomed advantage to others. This is not likely to be the last time we hear of Judge Espanza, her unique take on the criminal justice system has the District Attorney’s attention. Many are cheering her special brand of justice she calls, “Rehabilitate, Educate, Reintegrate” Judge Espanza concludes, “Too many times we see repeat offenders because they have no marketable skills or willful employers after serving their sentences. If they have truly paid their debt to society, then society should be willing to re-embrace them. Potential employers can see the work ethics these people are capable of before hand, because we provide video proof.”Imagination Avolation
