1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: Yet you know, boys, it's back and reoaded all in 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: your mind. Yeah, and that deep throating. This is for 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: the streets, the reel, the railroading, the distant franchise, the 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: truth escape building. And they ain't know when we speak 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: the truth, so they ain't quoted because we wrote it. 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: The North south East code is the g be my 7 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: twe keeping your head bobbing. It ain't no stopping and 8 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: wants to be drips head by. And then the system 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: is so corrupt they throw the rock out their hands 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 1: and then blame it on us. Don't get twisted on code. 11 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: And we danced for no furntament biscuits. It's Willie d 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: y'all scar faces in the building. Collectively we are the 13 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: ghetto boys. Reloaded another episode of information and instructions to 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: help you navigate through this wild, crazy, beautiful world. In 15 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: the studio Genesis Draper, Genesis Draper, Judge Judge Shannon Bowling, 16 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: Judge Judge Turia Finch and Judge Tanya Jones Welcome to 17 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: the show A. Collectively they are four of the nineteen 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 1: women judges, well women at first. They wasn't judges at first, 19 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: but they were women who successfully grant a judge in 20 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: two thousand and eighteen, and they made history. I mean, 21 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: everybody's talking about them all over the world. The President 22 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:22,559 Speaker 1: said something about and they gave him more the award. 23 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: Everybody everybody around, everybody right, everybody right, everybody right, everybody right, 24 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: congratulations and welcome to the show. How how how does 25 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: it feel like to really be like know that you 26 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: got your name etched in history like that was? That 27 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: was big. We were proud of y'all. Y'all. Probably y'all 28 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: probably didn't really feel all of the effects because y'all 29 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: didn't talk to everybody obviously, but we were really proud 30 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: of y'all. Unspeakable, How do I mean we really were 31 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: if I had to put it, put myself back in 32 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: their place again, just lost for words. It was the 33 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: first time anything like that had happened. And honestly, throughout 34 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: the process we didn't feel like we were doing anything 35 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: particularly special. Well, no, just during that process we didn't 36 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: recognize it and understand it until after and people were 37 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: approaching us, and there were people, grown men coming and 38 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: we were at a church and grown men coming up 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: to a shaking our hands with tears in their eyes 40 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: because they had never seen anything like that before, and 41 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: it was probably in those moments that I really got 42 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: to recognize the gravity of what had happened. Absolutely, it 43 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: is the true illustration of blessed beyond measure. I mean, 44 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: it was such a mind blowing experience and still to 45 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: this day, you know, it's still just it's something we 46 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: didn't plan for it like this, but it took off, 47 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: and it's just been a blessing to see how many 48 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: people have been blessed by it. The little girls that 49 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: we still see today, the middle aged women, the older women, 50 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: all of the above, and so it's been really really 51 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 1: new ladies were lawyers absolutely in the beginning that went 52 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: on to be judges and good lawyers too because I 53 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: was a litigator over twenty years, I worked on both 54 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: sides of defense prosecutor as well as a defense attorney. 55 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: So um, I've seen and done it all, you know, 56 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: up to capital murder. So it was a necessity to 57 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: move forward, and judge just made sense. How easy was 58 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: that transition going going from lawyer to judge? It wasn't easy. 59 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: You do have to make a mental change. Does that 60 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: makes sense? And probably explain that mental change? Talk to me, 61 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: all of us were defense attorneys right before becoming a judge, 62 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: and so you do have to um step out of 63 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: that litigator. I'm not this is not my argument anymore. 64 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: I'm not the person advocating for anything other than you know, 65 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: protection of eights and ensuring that those things are happening. 66 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: But to be conscious of not showing favor to either side, 67 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: because I think we all remember what that was like 68 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: to be practicing in front of judges who are putting 69 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: their fingers on the scale. So we're super conscious we're 70 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: just putting their finger on the scale. Means so we 71 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: were all defense attorneys at least on the end, and 72 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: for years we've practiced in front of judges who um 73 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: were like the extra prosecutor in the court. Oh so 74 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: would you say, would you use the word unfair? And 75 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: for sure? No, for sure? And so I think you know, 76 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: we are very mindful of that on both ends, right, 77 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: So we don't want to put our friends on the 78 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: scale for prosecution or for the defense, since a lot 79 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: of us um tend to be defense oriented, since that 80 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: that's where we were most recently, so we're super super 81 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 1: conscious of that. Well, I think we all have implicit bias, 82 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: but it's very it's very dangerous though, when someone is 83 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: a judge and sitting, uh judge of human beings, but 84 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: the way it can actually control human beings live. And 85 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: you know, when you have a judge in that type 86 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: of situation, you know, how do you guys like navigate that? 87 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: You know, how do you how do you push your 88 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: particular implicit biases aside and say, you know, I have 89 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: to do what's right. I have to do the righteous thing, 90 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: not just the emotional thing. I think for the at 91 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: least the judges here, we all took implicit bias training, 92 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 1: and I believe all judges should take that training. I mean, 93 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: no matter where you come from, you just need to 94 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 1: have that because sometimes that's why, as inplicit you don't 95 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: realize you have it, you know, But I think it's 96 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: really just being aware, conscious, awake at the wheel and 97 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: remembering what your role and responsibility is and not just 98 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: kind of sitting there is an option, can you can 99 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: you not take that? It is optional right now, and 100 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: so they're making moves. Judges are trying to make moves 101 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: in the state of Texas to make that a requirement 102 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: because we do go to a judicial training when you 103 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: first come in, when you're first warning as a judge, 104 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: before you sit on the bench, you go to this 105 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: judicial training whatever, and so they're trying to make that 106 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: a requirement, and so I think it's important do you 107 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: have to take any type of racial sensitivity courses? Is 108 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: the judicial system racially insensitive? And at sometimes? Can you 109 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: see this from where you are? Is it insensitive in 110 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: your opinion? Can you look at some cases and it 111 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: was like, Wow, they did that because this person was 112 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: a minority, or they did that because this person was there, 113 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 1: So this was a female, That's why they did this 114 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 1: to her. I certainly saw some of these things from 115 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: some of the people who are on the bench previously. 116 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 1: I mean I had a judge make a comment in 117 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: open court an individual indicated that they were from Guatemala, 118 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: and the judge responded by accident where they are party 119 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: and missed their team and so you know, it was 120 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: an audible gap in the court room. But this was 121 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: the norm. Um. You know. I don't think anything came 122 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: of that. I don't know if any you know, complaints 123 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: were filed or anything like that. But just to have 124 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: a person, as you said, in authority who's making decisions 125 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: that impact your life, your future, your family's lives, and 126 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: to think that about you simply based on where you 127 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: come from. UM, And I think it's it's etched kind 128 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: of in the fabric of who we are, having grown 129 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: up and experienced that, I'm from South Park and I 130 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: say it all the time, very proud of where I 131 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: came from. They all know it where I go. UM. 132 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: But I know what it's like for people to label 133 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: you to you know, to have these thoughts about you 134 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: just based on what your zip code is or where 135 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: you went to school. And so, having grown up experiencing 136 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: that in various forms, I'm especially sensitive to the fact 137 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: that people you know come before this court from all 138 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: walks of life, and I have to be open. I 139 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: have to look at the case and not say, well, 140 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: this person is automatically guilty of this person didn't deserve 141 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: a second chance of this person you know lives here, 142 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: so they're only gonna go out and commit more crime. 143 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: I have to be fair, um, neutral, um, and make 144 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: sure that I'm I'm taking each case into consideration because 145 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: that's how it wants someone to do for me, a 146 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: member of my family, and as a defense attorney, that's 147 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: what I wanted I wanted the judge to see my 148 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: client as a as a person, as a human being. 149 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,079 Speaker 1: That's so so so getting getting being on the bench 150 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: and and and seeing different cases. A lot of other 151 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: judges would railroad you because of the color of your 152 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: skin or that you know, they would convict you on 153 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: something that you didn't do, but something that you might do. 154 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: Jug or go ahead, said, judges set the tone right. 155 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: And so also jurors see judges as obviously persons of authority. 156 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: And if you have a judge that frowns at the 157 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: defense attorney or you know, makes a comment at the 158 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: defense attorney during a trial, that translates to the jury. 159 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: So the jury then you know, I've had where judges 160 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: had screens. They have a computer screen facing you, the 161 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 1: defense attorney, but the jury is over here. So the 162 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: judge is making faces every time you, as a defense attorney, 163 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: say something. All of that translates to you know. Plus 164 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: it's also not something that's audible that you can get 165 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 1: on record unless you catch it. Now can catch it 166 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,319 Speaker 1: and you see it, and you can say, well, I 167 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: object to the judge making the face and for and 168 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: you say that in front of the jury. Because you're 169 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: trying to just a perfect your record, you know, and 170 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,199 Speaker 1: also say that, look, I recognize what you're doing. And 171 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 1: also judges have the ability to evaluate the equity and 172 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: the fairness in these deals that many people were pleading 173 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: guilty to that just wasn't right. I know many of us. Now, 174 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: I know my court is considered it no first time 175 00:09:57,600 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: conviction court unless the court you know, the code or 176 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: the statue requires it. But we have judges now that 177 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: we didn't have before that we'll look at an offer 178 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: that the state is given the defense, and then even 179 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: if they agree, we look at the agreement and determine 180 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: whether this is even the just thing to do. Just 181 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: because a person is willing to take a plea doesn't 182 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: make it the right thing to do. Because we're in 183 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: this era, we have so many other options other than convictions, 184 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: diversion programs, the further judication and formal dismissals. And unless 185 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: the judge forces the parties to consider all alternatives, because 186 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: attorneys are required to be not only zealous advocates for 187 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: their client, but to give them all those options to 188 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: make that informed decision about their case. And so I 189 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: remember that was not always happening, you know, the railroad, 190 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: and you're talking about, Hey, they're gonna time serve taking time, serve, 191 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: take it, time, serve, take it. But that's not the case. 192 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: You get a young seventeen, eighteen, nineteen year old person 193 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: has never been in the system, but all they know 194 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: is I want to get out of here and move 195 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: on with my life. And I tell them all the time, 196 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: I'm sure you'll do too. It's a conviction, it's a 197 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: criminal history, is not a credit poort, it ain't gonna 198 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: fall off in seven years. A serious situation, and so 199 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: it just takes that kind of consciousness, awareness and being 200 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: awake at the wheel to make sure these things don't 201 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: happen and to care to the compassion to care absolutely. 202 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: Houston is one of the most diverse racially diverse cities 203 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: in the country, but not until recently have it's judges 204 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: been really diverse. And so again we salute you guys, 205 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: you know, for the sacrifices that y'all made to run 206 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: and put your reputations on the line, and you know, 207 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: go through all of the ridicule that that you gotta 208 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: go through and even press that you press the pressure 209 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: that you've got you have to deal with on a 210 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: day to day basis, because I know that there are 211 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: people within the halls of those those walls down there 212 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: and the judicial system that don't want you all in 213 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 1: there come. A lot of them have a lot of power, 214 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: and I know that they're working daily and nightly, you know, 215 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: to try to get you guys removed. And and that's 216 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: the sad part about it, is that they see change 217 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,599 Speaker 1: for the better and they don't want that. You know, 218 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: some people they only care about, uh equality when they 219 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 1: want more equality. You see, I don't care about it 220 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: for everybody. It's just say I care about equality because 221 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: I want the equality, you know. And so uh, that's 222 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: why it's so important. And and let's just say exactly 223 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: what it is. And we talk about emplicit bias. We're 224 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:41,959 Speaker 1: talking about a lot of times, well in the past, 225 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 1: it's almost exclusively than white people judging everybody, you know. 226 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: And so that's why this diversity is so important. We 227 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,959 Speaker 1: need more black judges, we need more Hispanic judges, we 228 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: need more Latino mean, more Asian judges. We every city 229 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: should reflect its population evenly in every industry. I don't 230 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: care where it's the medical industry, whether it's my enforcement, 231 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: whether it's the judicial system, the pillars of the community 232 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 1: should reflect what the people look like. And so we're 233 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: moving in that right, in that in that direction. But 234 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: it's a trip. How evil some people are who have 235 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: the power to derail that, how hard they work, you know, 236 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: to try to derail that. You know, how can any 237 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: of you like give us like an example of what 238 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: it's like to deal with that. We're dealing with it constantly, right, 239 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: I mean, on my walk in here like building, calls 240 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: from you know, my coordinator letting me know this is 241 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: gonna this. We've heard from this group or somebody tags 242 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: you on this Facebook thing. Because there's a really well funded, 243 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: well funded machine that is invested in turning this around. 244 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,199 Speaker 1: I'm so proud of the judiciary the way it looks now, 245 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: civil family, juvenile probate. I mean, we got all we 246 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: got black women, we have Asians, we have um. Now 247 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: we we could potentially be electing our first female sick 248 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: judge in the country in the country. So I don't 249 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: want to to sick. She pronounces it sick. I've always 250 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: said seek that. I think that she pronounced a sick um. 251 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: So I never can get a solid read on it 252 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: if it's strictly religion. Um, but I do think it's 253 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: maybe a cross between religion, and I'd rather her come 254 00:14:51,560 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: on your show and maybe talk about it. So I 255 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: think I think it would say we would American yes, 256 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: suasion and so uh. And when I said that, I say, 257 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: I mean East Asian Indian Americans, not American Indian. Um 258 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: seek is it is it? S? I? H Yes, that's 259 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: h And So she would be the first female elected 260 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: in the country if she gets elected. But that's what 261 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: Houston represents, you know, right, So she would be the 262 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: first that's what Houston represents, that kind of opportunity. And 263 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: just though that type of representation really makes such a difference, 264 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: right because judges that we have all kind of different perspectives, 265 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: they tell me things that I don't, you know, I'm 266 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: not always aware of. Right, Ramadan could have gotten right 267 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: past me ten year ten years ago, it won't you know, 268 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: it doesn't now, right because I have an opportunity to 269 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: celebrate with my colleagues and and and so it's it's 270 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: just a totally different culture. But there are people out there. 271 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: I saw somebody posts recently. Defense attorney posted recently, Uh, 272 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: oh man, I just wish we could could go back 273 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: to good old days. I'm like, whatever before I was 274 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: working or even before I was born, because I sure 275 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: can't recall it. The you know, these are the good 276 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: old days and there are more to come if we 277 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: can just hold a line. And on top of that, 278 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: I think with people coming back to your point as well, 279 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: the importance of diversity in these particular positions. Many people, 280 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: including myself, underestimate the power of judges. I thought our 281 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: job solely was on the bench. We were in the 282 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: black robe with the gavel that we don't even use, right, 283 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: But really it's much more. It's deeper than that. Right. 284 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: We make policy when it comes to those decisions as 285 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: to how cases, what process, how the criminal justice system flows. 286 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: There were so many county administrative subcommittees and committees that 287 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: we sit on to determine certain things, whether it's how 288 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: individuals are processed through the joint processing symptoms, whether it 289 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: I mean's so many things I can't even get the 290 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: bel bone bore where it's whatever it is. There's so 291 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: many committees that I know you go ahead and jump 292 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 1: in just always to tell you what you're not saying 293 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: is what they didn't say, let me take a moment 294 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: to brag on my colleagues. Okay, this, this right here, city, 295 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: at this table, is the really the leadership of the 296 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: county criminal courts right now as it sits where some 297 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: of the first African American people ever to sit on 298 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: the bench within our courts number one, but certainly the 299 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: first to hold leadership positions. So, Judge Finch is the 300 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: presiding judge over all sixteen criminal courts. Judge Jones is 301 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: the administrative judge over all twenty county court judges. Judge 302 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: uh Draper will be the next presiding judge over all 303 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: criminal courts, uh, you know, county criminal courts. I am 304 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 1: the former, the preceding administrative judge over all twenty of 305 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: the county. We jumped in not only to hold the 306 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: positions and and and really sort of even the playing field, 307 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: but we jumped in and took on leadership roles, uh 308 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: committee positions to make sure that not only were we 309 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: ruling correctly in court and those things were going correct, 310 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: but we changed policies so that it affects everyone. That's 311 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: really the big you know, rub, That's what they really 312 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: are upset about, is we we we got at the table, 313 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: We took the seats at the table, and we were 314 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 1: in leadership positions making changes from the front, also in 315 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: the back. How do you hold on to that power? 316 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: What do you and what can the people do to 317 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: make sure that you not only hold on to that power, 318 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: but grow that power, strengthen it. Supporting vote right, I mean, 319 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: get the word out. We need people talking about the 320 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: fact that I guess the Houston nineteen are running were 321 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: more than just the Houston nineteen. Other African Americans, other 322 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: minority judges, political candidates are joining us or have joined us, 323 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: and they are making big strides along with us. Um. 324 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: The beauty of what we can do in the county 325 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: criminal courts is these four ladies, in addition to probably 326 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: a few others. Really we make collective decisions. We talk 327 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: about what's best for the county, and we're able to um, 328 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: you know, quite frankly, vote things in the way we 329 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: think that they should go. UM and we do so 330 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: with the community in mind. What's gonna work best, what's 331 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: gonna be the biggest flash, what's the most important part? 332 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: In my opinion, you touched on that, you know, what 333 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: we did with Belbon reform and um you know how 334 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: huge that was. People don't don't really get it. And 335 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: it's because I think what people here is, you know, 336 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: kind of what you hear out in the media, right, 337 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 1: because it's it's been totally distorted, But people who actually 338 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: experience it, whether or not they have been accused, had 339 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: a family member accused, or just visited the courthouse for 340 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: jury duty, right, people can really feel the difference in 341 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: what Bill Reform really is. Right, What it really is 342 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: is um us not overcrowding our jails with people accused 343 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 1: of petty offenses, um extracting ten dollars fifty dollars, a 344 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: hundred dollars for them, or trying to force a trying 345 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: to force a police that's all. That's what it was for, 346 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: is to force people to play guilty for revoting. Podcast 347 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: will be right back after the poet, Okay, j Draper. 348 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,879 Speaker 1: What if you have a seventeen year old high school 349 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: kid who hangs out with the round crowd and get 350 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: some self involved at it armed robbery where his buddy 351 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:59,399 Speaker 1: gets shot and they go to jail for robbery and 352 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: I cool. Do you offer them immediately offer them a 353 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: bond or do you say Okay, you gotta sit well 354 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: wow until we work the staying out. So let me 355 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: say this. We're not and I asked this question because 356 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,479 Speaker 1: you know that seventeen year old kid was me allegedly right. 357 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: What I say, we're a little limited in what we 358 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: can say and what we were doing certain situations. But 359 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,119 Speaker 1: this and we're misdemeanic court judges, so we don't have 360 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: this issue come up in our courts. But what I 361 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: will say, the beauty of having us and some of 362 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: our colleagues that are at the district court level is 363 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: you have people who's lived experiences, understands that right and 364 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: understands ways in which they can give people an opportunity, 365 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: Because what if a person can be safely released whatever 366 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: they're trying, whether it's aggravated robbery or that, if a 367 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: person can be safely released, if we have can editions 368 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: under which we can safely have them out on bond 369 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: while they wait for their trial, we are legally required 370 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: to do that, um and so we have to ask 371 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: those questions. It helps when the people they're are familiar 372 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: with where you're from, familiar with, um, some resources that 373 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: might be in your neighborhood. You know, I know what's 374 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: in my neighborhood. I know the shape center is reliable. 375 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: I can send somebody over there, you know too, so 376 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: they can use up their time, different places that people 377 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 1: can go. It helps when people have that lived experience, UM. 378 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 1: And so I think all of us we think about 379 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 1: that with every single person that comes in front of us. 380 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: If I see somebody come from the audience and there 381 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: was is that your mom sitting next to you? Is 382 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: that your mom? You live with your mom? Okay? You know, 383 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: kind of really trying to figure out how we can 384 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: get this person through the process, UM without derailing it, 385 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: because it really does benefit all of us when we 386 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: can let a person turn into this and not only that, 387 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: it doesn't help the process when we immediately treat presumptively 388 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: innocent people like they're guilty. Right, and so what the 389 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: judges should be doing, which I believe we do, is 390 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: doing a deep dive into the situation. The fact that 391 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: somebody is here doesn't make them guilty, But what it 392 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: means is that we need to explore what's going on 393 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: here and what can we do to minimize the most 394 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: restrictive situations. To me, incarceration should be a last result 395 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: when you're looking at a spectrum if you care, what 396 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: I think you should do is forget the cause number 397 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: and in some ways kind of forget the charge because 398 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: it's just a title. I think that's why you're supposed 399 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: to have a prosecutor and a defense attorney there and 400 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: ask questions. Okay, let me hear probable cause. Great, you 401 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: said that, defense attorney, You tell me about your client, 402 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: and they don't have anything to say. I send them 403 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: back and say, what, go talk to your client, and 404 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: then I'll talk to you. Right, why is this person 405 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: standing here? Right? What can we do to avoid putting 406 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: them in jail? Right? Especially at this point. We'll talk 407 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,400 Speaker 1: about you know, post adjudicative matters later, should we get there. 408 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: But I'm looking at this as how can I potentially 409 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: save this person, protect the community, and ensure that I 410 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: am following the law, you know, and allowing people's constitutional 411 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: rights to actually exist and not just be something we 412 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: talked about. That's powerful, very that, that is extremely powerful. 413 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: When I think about what you just said, there are 414 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: people that have historically sat in those seats and judgment 415 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: of others, and they understand exactly what you're saying because 416 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: they know how to use it with their own People 417 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: use it all the time, these diversion programs and stuff 418 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: they have. I didn't even know diversion programs existed until 419 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: I got to the money. You see, But they automatically 420 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 1: get these divergent programs, whether they got money or not. 421 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:02,119 Speaker 1: It's do a lot of times, these divergent programs are 422 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: offered to them. We don't even know nothing about it. 423 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: I knew nothing about these diversion programs, and so I've 424 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,479 Speaker 1: seen so many times where white judges will sit there 425 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: and they are comfortable saying stuff like this, Well, you know, 426 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna ruin this kid's life. He's seventeen years old, 427 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: she's she's eighteen years old. She's fifteen. He's fourteen, he's sixteen, 428 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: he's seventeen, he's thirty five years old. The guy has 429 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: never been in trouble before. Sure, he raped five women, 430 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: but that's not the point. Some of these judges are 431 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: so bold. They will say stuff that they know that 432 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 1: it's offensive, but they feel like they can't be touched, 433 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: and they they just say whatever the hell they want 434 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: to say. You said the magic words. They said they 435 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: felt they could not be touched and that was true 436 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: for a long time. And I want to say that 437 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: you know now that we're on the bench, we're on 438 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 1: the bench, we see more judicial complaints, more many many 439 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: or many many more because now if we're doing and listen, 440 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: we're not even touching the mark at what was thrown 441 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,640 Speaker 1: at us. I took so much as a defense attorney, 442 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: and you do that because you take it. You're taking 443 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: it for your own client, to help ease the situation 444 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:20,959 Speaker 1: for them. But judges said so much. They spoke un 445 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 1: I mean just literally unchained, unleashed. They could say and 446 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 1: do essentially whatever they wanted to do and there were 447 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: never any consequences. But you let one of us step 448 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: left the right of the right. It is. It is 449 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: huge we have and you know, so when when I 450 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: say support, I really mean support because oftentimes we're fighting 451 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: not only to make sure that fairness stays on the bench, 452 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 1: but that you know we're there and they're not trying 453 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: to clip us all so that we can't even run again. 454 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: Do you know they listened to our interviews, Like every 455 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 1: time we sit down to do an interview, it's a risk, 456 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 1: like literally there are people are opposition that listen to 457 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: our interviews. They look at everything we do to foul 458 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: judicial complaints, and they do that to keep us silent. 459 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: So they want to take advantage of our silence and 460 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 1: expose in the media or whatever theme or you know whatever. 461 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 1: And so you know, that's why I really appreciate you 462 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: all taking time to even talk with them. Just need 463 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: to be out in the open yet absolutely, because it's 464 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: important to expose them, which you flip its them, because 465 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 1: that's that one thing that I know about them. They 466 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: don't like being exposed. See, they're counting on the power 467 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: that they have to scarybody and silence everybody. And so 468 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: most people kind of go along and get along with it. 469 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: But when you expose them the stuff, Oh yeah, they 470 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: know their place. Everybody got a place, they know that place. 471 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: When they get exposed, they don't like that. And they 472 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,440 Speaker 1: know what works. They know what works. And so whenever 473 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: we look like we're getting somewhere, they say, uh, they're 474 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 1: soft on crime. They letting they're letting everybody out of 475 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: the jails. They don't know what they're doing. They don't 476 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: have enough experience, they don't have this, that and the other. 477 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: They know what works. They play on people's fear tactics. 478 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: And then if you if if you do everything, you 479 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 1: can do everything right as everything right, and you let 480 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:27,239 Speaker 1: one guy, you let one guy out of Lord who 481 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:31,400 Speaker 1: went out and just ended up just being rotten and killed. 482 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: Somebody did something dirty. You see that she need she 483 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: let them out and they But but they do this 484 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: type of stuff all the time, right because you can't 485 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: you know, you have no crystal ball beings a second chance. 486 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: You try to give people a chance, and you don't 487 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: know who's going to who's who's going to walk straight 488 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: and narrow, or who's going to just decide that they're 489 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: going to go out and do something crazy. Again, You 490 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: just don't, so you just try to use your best judgment, 491 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: you know. So, I mean that's the thing, and they 492 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: understand that because that's what they do also. But when 493 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: it comes to us, it's a total different thing. Soft 494 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: on crime, they went unchecked softly and gay bonds. You 495 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 1: could you could commit a murder, alleged commit a murder 496 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: and your bond might be thirty thousand dollars. That was 497 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: standard and typical in een and prior. Today, the felony 498 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: court judge is not us, but the felony court judges 499 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:40,959 Speaker 1: you deal with that. They are in the millions routinely, routinely, 500 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: but there soft on crime, letting people out, you know, 501 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: and they never talk about the whole story, the failures 502 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: of the other side. And I'll just going to say 503 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: at the district attorney's office, you know, doing what they're 504 00:29:56,320 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: supposed to do too, because oftentimes they weren't held because 505 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 1: you know, the judge didn't require it, didn't hold their 506 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: feet to the fire, so they didn't timely file motions 507 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 1: to make sure their bonds were either increased, starret or 508 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: revoked um. Nor did they bring evidence that you know, 509 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: because the statute has a certain standard um, they didn't 510 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: present those things that happens. Now. I just want to 511 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: tell you so much again, thank you for what are 512 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: you just saying, because if anything grinds my gears being 513 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: a judge, is that there's this narrative that we don't 514 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: care about the their community that we live in and 515 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: that we just want to make sure that everybody unsafe 516 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,959 Speaker 1: and dangerous go out into the community. We're judges. We're 517 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: gonna sit back here like we live on the bench. 518 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: You know, I go home. You just went to target today, 519 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: right for this interview or wherever I go to Kroger's. 520 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: And so it does not benefit us or our community 521 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: to just be reckless and put people out on the street. 522 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 1: We don't have a crystal ball, but we surely work 523 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: with the We do the best we can by working 524 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: with the information that is presented to us, and that's 525 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: all we really can do. To be quite honest with you, 526 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: our goal is that no one commit any crimes. But 527 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: that's just not a reality. And for today's media and 528 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: for today's opposition to pretend that people on bond reoffending 529 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: is a new kind of novel concept is ridiculous. How 530 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: is a former prosecutor, former public defender, and private defense attorney, 531 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: And I'm here to tell you I've done so many 532 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: bail hearings on people when I was either a prosecutor 533 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: a defense attorney, on people that were out on bail 534 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: and reoffended. You know why that happened because people are people, right, 535 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: and all you can do is do what we can. 536 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: But whoever is listening your judge's care in Harris County, 537 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 1: we want you to live comfortable, be saved, leave your 538 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 1: door unlocks if you can, not saying don't do that, 539 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: but it's a different age. Then we have more guns 540 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: available and lawful and legal. Then it's the judge's faults 541 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:58,959 Speaker 1: when people have guns. I don't understand that. And when 542 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: when people are hurting each other. We don't want that. 543 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: I don't want that at all, you know. But I 544 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: appreciate you for recognizing the fact that we're not clairvoyant. 545 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: We're not psychic, nor do we have a crystal ball. 546 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 1: But God knows, we work really hard to make sure 547 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: we do us the best for not only the person 548 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: in front of us, the alleged victim, and the community 549 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: as a whole. And that's not an easy job. And 550 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: to pretend like it is. And this rocket science is 551 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: just the biggest life from hill and we don't and 552 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: they but they do that intentionally, and they do it 553 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: intentionally because that's how they control the narrative. Just like 554 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 1: when you talk about crime in the neighborhood or whatever, 555 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: they try to make it seems like a the snitching thing. 556 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: They're trying to make it seems like black people just 557 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: love crying, like black people just like being living in danger. 558 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 1: We just like, we don't want no protection from the police. No, 559 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: we don't want protection we don't want this false narrative 560 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: of protection from faith corrupt police officers. So what they're 561 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 1: doing is that they'll be cool with uh, they'll be 562 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 1: cool with all of the bad things going on there 563 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: and all of that, and they don't try to fix anything. 564 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: But then the moment that somebody trying to hold a 565 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 1: police officer accountable, they try to say, oh, see, y'all 566 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 1: anti police officers. No, we're anti corrupt police officers. But 567 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: the but the corrupt police officers try to hide behind 568 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: the one or two alright police officers and say, see, 569 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: you know y'all trying to attack police officer. We're just 570 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: here to protect y'all. But we don't want that type 571 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: of protection. We want to be protective. We want to 572 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 1: be safe in our own communities. We won't say we 573 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 1: won't we want the thugs to kill us, the dope dealers. 574 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: We want the asses out too, because they're destroying the neighborhoods. 575 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: You know, if it's like this, if you're not helping, 576 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: you're hurting, all right, that's any situation in life. If 577 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 1: you're not helping, you're hurting. So look around in your 578 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: neighborhood and look and look at every every individual who's 579 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: helping who's hurting, right, and so you want it's like, 580 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: we we don't want black judges because we're trying to 581 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: stack the deck or whatever. We've been down so long. Man, 582 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: we're cool with just some fattis. We just give the 583 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: fatness and we're straight, you know what I'm saying that 584 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 1: because because we feel like if somebody did something wrong, 585 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: they should be punished. But look, the goddamned punishment fit 586 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:29,200 Speaker 1: the crime. You know, you don't get no body, no 587 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: damn forty years in prison for two grams of cocaine. 588 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 1: That's crazy crack. Yeah, you know, but you don't do 589 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 1: if you don't do people like that, man, you know. 590 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: But but that's what compassion comes in, and that's where 591 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: relatability comes in, right, and even on the flip side, 592 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: so you know, treating people fairly because we have a 593 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 1: different perspective. But even on the flip side, you know, 594 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: I have told other people when I first took the bench, 595 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 1: you know would come up, you know, hive dollar lawyers 596 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: would come up and say, you know, hey, can we 597 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 1: you know, just get it, pay us fine and then 598 00:35:08,719 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 1: not do any jail. And I was like, are you 599 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: asking me if you can buy a shorter sentence. You 600 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 1: know that's illegal, but you can talk to me about 601 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: why you know you should get a shorter sentence. They were, 602 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 1: so it was if we all know that was routinely done. 603 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,800 Speaker 1: You pay a fine, you don't have to do the 604 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,359 Speaker 1: jail time. But for people that don't have money, they 605 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 1: paid with their time in jail, and so you know, 606 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:37,839 Speaker 1: it was an adjustment for lawyers that when I would 607 00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 1: say that to them, like, are you asked me if 608 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:41,919 Speaker 1: you can buy a shorter sentence? And they were looking 609 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 1: at me like that it is what I said. So 610 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, but now nobody's even nobody's asking me in 611 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:53,839 Speaker 1: at least in a couple of years, because they're used 612 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 1: to that's not happening up in here. So come to 613 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:59,280 Speaker 1: me with a legal argument for why your person deserves 614 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 1: time served from into that, but don't talk to me 615 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: about something that somebody else can't access, which is money, right, Like, 616 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,000 Speaker 1: that's just not something that I'm going to be making 617 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:11,719 Speaker 1: a decision based on um and so just kind of 618 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 1: even flipping it having you know, lawyers come up to 619 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,360 Speaker 1: me and say, oh, well, you know he's he's a doctor, 620 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:19,879 Speaker 1: so he can't do the he can't do the time. 621 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, you think all these people sitting out here 622 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: in the audience can do it. They can't do the 623 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:28,760 Speaker 1: time either. Let's talk about why your person can't because 624 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 1: then being a doctor that that's not that's not gonna 625 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: move me. Let's talk about why your person doesn't need 626 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 1: to go to jail. So that's the corruption where you know, right, 627 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 1: it's not you know, just law enforce it's not an 628 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: anti law enforcement. It's just anywhere ever you sit, whether 629 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 1: you're judged, law enforcement, prosecutor defense attorney, wherever, it's just 630 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: not needed. Right, that's not what's gonna help us at all. 631 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: So I admire you for taking that stance. I'm gonna 632 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,919 Speaker 1: have to use that line. It was funny the first 633 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 1: few times I worked it out, and now like nobody does. 634 00:36:55,160 --> 00:37:00,719 Speaker 1: I don't know if the law enforcement know that. Who 635 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: I know, somebody's listening. But people who actually law enforcement 636 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: that come into our courts are not ones that like 637 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: you know, reading Facebook post, you know, but ones who 638 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,360 Speaker 1: actually come in our court testify in our court. I 639 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 1: feel confident that law enforcements that has come into my 640 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:21,360 Speaker 1: court they know that I'm above board, it's just what 641 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 1: the law is, what it is, you know, And so 642 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 1: all that extra that's inflammatory on the internet, that's all 643 00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: just fake and and and stuff to get people worked up. 644 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:35,239 Speaker 1: But people that actually experience our courtrooms. You can ask 645 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 1: anybody that's come in there, they'll say the same. And 646 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:40,719 Speaker 1: to deflect, right, that's what the social media and that's 647 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:43,840 Speaker 1: political theater. It's to deflect from whatever is happening on 648 00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:45,479 Speaker 1: in their own camp because they know that we can't 649 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 1: speak to whatever the issue is in the reality. Y'all know, 650 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 1: it's true. Much of what we hear or see, none 651 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,279 Speaker 1: of them have stepped in your courts. You know. I've 652 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:57,799 Speaker 1: never seen many of the people that make the most 653 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 1: statements in court, and I even any of them to come. 654 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:08,839 Speaker 1: They're not here, but they have the most to say 655 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,520 Speaker 1: in our livestream, our live stream. The doors of the 656 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 1: court are open, and I allow that opportunity for you 657 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:16,799 Speaker 1: to come in, and I welcome the opportunity, of course, 658 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 1: but I can't talk about cases, nor can I, you know, 659 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 1: get a forecast on what I would do as a 660 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:24,920 Speaker 1: judgement were very ethical. But if there's something that you 661 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: say that's not happening right, let us know, but don't 662 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: post it. It's right. It's live stream. You can click 663 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 1: on the court live stream because we wanted to make 664 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,720 Speaker 1: sure that even when things got tough, when the pandemic 665 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: hit and people couldn't access it was already hard to 666 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 1: access our courtrooms with traffic and the lines and insecurity, 667 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:50,839 Speaker 1: so it's already hard to access the court of court. 668 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:55,040 Speaker 1: We decided we wanted to make it easier accessible. We 669 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 1: can't close the doors of the court house. People need 670 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:00,120 Speaker 1: to know what's going on, so we live stream. We 671 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,879 Speaker 1: live stream. It's not popular. Some people like really don't 672 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 1: like it, but we live stream so that people have 673 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 1: access to see what's going on. They can just click 674 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:12,200 Speaker 1: right from their phone to see what's happening in Court nine, 675 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 1: in Court twelve and four and the rest of them. 676 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 1: Do you prafer defendants come to a court wrong? Would 677 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:30,400 Speaker 1: you like to live stream? I don't know. There are circumstances. 678 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,200 Speaker 1: There are circumstances that they need to be there, right, 679 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,239 Speaker 1: but most of the time they don't have to come. 680 00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:40,120 Speaker 1: That's the beauty of it too. And if you want 681 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:43,959 Speaker 1: to zoom in, you can. But if we're not doing 682 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,920 Speaker 1: anything substantive for your case that day, you don't need 683 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 1: to be there. Yeah, I mean we we've we've said 684 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: from the beginning criminal court is not conducive to a 685 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 1: d virtual But what we did learn, one of the 686 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 1: blessings of all of this is that we did learn 687 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,640 Speaker 1: a lot can be done virtually, and particularly with the 688 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,239 Speaker 1: tall ask of asking people to come downtown and what 689 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:07,680 Speaker 1: in the county this large. It's really a big deal, 690 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 1: and so we've made it more accessible for people to 691 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:15,600 Speaker 1: be able to appear because short of like you about 692 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 1: to go, you know, you're needing to go into custody 693 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 1: because you have a warn or something. If somebody comes 694 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:22,799 Speaker 1: onto my life and says, hey, I had court today, 695 00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:25,319 Speaker 1: I couldn't make it down there, I'm not gonna be like, well, 696 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:26,919 Speaker 1: you were supposed to be here, you're not here live, 697 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:29,879 Speaker 1: I'm like, okay, um, is the reason why you're not here? 698 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:32,080 Speaker 1: Because they have they in my court. You're required to 699 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: come for the first time, I like to lay eyes 700 00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:35,880 Speaker 1: on you. We talked face to face about you know, 701 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 1: kind of what the process is, what to expect, and 702 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 1: then the last setting, right that's your trial or your 703 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:43,120 Speaker 1: plea or you're dismissing or whatever. All that in between 704 00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:45,840 Speaker 1: the lawyers can can can discuss that and so but 705 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 1: sometimes I have somebody that calls and they're like, oh, 706 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:52,720 Speaker 1: you know, my car broke down, and so I zoomed in. Okay, alright, 707 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:54,680 Speaker 1: but let's let me pull your case up. Do you 708 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:56,879 Speaker 1: have a lawyer and try to work with the people, 709 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,399 Speaker 1: because you know, I just I remember the day. I've 710 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:03,239 Speaker 1: always I was a public defender before I became a lawyer, 711 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:05,880 Speaker 1: the whole time, at the federal and state level, and 712 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: so I've always represented people who don't have resources. And 713 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:14,279 Speaker 1: I remember routinely people who are always already stretched thin 714 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:17,319 Speaker 1: being arrested for things like showing up late to court 715 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:19,640 Speaker 1: when we know that the line is like an hour away, 716 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 1: you know, different things like that. So you know, just this, 717 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:25,799 Speaker 1: it's night and day. What is now? What about when 718 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 1: you know a train was on the track and we 719 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:33,760 Speaker 1: don't do that quite honest. Yeah, that's not that's a practice, 720 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,000 Speaker 1: that's not court not I tell everyone day one, you 721 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:39,400 Speaker 1: don't have to come to court if you're in contact 722 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 1: with your lawyer, you know, violating your bond conditions. I 723 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:45,359 Speaker 1: don't need to see you until it's time to either 724 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,480 Speaker 1: dispose of your case where that's a pleaer trial. Other 725 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 1: than that, your lawyer can show up an efficient one 726 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:58,680 Speaker 1: right because and we still have dockets, clearance rates and 727 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:02,800 Speaker 1: above above, So whoever is listening that may not understand 728 00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:06,640 Speaker 1: that process. We're still disposing of cases as we should 729 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:09,279 Speaker 1: be in above the hundred percent clearance rate, which means 730 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:11,480 Speaker 1: that just to kind of break it down, one hundred 731 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:14,400 Speaker 1: percent means that we are matching the number cases they 732 00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:16,680 Speaker 1: are coming in. So you have ten cases coming in 733 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:19,800 Speaker 1: and you're closing out ten cases, that's a hundred percent. 734 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:22,880 Speaker 1: Now if you're closing out above the amount of cases 735 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:26,160 Speaker 1: that was fouled that day, then you're exceeding, so you're 736 00:42:26,239 --> 00:42:29,920 Speaker 1: hitting old cases, backlog cases exactly. So I'm proud to 737 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,200 Speaker 1: report that the county criminal courts have been above a 738 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:34,319 Speaker 1: hundred percent for quite a few months now. I think 739 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:36,440 Speaker 1: today we sit at about a hundred and sixteen percent. 740 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 1: So and then we have a jail population of only 741 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:44,440 Speaker 1: three hundred and twenty six people about three hundred misdemeanor 742 00:42:44,560 --> 00:42:48,879 Speaker 1: only people incarcerating the Harris County jail, which means if 743 00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:52,760 Speaker 1: our jail population or the total capacity is ten thousand, 744 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 1: that the misdemeanor County criminal courts a log inmates are 745 00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:59,480 Speaker 1: less than five percent. I think we calculated like three 746 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:02,160 Speaker 1: point four percent points to the population, which is what 747 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 1: we have in the sastest training clearance rate and reduction 748 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:10,560 Speaker 1: in case backlog. So we're still a right man. I 749 00:43:10,719 --> 00:43:13,200 Speaker 1: like that. Man. I remember, like back in the gap, 750 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:15,640 Speaker 1: going to court was like going to a public hand man. 751 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:20,399 Speaker 1: You saw somebody with him mean true basically didn't look 752 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,360 Speaker 1: nothing like you and did not have your best interest 753 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:26,960 Speaker 1: at heart at all, no compassion muchsoever, man, And you'd 754 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:28,680 Speaker 1: be like, man, I don't ever want to come back 755 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:35,360 Speaker 1: you no more constantly? Which of you remember I do 756 00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:49,560 Speaker 1: when I wasn't practicing. Yeah, so, so you know, I 757 00:43:49,719 --> 00:43:52,800 Speaker 1: believe that you know something. I understand that judges have 758 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:55,680 Speaker 1: to have a certain amount of latitude, But do you 759 00:43:55,800 --> 00:43:59,560 Speaker 1: guys ever think that sometimes you guys a task with 760 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:06,279 Speaker 1: two latitude? Good question. What are you asking? Like, do 761 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:09,000 Speaker 1: you feel like we have too much discretion? And yeah? 762 00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:12,759 Speaker 1: So it you know, it can be We've seen it 763 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:16,640 Speaker 1: abused of course. Um, but you know, for us, I 764 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:19,800 Speaker 1: think it's been helpful to kind of have that discretion 765 00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:21,880 Speaker 1: and to be able to use our discretion, but we 766 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:24,560 Speaker 1: certainly have seen it abused in the past. So I 767 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:26,880 Speaker 1: think what we try to do is is be a 768 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:32,640 Speaker 1: part of UM policies that will outlast us. Fair policies 769 00:44:32,719 --> 00:44:35,000 Speaker 1: that are here if we're here, are not UM, which 770 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,359 Speaker 1: is which has been tougher than we I think thought 771 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:39,440 Speaker 1: it would be. But what about when you have that 772 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:45,279 Speaker 1: discretion and you use that discretion unfairly? For example, that's 773 00:44:45,320 --> 00:44:51,000 Speaker 1: a case about Larry Hoover. I didn't uh, Larry who 774 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:55,279 Speaker 1: was from Chicago, right, and Larry who is serving six 775 00:44:55,600 --> 00:45:02,800 Speaker 1: life sentences uh various crimes under this new law, Larry 776 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:08,200 Speaker 1: Hoover should be at home, but the judge has the 777 00:45:08,360 --> 00:45:17,280 Speaker 1: complete discretion to allow him to go home or state. Meanwhile, 778 00:45:18,080 --> 00:45:19,960 Speaker 1: all of the other people that was involved in his 779 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:23,600 Speaker 1: case all at home, and other people at home who 780 00:45:23,719 --> 00:45:26,799 Speaker 1: met this so called this this so this so called 781 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,759 Speaker 1: the name of it? What's the name of it? Next step? 782 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:35,759 Speaker 1: Second step? First, I think it's a step. First step. 783 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:39,200 Speaker 1: So all these people that met, all these other people 784 00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:42,440 Speaker 1: that met that threshold, they at home, but they got 785 00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:47,480 Speaker 1: but they got Larry still locked up because Larry has 786 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:53,240 Speaker 1: the youth. Ear the young people like Larry, They respect Larry, 787 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: and he's one of those guys who could actually help. 788 00:45:57,080 --> 00:45:59,920 Speaker 1: I'm not saying he's the complete answer, but he can 789 00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:03,120 Speaker 1: help clean up the streets of Chicago. But they don't 790 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:06,000 Speaker 1: want him to go home because they liked the madness. 791 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:09,719 Speaker 1: It's tricky though, right, because it wasn't that long ago, 792 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:12,919 Speaker 1: because he has a federal conviction, right, So it wasn't 793 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:17,000 Speaker 1: that long ago that they didn't have discretion in federal court, right, 794 00:46:17,040 --> 00:46:22,800 Speaker 1: and they were mandatory, and so people were getting really 795 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:27,279 Speaker 1: I mean he likely came through through around that time, right, 796 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:31,800 Speaker 1: A lot of change that, right, a lot of changes. 797 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:37,640 Speaker 1: Then that's when he got those those But then so 798 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:39,560 Speaker 1: then you have the other side of it, so now 799 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:44,319 Speaker 1: we don't have Now that's illegal, right, UM, Mandatory mandatory 800 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:49,560 Speaker 1: sentencing is illegal. Mandatory minimums are not. But mandatory sentencing 801 00:46:50,239 --> 00:46:54,520 Speaker 1: UM guidelines was. It's been declared illegal, and so now 802 00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:58,480 Speaker 1: you just have discretion. The problem is not necessarily the discretion. 803 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:02,600 Speaker 1: The problem is the makeup of you know, this is 804 00:47:02,680 --> 00:47:07,600 Speaker 1: not a group um that has the type of varying 805 00:47:08,320 --> 00:47:12,120 Speaker 1: experiences that we enjoy in the hair as Canady judiciary. Right, 806 00:47:12,239 --> 00:47:15,720 Speaker 1: So you want judges to have some discretion. The problem 807 00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:18,920 Speaker 1: is when you have them I won't say monolithic, because 808 00:47:18,920 --> 00:47:22,600 Speaker 1: everybody is not the same, but a very similar group 809 00:47:22,680 --> 00:47:25,719 Speaker 1: of people that get selected for these lifetime appointments, you're 810 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:28,520 Speaker 1: gonna get the same projects. About to say, also their 811 00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:35,239 Speaker 1: lifetime appointment can't so there's no consequence ever for what 812 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:40,279 Speaker 1: decisions they make. And so discretion, that's the ultimate use 813 00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:43,600 Speaker 1: of discretion. You know, we have discretion, and in fact, 814 00:47:43,600 --> 00:47:45,239 Speaker 1: there are many instances I would I think you all 815 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:47,000 Speaker 1: agree we're trying to hold on to some of our 816 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:49,799 Speaker 1: judicial discretion and trying to take it away from us 817 00:47:49,840 --> 00:47:52,960 Speaker 1: at every turn. And we realize that that we, like 818 00:47:53,080 --> 00:47:55,600 Speaker 1: I said in earlier, even the playing field, you know, 819 00:47:55,760 --> 00:47:59,680 Speaker 1: by using our discretion where when and where appropriate. But 820 00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:02,200 Speaker 1: it's like that, it's not like when you have a 821 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:07,560 Speaker 1: lifetime appointment and you you're never questioned again ultimately on 822 00:48:07,719 --> 00:48:09,600 Speaker 1: what you do. They can appeal it, but that has 823 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:11,279 Speaker 1: no effect on whether or not you get the state 824 00:48:11,360 --> 00:48:14,600 Speaker 1: in that position. And that that's cold blooded man, because 825 00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:18,800 Speaker 1: I don't believe in that those lifetime appointments, because you know, 826 00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:22,920 Speaker 1: people change and and and sometimes people go in with 827 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:27,399 Speaker 1: a certain type of mentality and you know what I'm saying, 828 00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:29,880 Speaker 1: sometimes they go in and they just they are who 829 00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:33,360 Speaker 1: they are. That's nothing you can do about it. Sometimes 830 00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:36,120 Speaker 1: they go in and there the diabolical people. You know, 831 00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:45,000 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people their dillabolical and both 832 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:50,440 Speaker 1: right now. Sometimes you have judges who are just really evil, 833 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:54,840 Speaker 1: wicked people, and that's when they become judgship of human 834 00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:58,799 Speaker 1: beings and they sit there forever, even on the Supreme Court. 835 00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:01,560 Speaker 1: I don't even believe that they should be lifetime appointees. 836 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:04,560 Speaker 1: You know, that's crazy that you just somebody can just 837 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:07,120 Speaker 1: get in a position like that, that type of power, 838 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:09,400 Speaker 1: and it don't matter what they do. They get to 839 00:49:09,480 --> 00:49:12,880 Speaker 1: sit there anyway, and and make all of these judgments, 840 00:49:13,000 --> 00:49:16,840 Speaker 1: these these major decisions, he's historical change the lives of 841 00:49:16,960 --> 00:49:23,239 Speaker 1: your children, yep. And you they set laws all that 842 00:49:23,719 --> 00:49:27,960 Speaker 1: change the lives of your children and your children's children. 843 00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:32,239 Speaker 1: And here in your very diverse city in area. You 844 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:35,840 Speaker 1: talked about the diversity of all these black women in 845 00:49:35,880 --> 00:49:39,239 Speaker 1: the judiciary and really all these talented black women in 846 00:49:39,440 --> 00:49:44,560 Speaker 1: the legal community, and now one, not one black woman 847 00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:48,360 Speaker 1: sits on the federal bench in the entire southern District 848 00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:54,680 Speaker 1: of Texas, including Houston. Correct, Those are appointing. They have 849 00:49:54,760 --> 00:49:58,360 Speaker 1: to be appointed what they do, and what they do 850 00:49:58,760 --> 00:50:04,120 Speaker 1: is once you get in, then now when it's time 851 00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:07,040 Speaker 1: for you to step down to move around, you endorse 852 00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:10,560 Speaker 1: somebody who got that exact same mentality that you have. 853 00:50:11,600 --> 00:50:15,600 Speaker 1: And this is how they keep the control. This is crazy, man, 854 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:21,800 Speaker 1: It's a cold games. It's no way that people that 855 00:50:21,960 --> 00:50:24,239 Speaker 1: have no respect for you should be able to judge it. 856 00:50:26,520 --> 00:50:29,040 Speaker 1: You know, if you look back at the history of 857 00:50:29,239 --> 00:50:33,640 Speaker 1: this country and and and just different cases and how 858 00:50:33,719 --> 00:50:40,680 Speaker 1: they handled it, Like Jimmy got six months probation, Hero 859 00:50:40,840 --> 00:50:43,400 Speaker 1: got life sentence for the same crime. Why is that 860 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:48,399 Speaker 1: because Timmy when but is not judge? But when Timmy does, 861 00:50:48,520 --> 00:50:52,399 Speaker 1: we ain't the judge. When when what's the other kid names? 862 00:50:54,360 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 1: When when we Rune does something bad, When you Rune 863 00:50:57,520 --> 00:51:01,360 Speaker 1: does something bad, it's lock that nigga up he just 864 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:05,600 Speaker 1: like the rest up. When Timmy does something bad is 865 00:51:05,960 --> 00:51:09,560 Speaker 1: boys will be boys, damn. And you never have to 866 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:13,560 Speaker 1: be no judge to say that, Willie. And that's that's 867 00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:16,239 Speaker 1: the difference. And so they did it. He was a thug. 868 00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:18,760 Speaker 1: But yeah, you know Jimmy did. He had some mental issues. 869 00:51:18,840 --> 00:51:26,560 Speaker 1: We also proba or affluenza, like the young man. Yeah, 870 00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:31,000 Speaker 1: he's so affluent that you know he doesn't understand, and 871 00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:33,879 Speaker 1: you know, so you shouldn't have these times we get 872 00:51:33,880 --> 00:51:35,600 Speaker 1: away with something like this. But when you're trying to 873 00:51:35,680 --> 00:51:39,719 Speaker 1: explain a lack of resources, a lack of access to 874 00:51:39,880 --> 00:51:43,560 Speaker 1: things that your client has, people have no comprehension, no 875 00:51:43,719 --> 00:51:48,759 Speaker 1: compassional understanding for your your client, and you're advocating on 876 00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:51,680 Speaker 1: their behalf. That blew my mind that we get into 877 00:51:51,719 --> 00:51:56,319 Speaker 1: the meeting potatoes. Yeah, a lot of a lot of them, 878 00:51:56,640 --> 00:52:01,160 Speaker 1: Judge Jones is it's like that because you know they 879 00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:06,040 Speaker 1: that's how they want to be, you see, and they 880 00:52:06,320 --> 00:52:13,480 Speaker 1: were they were. They were brought in two make sure 881 00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:19,200 Speaker 1: that black people don't get justice. They were brought in 882 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:23,360 Speaker 1: to lock up as many black people as possible so 883 00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:26,719 Speaker 1: that they can make them slaves again and run that 884 00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:29,720 Speaker 1: prison empire they got going on out here. This hustle, 885 00:52:29,800 --> 00:52:33,160 Speaker 1: this prison hustle. You know, when you look at when 886 00:52:33,200 --> 00:52:36,480 Speaker 1: you really take a look at everything we've done for 887 00:52:36,560 --> 00:52:39,600 Speaker 1: this country. We I don't care what anybody want to believe. 888 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:41,680 Speaker 1: With your mama thought told you what your dad had 889 00:52:41,719 --> 00:52:44,960 Speaker 1: told you. We built this country, so we deserve as much, 890 00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:48,560 Speaker 1: if not more prosperity than anybody in this country. We 891 00:52:48,719 --> 00:52:52,040 Speaker 1: built it. We built this country, don't matter what they say. 892 00:52:53,120 --> 00:52:56,719 Speaker 1: We built this country. So we deserved just as much, 893 00:52:57,080 --> 00:53:00,680 Speaker 1: if not more than anybody. But you know, the way 894 00:53:00,719 --> 00:53:04,120 Speaker 1: that they set it up, it's cold The counter set 895 00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:07,320 Speaker 1: up is cold blooded, telling you you got were on 896 00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:10,160 Speaker 1: the bottom of to be so higher up in in 897 00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:13,920 Speaker 1: in the building of this place. We still are at 898 00:53:13,920 --> 00:53:21,040 Speaker 1: the bottom of everybody else's because it's intentional. The government. 899 00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:25,879 Speaker 1: The government makes the laws. These are your yeah, yeah, 900 00:53:25,880 --> 00:53:30,480 Speaker 1: your lawmakers. They make the laws and then they enforced 901 00:53:30,520 --> 00:53:34,040 Speaker 1: the laws. No group of people in the history of 902 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:37,520 Speaker 1: civilization has ever been able to reach their full potential. 903 00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:39,640 Speaker 1: Talk to them when they've been talking about their own 904 00:53:39,680 --> 00:53:43,359 Speaker 1: government for failure. Talk to them. You can't you get 905 00:53:43,400 --> 00:53:48,359 Speaker 1: kiss impossible every move you make right there, because after 906 00:53:48,440 --> 00:53:52,560 Speaker 1: this lovely group of jugger just came in, they changed 907 00:53:52,640 --> 00:53:59,920 Speaker 1: the requirements to become a judge. That's the way they 908 00:54:00,040 --> 00:54:05,560 Speaker 1: That's that's always used. They've always used the law to 909 00:54:05,719 --> 00:54:11,520 Speaker 1: circumquem Volt podcast will be right back after the week. 910 00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:20,360 Speaker 1: I want to know what they did. I want to 911 00:54:20,400 --> 00:54:23,200 Speaker 1: know what was done to make it more difficult to 912 00:54:23,280 --> 00:54:27,800 Speaker 1: become judges. So they increased the number of years needed 913 00:54:27,960 --> 00:54:32,960 Speaker 1: to become a judge, which really was was silly because 914 00:54:33,560 --> 00:54:37,239 Speaker 1: we worked so hard to get here that I mean, 915 00:54:38,360 --> 00:54:43,439 Speaker 1: we don't have those, yeah, but they're trying to add 916 00:54:43,560 --> 00:54:47,160 Speaker 1: more and more and more things, more and more hurdles. 917 00:54:47,239 --> 00:54:48,719 Speaker 1: But I think, because I'm trying to think, I want 918 00:54:48,760 --> 00:54:51,960 Speaker 1: to say they doubled um the number of years required 919 00:54:52,040 --> 00:54:57,000 Speaker 1: for district court um and the appellate court. And narrative, right, 920 00:54:57,120 --> 00:54:59,680 Speaker 1: So this whole narrative was that we won just because 921 00:54:59,719 --> 00:55:02,719 Speaker 1: we were black, right, and we were black women and inexperience. 922 00:55:02,800 --> 00:55:04,719 Speaker 1: That's that's the point I'm trying to get, is that 923 00:55:05,239 --> 00:55:08,520 Speaker 1: what is not being told is that we were qualified 924 00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:12,280 Speaker 1: and arguably more qualified than the people that we replaced. 925 00:55:13,400 --> 00:55:17,600 Speaker 1: Many of our predecessors practice maybe a couple of years 926 00:55:17,800 --> 00:55:22,239 Speaker 1: if that the bare minimum. Right, we came in certified 927 00:55:22,360 --> 00:55:25,080 Speaker 1: ten plus years, I mean, all kinds of trials and 928 00:55:25,280 --> 00:55:29,279 Speaker 1: trial experience, and and and that's what the narrative is. 929 00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:38,520 Speaker 1: They got in because they're black, not black experience, not 930 00:55:38,640 --> 00:55:41,680 Speaker 1: necessarily who was saying, who would say this is people 931 00:55:41,719 --> 00:55:45,720 Speaker 1: who are used to getting in because they're white. Damn Willie, 932 00:55:47,560 --> 00:55:55,200 Speaker 1: that's who we're saying. Say that myself. I'm sorry. I've 933 00:55:55,239 --> 00:55:58,719 Speaker 1: read social media. I've seen it in various you know 934 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:02,320 Speaker 1: mediums where the allegation or the belief is that we 935 00:56:02,520 --> 00:56:05,800 Speaker 1: are not we were not qualified to sit where we're sitting. 936 00:56:06,719 --> 00:56:10,560 Speaker 1: It's just amazing, you know, not to knock my predecessor, 937 00:56:10,640 --> 00:56:14,000 Speaker 1: but I had, I think, almost twice the years of 938 00:56:14,080 --> 00:56:17,480 Speaker 1: practice before I ran for that bench, right, you know, 939 00:56:17,600 --> 00:56:20,920 Speaker 1: and it's just four times the amount of years of practice, 940 00:56:22,040 --> 00:56:25,719 Speaker 1: you know, then my predecessor before he was So the 941 00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:28,839 Speaker 1: narrative is just being fueled by this. Well, let's raise 942 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:38,240 Speaker 1: the criteria because then we old board was put together 943 00:56:38,360 --> 00:56:41,280 Speaker 1: to do a study your governor did about the board, 944 00:56:42,040 --> 00:56:45,040 Speaker 1: what we can do and should judges be appointed or 945 00:56:45,080 --> 00:56:49,200 Speaker 1: should they be elected? And so that didn't make it. 946 00:56:49,480 --> 00:56:51,720 Speaker 1: They did. They weren't able to push that through, although 947 00:56:51,800 --> 00:56:54,360 Speaker 1: I'm sure we haven't heard the last of them. But 948 00:56:54,520 --> 00:56:57,359 Speaker 1: what they were able to get through of the suggestions 949 00:56:57,840 --> 00:57:01,320 Speaker 1: from this committee or this commit was to raise the 950 00:57:01,440 --> 00:57:03,880 Speaker 1: number of years because they're like, oh, well, you know, 951 00:57:03,960 --> 00:57:05,960 Speaker 1: maybe we can just cut off some of the at 952 00:57:06,040 --> 00:57:09,000 Speaker 1: least the younger ones. Right. But now here's my thing. 953 00:57:09,239 --> 00:57:11,840 Speaker 1: Even if you But I'm like, even if we have 954 00:57:12,320 --> 00:57:15,560 Speaker 1: even if you tell me, oh, this person, they've been 955 00:57:15,560 --> 00:57:18,400 Speaker 1: practicing before years and they had any trial. You know. 956 00:57:19,920 --> 00:57:21,400 Speaker 1: That's why I was about to say, I practiced for 957 00:57:21,600 --> 00:57:24,919 Speaker 1: years in front of judges who didn't know up from down. 958 00:57:25,000 --> 00:57:27,200 Speaker 1: So when they're figured out, I guess like the rest 959 00:57:27,200 --> 00:57:29,840 Speaker 1: of the And I knew that there were judges that 960 00:57:29,920 --> 00:57:34,200 Speaker 1: were elected that met the minimum criteria. That's not new, 961 00:57:34,400 --> 00:57:37,240 Speaker 1: that's not But what is false is that we were 962 00:57:37,360 --> 00:57:40,120 Speaker 1: the group that only got in at the minimum criteria. 963 00:57:40,520 --> 00:57:48,479 Speaker 1: And that's the narrative that I'm trying to correct. These 964 00:57:48,520 --> 00:57:51,080 Speaker 1: are the same people who said they voted for Donald 965 00:57:51,080 --> 00:57:55,600 Speaker 1: Trump because he wasn't a politician, because he had no experiences? Willie, 966 00:57:55,640 --> 00:57:57,560 Speaker 1: what is wrong with you today? Man? But why does 967 00:57:57,600 --> 00:58:04,000 Speaker 1: it change? Throw me for a little too, because it's 968 00:58:04,080 --> 00:58:07,280 Speaker 1: one of the younger judges who were elected during that cycle. 969 00:58:07,360 --> 00:58:11,040 Speaker 1: I was thirty two when I was elected, and you know, 970 00:58:11,360 --> 00:58:14,080 Speaker 1: people were looking at me kind of sideways. And then 971 00:58:14,120 --> 00:58:16,800 Speaker 1: you hear about judges that were pointing to civil benches 972 00:58:16,880 --> 00:58:22,200 Speaker 1: at five seven eight in Harris County, And I'm like, oh, okay, 973 00:58:22,880 --> 00:58:25,439 Speaker 1: is it because I looked the way that I look, 974 00:58:25,920 --> 00:58:28,520 Speaker 1: I show up as myself from south part of our 975 00:58:28,600 --> 00:58:34,080 Speaker 1: box braids, and I sit on the bench just as 976 00:58:34,160 --> 00:58:46,880 Speaker 1: competent as anyone else right still, neighborhood, you know that 977 00:58:47,080 --> 00:58:52,120 Speaker 1: that's to them. That's why, that's why I'm always the 978 00:58:52,200 --> 00:58:56,480 Speaker 1: biggest advocate for voting, voting, Because we had the right 979 00:58:56,560 --> 00:58:58,520 Speaker 1: people in place, it was no way that that would 980 00:58:58,520 --> 00:59:02,000 Speaker 1: have even came up in in In In Austin the 981 00:59:02,080 --> 00:59:04,680 Speaker 1: government wouldn't even thought of saying, no stuff like that. 982 00:59:05,560 --> 00:59:07,600 Speaker 1: But what But what do y'all say to people who 983 00:59:07,760 --> 00:59:12,240 Speaker 1: say that, yeah, y'all judges, but y'all working for a 984 00:59:12,320 --> 00:59:15,640 Speaker 1: system where we can't win in What do y'all say 985 00:59:15,680 --> 00:59:17,959 Speaker 1: to those people say, that's why I'm not voting. Ain't 986 00:59:17,960 --> 00:59:22,720 Speaker 1: gonna do nothing, because I'm sure somebody right now, man, 987 00:59:22,760 --> 00:59:25,080 Speaker 1: they ain't gonna do nothing. They ain't gonna change nothing. Man, 988 00:59:25,160 --> 00:59:27,520 Speaker 1: this system is rigged and ain't nothing we can do. Man, 989 00:59:27,600 --> 00:59:31,000 Speaker 1: We're done with doom. You're better have us there because 990 00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:33,480 Speaker 1: because let me say something, all of us will tell 991 00:59:33,560 --> 00:59:37,240 Speaker 1: you what it was like before. And even if you think, 992 00:59:37,320 --> 00:59:43,160 Speaker 1: if you think that what you see today is not 993 00:59:43,400 --> 00:59:50,280 Speaker 1: as as good um, you are wholly mistaken. Um, today 994 00:59:50,680 --> 00:59:55,200 Speaker 1: you can walk into court not have a dime, not 995 00:59:55,480 --> 00:59:59,480 Speaker 1: have uh any family support, nobody's there. You walk in 996 00:59:59,600 --> 01:00:02,400 Speaker 1: on your own today, and a judge is gonna look 997 01:00:02,440 --> 01:00:06,520 Speaker 1: at you for you, and the first thing that's gonna 998 01:00:06,560 --> 01:00:09,080 Speaker 1: come out of our mouth is how we can protect 999 01:00:09,120 --> 01:00:11,440 Speaker 1: you and make sure you know your rights and make 1000 01:00:11,480 --> 01:00:14,360 Speaker 1: sure that you have now an attorney that's also going 1001 01:00:14,480 --> 01:00:19,520 Speaker 1: to properly represent you. That never happened before. It's certainly 1002 01:00:19,560 --> 01:00:22,280 Speaker 1: was not the priority. So even if you don't get 1003 01:00:22,360 --> 01:00:25,600 Speaker 1: anything else but to walk through this door, nine nine 1004 01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:27,680 Speaker 1: nine percent of the time, you're gonna get to walk out. 1005 01:00:28,120 --> 01:00:31,840 Speaker 1: That's that's a change too. It used to be sir, ma'am. 1006 01:00:32,200 --> 01:00:34,440 Speaker 1: Oh you didn't come with an attorney today, Well let 1007 01:00:34,480 --> 01:00:37,080 Speaker 1: me take you on in the custody because you go 1008 01:00:37,240 --> 01:00:40,240 Speaker 1: with the bailiff because you don't have an attorney or 1009 01:00:40,360 --> 01:00:42,640 Speaker 1: come back every day and come back every day. And 1010 01:00:42,680 --> 01:00:46,760 Speaker 1: I mean this is you know, it's just offering a 1011 01:00:48,360 --> 01:00:51,840 Speaker 1: not even above and beyond, we actually follow the law, 1012 01:00:53,440 --> 01:00:56,640 Speaker 1: and then we do it in a respectful manner. Many 1013 01:00:56,760 --> 01:01:00,080 Speaker 1: people walk into the courtroom and they yeah, huh that 1014 01:01:00,280 --> 01:01:04,120 Speaker 1: they've given me everything because they've never seen what respect 1015 01:01:04,560 --> 01:01:07,720 Speaker 1: looks like what common courtesy looks like no one's ever 1016 01:01:07,840 --> 01:01:10,520 Speaker 1: given it to him. So I don't go off because 1017 01:01:10,560 --> 01:01:13,200 Speaker 1: they don't know how to present themselves and this this 1018 01:01:13,400 --> 01:01:17,160 Speaker 1: situation or embarrassment because of what they're wearing, not understanding 1019 01:01:17,240 --> 01:01:19,280 Speaker 1: that might be the only thing, the best thing that 1020 01:01:19,400 --> 01:01:21,640 Speaker 1: they have to wear. I try to offer them some 1021 01:01:21,760 --> 01:01:25,440 Speaker 1: compassion and some respect up front because moving forward with 1022 01:01:25,560 --> 01:01:28,800 Speaker 1: you in this situation, and we got to deal with it, right, 1023 01:01:29,160 --> 01:01:32,520 Speaker 1: We got to deal with it. But I'm gonna try 1024 01:01:32,600 --> 01:01:36,120 Speaker 1: to offer you some humanity now, and that's what it 1025 01:01:36,360 --> 01:01:38,680 Speaker 1: because that way I can fix you before you leave here. 1026 01:01:38,880 --> 01:01:43,120 Speaker 1: Whatever time we got, I can help humanity and justice 1027 01:01:43,240 --> 01:01:46,960 Speaker 1: right Because I want to be clear that it doesn't 1028 01:01:47,000 --> 01:01:50,120 Speaker 1: mean you're gonna get what you want, right, but what 1029 01:01:50,320 --> 01:01:53,240 Speaker 1: you can be guaranteed about when you step into our 1030 01:01:53,360 --> 01:01:56,800 Speaker 1: courts is that you're gonna be treated fairly. Even if 1031 01:01:56,880 --> 01:01:59,000 Speaker 1: you don't get treated and get what you want, at 1032 01:01:59,080 --> 01:02:01,120 Speaker 1: least you can walk and say at least she hurt me, 1033 01:02:02,200 --> 01:02:04,440 Speaker 1: I think she was, you know, fair, because it was 1034 01:02:04,480 --> 01:02:06,920 Speaker 1: a time where you couldn't legitimately say that it was 1035 01:02:06,960 --> 01:02:10,360 Speaker 1: a fair process, Like I didn't get what I wanted 1036 01:02:10,440 --> 01:02:17,560 Speaker 1: any wasn't fair. It's like and he's condescending and rude. Judge. 1037 01:02:18,040 --> 01:02:21,840 Speaker 1: Um to the point that you were making about people, 1038 01:02:22,360 --> 01:02:26,880 Speaker 1: uh walking out, you know you might walk out. Let 1039 01:02:27,000 --> 01:02:29,400 Speaker 1: y'all messing with the money. When you do that, we 1040 01:02:29,720 --> 01:02:32,800 Speaker 1: destroyed the money money game. They're not happy about that. 1041 01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:36,720 Speaker 1: We stopped paying organizations just you know, you will give 1042 01:02:36,800 --> 01:02:40,200 Speaker 1: a fifty dollar feed to this organization and that organization, 1043 01:02:40,360 --> 01:02:42,120 Speaker 1: and you know we started asking, well, why do they 1044 01:02:42,160 --> 01:02:44,200 Speaker 1: get this money here? Oh, it was just an agreement. 1045 01:02:45,160 --> 01:02:46,720 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna be a part of. I mean, if 1046 01:02:46,760 --> 01:02:49,080 Speaker 1: that's just an agreement that you all make, meaning the 1047 01:02:49,160 --> 01:02:51,520 Speaker 1: parties make the state in the defense, if that's what 1048 01:02:51,600 --> 01:02:53,800 Speaker 1: you're making, and I won't bother your agreement. But it 1049 01:02:53,880 --> 01:02:56,360 Speaker 1: won't because I court ordered it and you put it 1050 01:02:56,440 --> 01:03:01,440 Speaker 1: on me, you know, funding these organizations, um uh, funding 1051 01:03:02,280 --> 01:03:05,800 Speaker 1: unnecessary things. When I have an opportunity to waive some fees, 1052 01:03:05,880 --> 01:03:08,320 Speaker 1: I do, because why are people still getting locked up 1053 01:03:08,320 --> 01:03:13,920 Speaker 1: because they can't pay you know, the court costs? Why 1054 01:03:14,040 --> 01:03:15,680 Speaker 1: why are they coming back? Because there are there are 1055 01:03:15,800 --> 01:03:18,600 Speaker 1: people there were people that were still coming back when 1056 01:03:18,640 --> 01:03:20,840 Speaker 1: I first got on the bench, that were ordered to 1057 01:03:20,880 --> 01:03:23,440 Speaker 1: come back to court. If they did not return having 1058 01:03:23,480 --> 01:03:26,320 Speaker 1: paid their court costs, they could be taking the expectations 1059 01:03:26,400 --> 01:03:29,320 Speaker 1: that they would be taken into custody. I'm sure myself, 1060 01:03:29,480 --> 01:03:33,840 Speaker 1: like everybody else, we satisfied those judgments. Let's just satisfy that. 1061 01:03:34,160 --> 01:03:35,960 Speaker 1: I mean, and I get to just wave a magic 1062 01:03:36,040 --> 01:03:38,120 Speaker 1: wand and say, just consider that paid and send this 1063 01:03:38,240 --> 01:03:41,400 Speaker 1: person on engaging people that just do not have the 1064 01:03:41,480 --> 01:03:45,520 Speaker 1: ability to pay, and they were they lived under the 1065 01:03:45,600 --> 01:03:48,320 Speaker 1: fear of I gotta get this paid by a certain time. 1066 01:03:48,400 --> 01:03:51,080 Speaker 1: But I'm pulling blood from a turnip. I ain't got it. 1067 01:03:51,800 --> 01:03:53,120 Speaker 1: So I got to go stand in front of this 1068 01:03:53,200 --> 01:03:54,960 Speaker 1: judge and they're gonna put me back in jail because 1069 01:03:54,960 --> 01:03:58,360 Speaker 1: I didn't have the three one dollars that it costs. 1070 01:04:00,040 --> 01:04:02,000 Speaker 1: And we're working in a society now, we're in the 1071 01:04:02,120 --> 01:04:05,360 Speaker 1: Great Resignation. We have people that just have fewer resources 1072 01:04:05,440 --> 01:04:07,760 Speaker 1: than what they have before we even enter. There's so 1073 01:04:07,880 --> 01:04:10,760 Speaker 1: many dynamics here that we have to take into consideration. 1074 01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:13,480 Speaker 1: And so we're not going to penalize people because they 1075 01:04:13,520 --> 01:04:18,400 Speaker 1: don't have money. That's not exactly that's not what the 1076 01:04:18,480 --> 01:04:21,480 Speaker 1: system is about. That's not that's not equitable, it's not fair, 1077 01:04:21,520 --> 01:04:25,720 Speaker 1: it's not just fixing the problem or trying to fix 1078 01:04:25,760 --> 01:04:29,760 Speaker 1: the problem. Y'all go through your training programs. Uh do y'all? 1079 01:04:30,280 --> 01:04:35,720 Speaker 1: Are y'all taught to leave police officers over citizens and 1080 01:04:36,280 --> 01:04:40,120 Speaker 1: question with it? Know? The training that we get is, um, 1081 01:04:42,400 --> 01:04:44,040 Speaker 1: we had to judge get in trouble for this one 1082 01:04:49,280 --> 01:04:51,880 Speaker 1: round it what it what it is designed to do 1083 01:04:52,280 --> 01:04:55,200 Speaker 1: is give you some basic legal foundations to be able 1084 01:04:55,200 --> 01:04:58,040 Speaker 1: to take the bench on day one. That's what it does. 1085 01:04:58,400 --> 01:05:02,520 Speaker 1: But it does not really go in to the substantive 1086 01:05:03,080 --> 01:05:06,880 Speaker 1: intricacies of the trial process, or not even really the 1087 01:05:07,320 --> 01:05:10,480 Speaker 1: law in of itself. So no to that question, they 1088 01:05:10,560 --> 01:05:13,600 Speaker 1: don't teach us one way or another. Well, why is 1089 01:05:13,680 --> 01:05:17,520 Speaker 1: it that? Why is it that when people get traffic 1090 01:05:17,600 --> 01:05:21,280 Speaker 1: tickets and the police show up, it's it's damn man, 1091 01:05:21,440 --> 01:05:24,960 Speaker 1: it's can't wait. He's like, police show up. You've been 1092 01:05:25,000 --> 01:05:27,320 Speaker 1: looking at me in that way, and soon as you 1093 01:05:27,360 --> 01:05:31,840 Speaker 1: keep voting, all right, man, I guess they're gonna take 1094 01:05:31,880 --> 01:05:34,600 Speaker 1: the police off the word over mine nine episode of 1095 01:05:34,680 --> 01:05:37,520 Speaker 1: the Town. You know, how does that happen? You know, 1096 01:05:37,600 --> 01:05:40,800 Speaker 1: if if these if somebody got to be some kind 1097 01:05:40,840 --> 01:05:47,600 Speaker 1: of training, you know, it's flipped. Now, you know, this 1098 01:05:47,760 --> 01:05:50,880 Speaker 1: is compassion, this is this is fairness, you know, and 1099 01:05:51,000 --> 01:05:53,960 Speaker 1: just because Bossman walk in, that don't mean nothing. Bossman 1100 01:05:54,000 --> 01:05:55,760 Speaker 1: could have been lying, he could have been he could 1101 01:05:55,800 --> 01:05:59,160 Speaker 1: have been uh profiling you bro with Bossman. Ain't bossman, 1102 01:05:59,240 --> 01:06:09,320 Speaker 1: no more boss man boss related judge. Yeah, I definitely 1103 01:06:09,440 --> 01:06:13,480 Speaker 1: want you guys to individually introduce yourself to the publish 1104 01:06:13,760 --> 01:06:15,880 Speaker 1: so they don't know who they're voting for and how 1105 01:06:16,000 --> 01:06:19,120 Speaker 1: important it is to vote for judges that have compassion, 1106 01:06:19,200 --> 01:06:23,360 Speaker 1: that that that that represent you know, the law, you know, 1107 01:06:24,520 --> 01:06:29,040 Speaker 1: represent what's really happening and how you can how they 1108 01:06:29,080 --> 01:06:33,800 Speaker 1: can be helped and treated humane humanely. All you guys 1109 01:06:33,840 --> 01:06:37,960 Speaker 1: are for re election, okay, So yeah, so douce yourself 1110 01:06:38,000 --> 01:06:41,280 Speaker 1: and then in the name of the court. So my 1111 01:06:41,360 --> 01:06:43,760 Speaker 1: name is Genesis drap from the Judge of Harris County 1112 01:06:43,800 --> 01:06:47,080 Speaker 1: Criminal Court at Law number twelve. I mean I am 1113 01:06:47,240 --> 01:06:50,480 Speaker 1: up for re election this November. And just real quick 1114 01:06:50,520 --> 01:06:52,520 Speaker 1: to your point for people that are saying, well, what 1115 01:06:52,640 --> 01:06:55,000 Speaker 1: does it matter, you know, I ain't gonna make a difference. 1116 01:06:55,160 --> 01:06:57,200 Speaker 1: That's what they're counting on because we have the numbers, 1117 01:06:57,600 --> 01:06:59,920 Speaker 1: and they know it. For one second, we rise up 1118 01:07:00,160 --> 01:07:03,080 Speaker 1: use them numbers. It's a wrap. So they're hoping that 1119 01:07:03,200 --> 01:07:05,040 Speaker 1: that's what people are thinking. And so if you're out 1120 01:07:05,040 --> 01:07:06,840 Speaker 1: there thinking that, I just want you to know that 1121 01:07:07,000 --> 01:07:11,080 Speaker 1: that is the strategy for the oppressor, is that you 1122 01:07:11,200 --> 01:07:17,480 Speaker 1: will say it doesn't matter. My name is Judge Shannon Baldwin. 1123 01:07:18,000 --> 01:07:20,240 Speaker 1: I'm the presiding judge for Harris County Criminal Court of 1124 01:07:20,280 --> 01:07:24,960 Speaker 1: Law number four. UM. I don't even know what what 1125 01:07:25,160 --> 01:07:28,600 Speaker 1: more to say in this. We said back in vote 1126 01:07:28,920 --> 01:07:31,720 Speaker 1: like your life depended on it, because it does. Not. 1127 01:07:31,960 --> 01:07:35,800 Speaker 1: Much has changed we are trying to make We've made 1128 01:07:35,840 --> 01:07:39,200 Speaker 1: some strides to make life better when you come into 1129 01:07:39,480 --> 01:07:42,480 Speaker 1: the criminal court house. We need your help to continue that. 1130 01:07:42,800 --> 01:07:44,800 Speaker 1: We can't do it in four years, and they're doing 1131 01:07:44,880 --> 01:07:48,160 Speaker 1: everything they can to push back all of the strides 1132 01:07:48,240 --> 01:07:51,760 Speaker 1: that we've made. Don't let them do it. Tell you 1133 01:07:51,960 --> 01:07:55,320 Speaker 1: you know, get your family, get your friends, take a caravan, 1134 01:07:55,480 --> 01:07:58,000 Speaker 1: take a bus to whatever you have to do, and 1135 01:07:58,160 --> 01:08:01,800 Speaker 1: get to the polls. Early vote, Early vote, because they 1136 01:08:01,840 --> 01:08:06,000 Speaker 1: will likely close down polling locations, they will change where 1137 01:08:06,040 --> 01:08:08,960 Speaker 1: you're supposed to go vote. Um, they'll do everything they 1138 01:08:09,040 --> 01:08:11,120 Speaker 1: have to do to prevent you from being able to vote. 1139 01:08:11,160 --> 01:08:14,760 Speaker 1: Go vote, Take your family, your friends, get on social media. 1140 01:08:14,800 --> 01:08:17,280 Speaker 1: Because everybody don't have a million dollars to give us 1141 01:08:17,600 --> 01:08:19,720 Speaker 1: to run these campaigns. By the way, but you can 1142 01:08:19,760 --> 01:08:23,000 Speaker 1: get on social media and you can follow these judges. 1143 01:08:23,240 --> 01:08:27,400 Speaker 1: You can follow us, you can retweet, uh, you know, 1144 01:08:27,560 --> 01:08:31,519 Speaker 1: share the information that we put out, follow us. Hey, 1145 01:08:31,800 --> 01:08:34,320 Speaker 1: get education from us. Right, We're gonna tell you about 1146 01:08:34,360 --> 01:08:37,360 Speaker 1: the issues, but be share it with somebody. You share 1147 01:08:37,360 --> 01:08:40,920 Speaker 1: it with them, that's another person that's gonna come and vote. Educate, 1148 01:08:41,920 --> 01:08:44,360 Speaker 1: get out there and support us and vote again. Shannon 1149 01:08:44,560 --> 01:08:46,360 Speaker 1: for Schelle Bald when the B stands for back to 1150 01:08:46,400 --> 01:08:50,760 Speaker 1: the bench, by the way, back to the come all back. 1151 01:08:51,479 --> 01:08:53,599 Speaker 1: I'm a hometown girl. What else can I say? I'm 1152 01:08:53,600 --> 01:08:56,759 Speaker 1: born and raised right here, Texas, Trinity Garden, All Trinity 1153 01:08:56,840 --> 01:08:58,640 Speaker 1: Garden people. That was me. I can't speak up in 1154 01:08:58,720 --> 01:09:07,639 Speaker 1: the South Park. But look alace, so come on through. Yeah, 1155 01:09:07,680 --> 01:09:10,519 Speaker 1: we need you, We need your support. We can't do 1156 01:09:10,600 --> 01:09:12,720 Speaker 1: it without you. And in fact, we are here for you. 1157 01:09:13,479 --> 01:09:16,400 Speaker 1: You never had nobody looking out for you, now you do. 1158 01:09:16,560 --> 01:09:20,040 Speaker 1: Don't let them turn the clocks back exactly. I agree. 1159 01:09:20,240 --> 01:09:22,280 Speaker 1: My name is Torria Finch, and I am proud to 1160 01:09:22,320 --> 01:09:24,679 Speaker 1: be your presiding judge of Harris County. Coming the Court 1161 01:09:24,720 --> 01:09:27,800 Speaker 1: at law number nine. If you heard something on this 1162 01:09:28,240 --> 01:09:31,920 Speaker 1: this wonderful discussion, just you know, email man, I'm gonna 1163 01:09:31,920 --> 01:09:34,519 Speaker 1: put my email out. That's probably dangerous, but I want 1164 01:09:34,560 --> 01:09:35,960 Speaker 1: you to feel free to reach out to us and 1165 01:09:36,080 --> 01:09:39,280 Speaker 1: invite us to maybe an event that you have, or 1166 01:09:39,360 --> 01:09:42,640 Speaker 1: maybe there's some kind of church activity wherever you need 1167 01:09:42,720 --> 01:09:45,120 Speaker 1: us to come to deliver the message, because what we 1168 01:09:45,200 --> 01:09:48,519 Speaker 1: don't want is for their only source of information to 1169 01:09:48,600 --> 01:09:51,479 Speaker 1: be from what they see on the news. That cannot 1170 01:09:51,560 --> 01:09:54,880 Speaker 1: be the only medium. And so it's t O r 1171 01:09:55,000 --> 01:09:58,880 Speaker 1: I A Torria at Torria, t O r I A. 1172 01:09:59,439 --> 01:10:02,680 Speaker 1: Finch efics and Frank I n c H dot com, 1173 01:10:02,840 --> 01:10:08,320 Speaker 1: Toria at Vote, It's um Toria at Vote, Toria Finch 1174 01:10:08,439 --> 01:10:10,800 Speaker 1: dot com. If you email me, I've ben pass it 1175 01:10:10,880 --> 01:10:13,759 Speaker 1: on to my judicial sisters here and we'll come wherever 1176 01:10:13,800 --> 01:10:15,600 Speaker 1: you need us. But again, get out and vote. Just 1177 01:10:15,680 --> 01:10:18,559 Speaker 1: because you got us in eighteen doesn't mean the work 1178 01:10:18,680 --> 01:10:21,240 Speaker 1: is done. We gotta keep voting because our life always 1179 01:10:21,280 --> 01:10:23,559 Speaker 1: depends on the vote. And thank you all so much 1180 01:10:23,600 --> 01:10:27,720 Speaker 1: for having us here. Toria at Vote, Torrian Finch dot com. 1181 01:10:28,000 --> 01:10:31,000 Speaker 1: Go ahead, judge right. My name is Tanya Jones. I'm 1182 01:10:31,040 --> 01:10:33,280 Speaker 1: the Presiding Judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law 1183 01:10:33,800 --> 01:10:36,800 Speaker 1: number fifteen. Has been an honor to serve as your 1184 01:10:36,840 --> 01:10:40,400 Speaker 1: presiding judge for this first term, and I am up 1185 01:10:40,520 --> 01:10:45,839 Speaker 1: for reelection. I am, UM a big believer in community 1186 01:10:45,880 --> 01:10:48,160 Speaker 1: involvement and engagement. You all have heard me talk about 1187 01:10:48,160 --> 01:10:51,600 Speaker 1: where I'm from. I said loud and proud everywhere I go, 1188 01:10:51,880 --> 01:10:58,840 Speaker 1: because I believe I leave in educating and empowering UM 1189 01:10:58,960 --> 01:11:01,439 Speaker 1: and engaging from the community to the courtroom. So I 1190 01:11:01,520 --> 01:11:03,960 Speaker 1: think that's important, and I think that UM, it is 1191 01:11:04,000 --> 01:11:07,040 Speaker 1: important that you have judges that care about the communities 1192 01:11:07,120 --> 01:11:10,120 Speaker 1: that they serve. Right. One of the things I appreciate 1193 01:11:10,600 --> 01:11:13,400 Speaker 1: about my colleagues here is that we have been active 1194 01:11:13,800 --> 01:11:16,640 Speaker 1: in the community. You don't just see us at Thanksgiving 1195 01:11:16,720 --> 01:11:19,680 Speaker 1: time and give you a turkey and a smile. We disappear, 1196 01:11:20,280 --> 01:11:23,080 Speaker 1: or we create policies that don't benefit the people that 1197 01:11:23,200 --> 01:11:27,920 Speaker 1: we're asking for support from. But we remain in these communities, involved, 1198 01:11:28,200 --> 01:11:31,240 Speaker 1: engaged UM and making sure that we make a difference. 1199 01:11:31,280 --> 01:11:34,360 Speaker 1: And that's what's UM important. That's important to me because 1200 01:11:34,720 --> 01:11:37,400 Speaker 1: when I go to church and when I go to 1201 01:11:37,520 --> 01:11:39,320 Speaker 1: see my family on the weekends, I have to look 1202 01:11:39,360 --> 01:11:41,120 Speaker 1: at those people in their face, and I have to 1203 01:11:41,160 --> 01:11:43,840 Speaker 1: be accountable to them, you know, for what I do 1204 01:11:44,240 --> 01:11:46,600 Speaker 1: when I put that black role on. And so I 1205 01:11:46,720 --> 01:11:49,080 Speaker 1: want to just let people know that it's important. Voting 1206 01:11:49,200 --> 01:11:52,120 Speaker 1: is important, staying engaged is important because if you're not 1207 01:11:52,320 --> 01:11:54,800 Speaker 1: at the table, you for sure on the menu. So 1208 01:11:55,000 --> 01:11:58,280 Speaker 1: we have got to be We got to be at 1209 01:11:58,320 --> 01:12:03,320 Speaker 1: the table. And I know that it is a situation 1210 01:12:03,439 --> 01:12:06,360 Speaker 1: where for so long, you know, and it can be frustrating, 1211 01:12:06,400 --> 01:12:09,280 Speaker 1: but for so long, you know, we have done all 1212 01:12:09,360 --> 01:12:11,080 Speaker 1: that we can and you seem like you're not making 1213 01:12:11,120 --> 01:12:14,120 Speaker 1: any headway, that things are not changing. But for sure, 1214 01:12:14,200 --> 01:12:17,320 Speaker 1: if we're not taking part in the systems that we 1215 01:12:17,479 --> 01:12:20,880 Speaker 1: want to change, they never ever will, okay. And so 1216 01:12:21,280 --> 01:12:23,640 Speaker 1: it's important we need to be involved, in active at 1217 01:12:23,720 --> 01:12:29,240 Speaker 1: every level of government. Precinct chairs, if your super neighborhood groups. 1218 01:12:29,560 --> 01:12:32,439 Speaker 1: Everyone may not run for state representatives, may not run, 1219 01:12:32,640 --> 01:12:34,280 Speaker 1: you know, for some of these other offices, but you 1220 01:12:34,320 --> 01:12:37,599 Speaker 1: can get involved, get active. Um, just spreading the word 1221 01:12:37,600 --> 01:12:40,840 Speaker 1: amongst your community. That is important. That's what gets us 1222 01:12:40,880 --> 01:12:43,120 Speaker 1: to where we need to be. So again, I am 1223 01:12:43,240 --> 01:12:46,080 Speaker 1: Tanya Jones. I am your presiding Judge of Harris County 1224 01:12:46,120 --> 01:12:49,080 Speaker 1: Criminal Court at Lan number fifteen South Park stand up 1225 01:12:49,120 --> 01:12:55,360 Speaker 1: one more time like a plug real quick, and she 1226 01:12:55,439 --> 01:12:58,360 Speaker 1: brought it up real quick. Okay. So bridging that gap 1227 01:12:58,439 --> 01:13:00,760 Speaker 1: between the court and the community. It's not just something 1228 01:13:00,840 --> 01:13:04,040 Speaker 1: we say, we actually have done that. The Misdemeanor Court 1229 01:13:04,080 --> 01:13:07,000 Speaker 1: Center here has County created a community court. It's called 1230 01:13:07,080 --> 01:13:11,360 Speaker 1: the Bayou City Community Court. It stands for bringing assistance 1231 01:13:11,479 --> 01:13:15,639 Speaker 1: to you with outreach and understanding. It's a broad court 1232 01:13:15,720 --> 01:13:17,920 Speaker 1: where you don't come to us, we come to you. 1233 01:13:18,080 --> 01:13:21,200 Speaker 1: Our first initiative is the Fresh Start Program and what 1234 01:13:21,360 --> 01:13:25,360 Speaker 1: it is it's a resource fair, but we provide vaccinations, uh, 1235 01:13:25,640 --> 01:13:29,519 Speaker 1: job readiness, re entry programs, all the stuff that you 1236 01:13:29,640 --> 01:13:32,120 Speaker 1: need to get back on your feet. If you're someone 1237 01:13:32,240 --> 01:13:34,320 Speaker 1: that's been in the system and you had a misdemeanor 1238 01:13:34,360 --> 01:13:38,240 Speaker 1: defer probation adjudication that you completed, you can come there 1239 01:13:38,240 --> 01:13:40,560 Speaker 1: and sign up to get registered to be screened for 1240 01:13:40,640 --> 01:13:45,160 Speaker 1: a possible nondisclosure. A nondisclosure means that if you're eligible 1241 01:13:45,520 --> 01:13:48,160 Speaker 1: in the order is signed, it comes off your record 1242 01:13:48,240 --> 01:13:49,840 Speaker 1: that no one so no one sees it other than 1243 01:13:49,920 --> 01:13:52,760 Speaker 1: law enforcement because they keep everything right. So the Fresh 1244 01:13:52,760 --> 01:13:54,800 Speaker 1: Start Program is what we're doing to try to meet 1245 01:13:54,840 --> 01:13:57,200 Speaker 1: the community where they are to help them get back 1246 01:13:57,280 --> 01:14:00,800 Speaker 1: on their feet. Misdemean of court. So if you did 1247 01:14:01,040 --> 01:14:03,640 Speaker 1: a deferred adjudication, it's the probation that you do that 1248 01:14:03,720 --> 01:14:06,439 Speaker 1: avoids a conviction. Some people think that just because you 1249 01:14:06,560 --> 01:14:09,479 Speaker 1: complete it deferred, it's done. No, it's not. It's still 1250 01:14:09,560 --> 01:14:12,680 Speaker 1: on your record until you take action to follow a 1251 01:14:12,680 --> 01:14:16,200 Speaker 1: petition for nondisclosure and the judge signs it. Well, instead 1252 01:14:16,240 --> 01:14:18,960 Speaker 1: of waiting on you, we partnered with a lot of 1253 01:14:19,080 --> 01:14:21,600 Speaker 1: county partners that are willing to come to you. We 1254 01:14:21,680 --> 01:14:23,400 Speaker 1: have our next event. I think it's gonna be July 1255 01:14:23,520 --> 01:14:25,240 Speaker 1: the thirties. I'll send it to you so y'all can 1256 01:14:25,280 --> 01:14:28,160 Speaker 1: hopefully pub it come out. Everything is free. We're gonna 1257 01:14:28,160 --> 01:14:30,679 Speaker 1: have a back to school component working with our county 1258 01:14:30,720 --> 01:14:35,479 Speaker 1: partners that get backpack school supplies, vaccinations, immunization, immunizations. I 1259 01:14:35,520 --> 01:14:38,640 Speaker 1: can't even say it immunizations, thinking some tied too much 1260 01:14:38,680 --> 01:14:42,160 Speaker 1: going only then, but that's what your county courts are doing. 1261 01:14:42,200 --> 01:14:44,560 Speaker 1: We've never had that kind of stuff going on. So 1262 01:14:44,680 --> 01:14:47,160 Speaker 1: these are the kind of judges that you have people 1263 01:14:47,240 --> 01:14:49,240 Speaker 1: for the people that you have the kind of stuff 1264 01:14:49,280 --> 01:15:00,920 Speaker 1: going on. Because the preachers dot. I'm a yeah, look 1265 01:15:01,000 --> 01:15:03,200 Speaker 1: before we get off, I can't get off without saying 1266 01:15:03,320 --> 01:15:04,720 Speaker 1: when I was getting ready to come here. You know, 1267 01:15:04,880 --> 01:15:07,680 Speaker 1: my husband, Brandon, he never never asked about any kind 1268 01:15:07,680 --> 01:15:09,680 Speaker 1: of campaign if or anything like that. And he saw 1269 01:15:09,800 --> 01:15:11,680 Speaker 1: on our family calendar that I was gonna be on 1270 01:15:11,880 --> 01:15:15,400 Speaker 1: the Ghetto Boys Reloaded. Oh, he had a million questions. 1271 01:15:15,640 --> 01:15:17,960 Speaker 1: You all should know. He's been riding with y'all a 1272 01:15:18,040 --> 01:15:24,519 Speaker 1: long time back in Action day. He wanted me to 1273 01:15:28,320 --> 01:15:35,240 Speaker 1: very hard too. Yeah, question that I wanted to ask 1274 01:15:35,280 --> 01:15:37,880 Speaker 1: you guys if I should ask you soon, but no here, 1275 01:15:38,120 --> 01:15:39,600 Speaker 1: I just wanted them to. I want to people to 1276 01:15:39,640 --> 01:15:41,640 Speaker 1: know who they worry because this is important here with me, 1277 01:15:41,680 --> 01:15:46,080 Speaker 1: this is very important. Um. You know Kavanaugh, you know 1278 01:15:46,280 --> 01:15:50,639 Speaker 1: Judge Kavanagh, Spreme Court Justice h A man recently came 1279 01:15:50,680 --> 01:15:53,000 Speaker 1: to his house and threatened him, threatened to kill him. 1280 01:15:53,880 --> 01:15:57,360 Speaker 1: Do you guys ever worry about your safety? Absolutely, especially 1281 01:15:57,400 --> 01:16:01,639 Speaker 1: in this climate. Yes. People don't understand that when when 1282 01:16:01,720 --> 01:16:06,439 Speaker 1: we have these opposite keep calling the oppositional people in 1283 01:16:06,520 --> 01:16:12,280 Speaker 1: the media are putting this false information, they place our 1284 01:16:12,360 --> 01:16:15,040 Speaker 1: lives at risk. You know, that's just the kind of 1285 01:16:15,120 --> 01:16:17,799 Speaker 1: era that we're living in. You know, we are constant 1286 01:16:17,880 --> 01:16:21,080 Speaker 1: targets and it's just not right. We have mothers sitting 1287 01:16:21,120 --> 01:16:25,160 Speaker 1: at this table. Wives. You know, we're real people, and 1288 01:16:25,280 --> 01:16:28,519 Speaker 1: so every day we leave it is a concern, right 1289 01:16:28,880 --> 01:16:31,840 Speaker 1: because sometimes all people get is what they see, and 1290 01:16:31,920 --> 01:16:33,720 Speaker 1: if they think that we were a threat to them, 1291 01:16:34,080 --> 01:16:36,240 Speaker 1: then what are they gonna do? What can you do 1292 01:16:36,400 --> 01:16:41,280 Speaker 1: to combat it? Though in the meanwhile, I'm just trying 1293 01:16:41,320 --> 01:16:50,840 Speaker 1: to toss the gun carrier. We don't we don't really 1294 01:16:51,000 --> 01:16:53,479 Speaker 1: label the cars and the things like that, which which 1295 01:16:53,640 --> 01:16:55,599 Speaker 1: when we first ran, you know, I put my face 1296 01:16:55,680 --> 01:16:58,080 Speaker 1: in my all my stuff campaign all over my car. 1297 01:16:58,640 --> 01:17:00,960 Speaker 1: Right this time, I have to tell you how I'm 1298 01:17:01,080 --> 01:17:04,439 Speaker 1: thinking twice about something like that, because I mean, I 1299 01:17:04,560 --> 01:17:07,400 Speaker 1: have a young child and then she's riding with me. 1300 01:17:07,479 --> 01:17:10,559 Speaker 1: I don't want to put her in danger for something 1301 01:17:10,640 --> 01:17:13,320 Speaker 1: like that, just because somebody thinking judge, all judges are 1302 01:17:13,360 --> 01:17:15,519 Speaker 1: bad and they're harming us until we gotta take out 1303 01:17:15,560 --> 01:17:17,840 Speaker 1: the They don't think all judges are bad, just the 1304 01:17:17,880 --> 01:17:21,519 Speaker 1: black ones. Well, they don't think that because they ain't 1305 01:17:21,560 --> 01:17:24,639 Speaker 1: killed nobody all this time, all right, they ain't. Didn't 1306 01:17:24,680 --> 01:17:26,800 Speaker 1: ain't they beat up nobody, ain't rolled up on nobody else. 1307 01:17:26,840 --> 01:17:29,000 Speaker 1: House all this time, so they ain't worried about all 1308 01:17:29,040 --> 01:17:31,920 Speaker 1: of that. What what what you're dealing with the only 1309 01:17:32,040 --> 01:17:33,800 Speaker 1: kind of people that have that type of mentality of 1310 01:17:33,920 --> 01:17:38,400 Speaker 1: uncivilized munds. He's an uncivilized much just like the dude 1311 01:17:38,400 --> 01:17:41,920 Speaker 1: who ran up and kill them people at the Tops 1312 01:17:42,640 --> 01:17:46,840 Speaker 1: grocery store in Buffalo. He's an uncivilized mutt. Right. These 1313 01:17:46,880 --> 01:17:51,439 Speaker 1: are people who cannot perform, you know, around civilized people, 1314 01:17:52,080 --> 01:17:57,559 Speaker 1: so they act uncivilized and maybe they commit uncivilized acts. 1315 01:17:57,800 --> 01:18:01,200 Speaker 1: They're not really regular human people, you know what I'm saying. 1316 01:18:01,280 --> 01:18:04,200 Speaker 1: They're not. They're They're the type of people that need 1317 01:18:04,280 --> 01:18:08,479 Speaker 1: to be put down. And so uh look, if you're 1318 01:18:08,600 --> 01:18:10,720 Speaker 1: around me, like you're around me right now and they 1319 01:18:10,840 --> 01:18:12,880 Speaker 1: run up, they're gonna get done up. You did what 1320 01:18:12,920 --> 01:18:15,680 Speaker 1: I'm saying for real, because that's how we rock. But 1321 01:18:15,800 --> 01:18:18,800 Speaker 1: they count on they count on stuff like that. You know, 1322 01:18:18,840 --> 01:18:21,720 Speaker 1: they count on trying to instill fear. If you think 1323 01:18:21,760 --> 01:18:25,560 Speaker 1: about it, that's the only way that they were able to, 1324 01:18:26,600 --> 01:18:28,800 Speaker 1: you know, hold our people and bondish for so long. 1325 01:18:30,560 --> 01:18:33,160 Speaker 1: You know, they fear at the same time run around 1326 01:18:33,200 --> 01:18:35,960 Speaker 1: and try to act like they can't at the same time. 1327 01:18:36,080 --> 01:18:39,040 Speaker 1: It's like they create chaos and then try to swoop 1328 01:18:39,080 --> 01:18:42,200 Speaker 1: in and play the hero. That's you said, you said 1329 01:18:42,320 --> 01:18:45,120 Speaker 1: something to me that really stuck man, And I want 1330 01:18:45,120 --> 01:18:47,599 Speaker 1: you to know that you said, Man, if his life 1331 01:18:47,680 --> 01:18:51,360 Speaker 1: was so great, then why would he tell that story again? Man, 1332 01:18:51,479 --> 01:18:57,880 Speaker 1: like like so great and fantastic? Why would you be 1333 01:18:58,040 --> 01:19:01,680 Speaker 1: so called white supremacists? Right? They called themselves white supremacists, 1334 01:19:01,760 --> 01:19:05,000 Speaker 1: like the guy who did the shooting in Buffalo. Right, 1335 01:19:05,400 --> 01:19:07,800 Speaker 1: they called themselves white supremacists. And they said, well, I 1336 01:19:07,960 --> 01:19:10,960 Speaker 1: did this to preserve the white race. No, you didn't. 1337 01:19:11,000 --> 01:19:13,960 Speaker 1: You did it because you couldn't hack it. You couldn't 1338 01:19:14,000 --> 01:19:17,639 Speaker 1: have life, You couldn't deal with the rejection. You ain't 1339 01:19:17,680 --> 01:19:19,880 Speaker 1: had no woman. You're not good with women. All these 1340 01:19:19,960 --> 01:19:22,360 Speaker 1: dudes for the same kind of profile. They're not good 1341 01:19:22,400 --> 01:19:26,439 Speaker 1: with women. They don't have friends, Uh, at least not 1342 01:19:26,680 --> 01:19:31,160 Speaker 1: not the friends that they want. Uh. They're socially awkward. 1343 01:19:31,880 --> 01:19:36,920 Speaker 1: Usually they're in bad shape, like physically. Uh. These are 1344 01:19:37,080 --> 01:19:40,800 Speaker 1: these are people who try to say that they're superior. Right, 1345 01:19:41,200 --> 01:19:45,960 Speaker 1: But if you're superior, you would not ruin your life 1346 01:19:46,520 --> 01:19:50,560 Speaker 1: throw your life away for people that you feel are inferior, Like, 1347 01:19:50,640 --> 01:19:52,680 Speaker 1: you wouldn't just throw your life away, Like, if I 1348 01:19:52,800 --> 01:19:55,680 Speaker 1: thought I was above you, who, why would I go 1349 01:19:55,920 --> 01:19:59,760 Speaker 1: and do something to you? You're yeah significant to me, 1350 01:19:59,800 --> 01:20:02,479 Speaker 1: I think about you. Why I worried about you? So 1351 01:20:03,680 --> 01:20:05,560 Speaker 1: if I think I'm so above you, why would I 1352 01:20:05,680 --> 01:20:10,160 Speaker 1: throw my life away for bringing you harm? Why would 1353 01:20:10,200 --> 01:20:15,280 Speaker 1: I do that? I wouldn't because I feel superior. They 1354 01:20:15,360 --> 01:20:20,240 Speaker 1: don't feel superior. They're not white supremacists, the white in 1355 01:20:20,439 --> 01:20:26,200 Speaker 1: theory artists, all right, That's what they are, is that 1356 01:20:26,439 --> 01:20:30,800 Speaker 1: inferiority complex that they have that make them behave the 1357 01:20:30,880 --> 01:20:33,080 Speaker 1: way that they do when they just take guns and 1358 01:20:33,160 --> 01:20:37,200 Speaker 1: go out and then discriminately just kill people for no reason. Right. 1359 01:20:37,680 --> 01:20:42,280 Speaker 1: So the thing is that all of us, we we 1360 01:20:42,400 --> 01:20:48,800 Speaker 1: are who we are based on a conditioning right, most 1361 01:20:48,880 --> 01:20:51,960 Speaker 1: of us, however, we're conditioned. That's how we're gonna be right. 1362 01:20:52,400 --> 01:20:55,280 Speaker 1: And so our strongest convictions that we have in life 1363 01:20:56,120 --> 01:20:59,840 Speaker 1: come from people who look like us. All of these 1364 01:21:00,000 --> 01:21:02,639 Speaker 1: people that talk called themselves white supremacists, and they hate 1365 01:21:02,640 --> 01:21:06,759 Speaker 1: black people honestly, so, more than likely, if they were abused, 1366 01:21:06,800 --> 01:21:09,639 Speaker 1: they were abused by a white person. If they were 1367 01:21:10,360 --> 01:21:12,439 Speaker 1: cheated on, they were cheated on by a white person. 1368 01:21:13,520 --> 01:21:17,880 Speaker 1: If they were betrayed, by a friend. That betrayal probably 1369 01:21:17,960 --> 01:21:19,880 Speaker 1: came from a white person. If they was chased home 1370 01:21:19,960 --> 01:21:22,320 Speaker 1: from school or bullet they would probably bulleted by a 1371 01:21:22,360 --> 01:21:25,400 Speaker 1: white person. If they loaned somebody some money who didn't 1372 01:21:25,400 --> 01:21:29,760 Speaker 1: pay them back, it was probably somebody white. Right, These 1373 01:21:29,800 --> 01:21:33,240 Speaker 1: are white people who gave you your strongest convictions. That 1374 01:21:33,479 --> 01:21:37,280 Speaker 1: makes that that that have that have uh contributed to 1375 01:21:38,160 --> 01:21:43,040 Speaker 1: uh anxiety in your life right and contributed to setbacks, 1376 01:21:43,200 --> 01:21:46,080 Speaker 1: you know. So why is it that you don't hate them? 1377 01:21:46,640 --> 01:21:49,920 Speaker 1: Because see that's too much like right you got you're 1378 01:21:49,920 --> 01:21:52,080 Speaker 1: gonna hate these people who ain't never really people that 1379 01:21:52,160 --> 01:21:55,599 Speaker 1: ain't never did nothing to you, But you're gonna let 1380 01:21:55,640 --> 01:21:58,160 Speaker 1: them make it over here. See, you're gonna run out 1381 01:21:58,160 --> 01:22:01,639 Speaker 1: of motherfuckers they hate. That's why you won't hate them. 1382 01:22:01,760 --> 01:22:04,439 Speaker 1: That's why you ain't gonna do nothing to them, because 1383 01:22:04,520 --> 01:22:07,080 Speaker 1: you know, you know, you're gonna run out of people 1384 01:22:07,120 --> 01:22:11,400 Speaker 1: to hate. So they're hypocritical. I know who they are, 1385 01:22:11,800 --> 01:22:13,720 Speaker 1: I know them. They don't scare them, don't scare me 1386 01:22:13,840 --> 01:22:16,920 Speaker 1: at all. I know him for real, been around him. 1387 01:22:17,400 --> 01:22:23,640 Speaker 1: That cowards. They don't civilize much and they're not superior 1388 01:22:23,760 --> 01:22:25,720 Speaker 1: at all at all. Because when I look at him, 1389 01:22:25,720 --> 01:22:30,600 Speaker 1: I sing, I look at him like, you know, a 1390 01:22:30,640 --> 01:22:32,679 Speaker 1: little flick, little fleas. You know what I'm saying, because 1391 01:22:32,720 --> 01:22:36,599 Speaker 1: that's what they are. And and when you call him 1392 01:22:36,640 --> 01:22:41,360 Speaker 1: out for exactly who they are, they get it because 1393 01:22:41,400 --> 01:22:44,160 Speaker 1: they have no rebuttal. And I said, if you was, 1394 01:22:44,520 --> 01:22:48,519 Speaker 1: because I know y'all like those. Yeah, I'm not watching 1395 01:22:50,720 --> 01:22:54,240 Speaker 1: watching my good friend turn into me. I remember, I 1396 01:22:54,400 --> 01:22:57,840 Speaker 1: remember we had a conversation on the phone with this 1397 01:22:58,000 --> 01:23:02,960 Speaker 1: guy and I went off off off bad, and we 1398 01:23:03,040 --> 01:23:05,600 Speaker 1: really called me back. Man, you gotta chill out on that, 1399 01:23:08,200 --> 01:23:10,160 Speaker 1: you know, Man, you gotta cut that out. Made me 1400 01:23:10,760 --> 01:23:16,639 Speaker 1: like Willie, No, I think you went too fun, Willie. 1401 01:23:16,680 --> 01:23:22,800 Speaker 1: You know it's mad about something. You were mad about 1402 01:23:22,920 --> 01:23:27,120 Speaker 1: something else, man, and you just just lost it. Really, 1403 01:23:27,160 --> 01:23:29,400 Speaker 1: he was putting us in the he was playing that 1404 01:23:29,560 --> 01:23:34,479 Speaker 1: role on us. We talked about it. Indeed, were I 1405 01:23:34,600 --> 01:23:38,320 Speaker 1: did go off And now I'm watching my partner, you know, uh, 1406 01:23:38,600 --> 01:23:42,599 Speaker 1: seven years later, see what I feel how I felt 1407 01:23:42,680 --> 01:23:45,840 Speaker 1: back then? I felt like that. But you he said, though, Willie, 1408 01:23:45,880 --> 01:23:48,519 Speaker 1: I just said, I just said. You didn't see that 1409 01:23:48,720 --> 01:23:50,519 Speaker 1: him either, because I didn't have a beef with him, 1410 01:23:50,560 --> 01:23:56,599 Speaker 1: like I didn't have a grind like you did. Thank 1411 01:23:56,640 --> 01:24:02,080 Speaker 1: you guys coming over the show. I will spend I'm 1412 01:24:02,160 --> 01:24:04,960 Speaker 1: so proud of you, thank you and everyone. Thank you 1413 01:24:05,040 --> 01:24:08,160 Speaker 1: so much for being our judges. And I look forward 1414 01:24:08,200 --> 01:24:12,720 Speaker 1: to not ever coming into your courtroom, but right thank 1415 01:24:12,760 --> 01:24:21,519 Speaker 1: you for years ago at the show that we had. Yeah, 1416 01:24:22,160 --> 01:24:27,719 Speaker 1: we had a big concertman, who was the old school concert? Quick? 1417 01:24:27,880 --> 01:24:32,120 Speaker 1: Good apologic, Yeah show you played the old school show. 1418 01:24:33,439 --> 01:24:35,280 Speaker 1: I mean I thought we agree that we wasn't gonna 1419 01:24:35,280 --> 01:24:43,120 Speaker 1: play old school show. It was legends, legends, the legendary 1420 01:24:43,240 --> 01:24:46,559 Speaker 1: stage and let us you know, introduced and just let 1421 01:24:46,640 --> 01:24:48,920 Speaker 1: folks know. And then we were running and that was huge, 1422 01:24:49,439 --> 01:24:53,760 Speaker 1: major and posted us on social media big time, and yes, 1423 01:24:53,880 --> 01:24:56,559 Speaker 1: what what I gonna do that again? You know, That's 1424 01:24:56,560 --> 01:25:01,800 Speaker 1: what I'm talking to appreciate because it's it's it's imperative 1425 01:25:01,840 --> 01:25:05,840 Speaker 1: that we have people that that that that speak for us, 1426 01:25:06,080 --> 01:25:08,120 Speaker 1: to actually speak for us, you know what I mean 1427 01:25:08,439 --> 01:25:12,800 Speaker 1: that represents, to represent us, because we are in a 1428 01:25:12,920 --> 01:25:18,000 Speaker 1: situation now that's way worse than it's ever been, way worse. 1429 01:25:18,360 --> 01:25:21,400 Speaker 1: If someone can be convicted, not convicted, but but but 1430 01:25:21,800 --> 01:25:24,200 Speaker 1: prosecuted over what they said in one of these songs, 1431 01:25:27,200 --> 01:25:33,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna leave that we mean we're gonna talk nomal talk, 1432 01:25:33,520 --> 01:25:38,639 Speaker 1: nomal talks. This episode was produced by Aching and brought 1433 01:25:38,680 --> 01:25:42,599 Speaker 1: to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network at Our 1434 01:25:42,880 --> 01:25:43,759 Speaker 1: Heart Radio