WEBVTT - Black Women Judges Making History 0:00:01.080 --> 0:00:04.800 Yet you know, boys, it's back and reoaded all in 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:07.480 your mind. Yeah, and that deep throating. This is for 0:00:07.640 --> 0:00:11.119 the streets, the reel, the railroading, the distant franchise, the 0:00:11.200 --> 0:00:14.040 truth escape building. And they ain't know when we speak 0:00:14.120 --> 0:00:16.360 the truth, so they ain't quoted because we wrote it. 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:19.200 The North south East code is the g be my 0:00:19.440 --> 0:00:22.439 twe keeping your head bobbing. It ain't no stopping and 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:25.720 wants to be drips head by. And then the system 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:27.960 is so corrupt they throw the rock out their hands 0:00:28.000 --> 0:00:32.840 and then blame it on us. Don't get twisted on code. 0:00:32.840 --> 0:00:38.440 And we danced for no furntament biscuits. It's Willie d 0:00:38.560 --> 0:00:41.280 y'all scar faces in the building. Collectively we are the 0:00:41.280 --> 0:00:45.760 ghetto boys. Reloaded another episode of information and instructions to 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:49.320 help you navigate through this wild, crazy, beautiful world. In 0:00:49.360 --> 0:00:59.040 the studio Genesis Draper, Genesis Draper, Judge Judge Shannon Bowling, 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:04.880 Judge Judge Turia Finch and Judge Tanya Jones Welcome to 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:09.000 the show A. Collectively they are four of the nineteen 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:12.479 women judges, well women at first. They wasn't judges at first, 0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:15.679 but they were women who successfully grant a judge in 0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:18.560 two thousand and eighteen, and they made history. I mean, 0:01:18.640 --> 0:01:21.000 everybody's talking about them all over the world. The President 0:01:21.040 --> 0:01:22.559 said something about and they gave him more the award. 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:26.679 Everybody everybody around, everybody right, everybody right, everybody right, everybody right, 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:33.200 congratulations and welcome to the show. How how how does 0:01:33.240 --> 0:01:35.440 it feel like to really be like know that you 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:38.360 got your name etched in history like that was? That 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:40.960 was big. We were proud of y'all. Y'all. Probably y'all 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.399 probably didn't really feel all of the effects because y'all 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:46.520 didn't talk to everybody obviously, but we were really proud 0:01:46.560 --> 0:01:52.840 of y'all. Unspeakable, How do I mean we really were 0:01:53.040 --> 0:01:55.240 if I had to put it, put myself back in 0:01:55.240 --> 0:01:58.160 their place again, just lost for words. It was the 0:01:58.200 --> 0:02:05.240 first time anything like that had happened. And honestly, throughout 0:02:05.280 --> 0:02:07.080 the process we didn't feel like we were doing anything 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:12.799 particularly special. Well, no, just during that process we didn't 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:16.680 recognize it and understand it until after and people were 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:20.800 approaching us, and there were people, grown men coming and 0:02:20.840 --> 0:02:22.400 we were at a church and grown men coming up 0:02:22.400 --> 0:02:24.840 to a shaking our hands with tears in their eyes 0:02:25.240 --> 0:02:28.240 because they had never seen anything like that before, and 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:33.919 it was probably in those moments that I really got 0:02:33.919 --> 0:02:38.240 to recognize the gravity of what had happened. Absolutely, it 0:02:38.320 --> 0:02:41.400 is the true illustration of blessed beyond measure. I mean, 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:43.560 it was such a mind blowing experience and still to 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:47.000 this day, you know, it's still just it's something we 0:02:47.040 --> 0:02:49.799 didn't plan for it like this, but it took off, 0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:51.480 and it's just been a blessing to see how many 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:54.440 people have been blessed by it. The little girls that 0:02:54.480 --> 0:02:57.680 we still see today, the middle aged women, the older women, 0:02:57.720 --> 0:02:59.760 all of the above, and so it's been really really 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:04.679 new ladies were lawyers absolutely in the beginning that went 0:03:05.520 --> 0:03:13.200 on to be judges and good lawyers too because I 0:03:13.240 --> 0:03:16.639 was a litigator over twenty years, I worked on both 0:03:16.680 --> 0:03:19.720 sides of defense prosecutor as well as a defense attorney. 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:22.640 So um, I've seen and done it all, you know, 0:03:22.800 --> 0:03:26.400 up to capital murder. So it was a necessity to 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:30.760 move forward, and judge just made sense. How easy was 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:37.040 that transition going going from lawyer to judge? It wasn't easy. 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:40.400 You do have to make a mental change. Does that 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:43.000 makes sense? And probably explain that mental change? Talk to me, 0:03:43.560 --> 0:03:48.120 all of us were defense attorneys right before becoming a judge, 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:52.080 and so you do have to um step out of 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:55.240 that litigator. I'm not this is not my argument anymore. 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:59.160 I'm not the person advocating for anything other than you know, 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:01.840 protection of eights and ensuring that those things are happening. 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:06.040 But to be conscious of not showing favor to either side, 0:04:06.080 --> 0:04:08.000 because I think we all remember what that was like 0:04:08.640 --> 0:04:10.920 to be practicing in front of judges who are putting 0:04:10.960 --> 0:04:14.200 their fingers on the scale. So we're super conscious we're 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:16.800 just putting their finger on the scale. Means so we 0:04:16.800 --> 0:04:19.560 were all defense attorneys at least on the end, and 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:23.080 for years we've practiced in front of judges who um 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.000 were like the extra prosecutor in the court. Oh so 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:30.040 would you say, would you use the word unfair? And 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:36.520 for sure? No, for sure? And so I think you know, 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:39.160 we are very mindful of that on both ends, right, 0:04:39.440 --> 0:04:40.720 So we don't want to put our friends on the 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:43.400 scale for prosecution or for the defense, since a lot 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:46.240 of us um tend to be defense oriented, since that 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:49.320 that's where we were most recently, so we're super super 0:04:49.320 --> 0:04:53.359 conscious of that. Well, I think we all have implicit bias, 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:58.640 but it's very it's very dangerous though, when someone is 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:03.840 a judge and sitting, uh judge of human beings, but 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:06.480 the way it can actually control human beings live. And 0:05:07.960 --> 0:05:11.760 you know, when you have a judge in that type 0:05:11.760 --> 0:05:16.640 of situation, you know, how do you guys like navigate that? 0:05:16.760 --> 0:05:19.400 You know, how do you how do you push your 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:24.599 particular implicit biases aside and say, you know, I have 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:28.039 to do what's right. I have to do the righteous thing, 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:31.960 not just the emotional thing. I think for the at 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:34.760 least the judges here, we all took implicit bias training, 0:05:34.800 --> 0:05:38.159 and I believe all judges should take that training. I mean, 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:41.080 no matter where you come from, you just need to 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:43.599 have that because sometimes that's why, as inplicit you don't 0:05:43.600 --> 0:05:46.040 realize you have it, you know, But I think it's 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:49.960 really just being aware, conscious, awake at the wheel and 0:05:50.000 --> 0:05:52.800 remembering what your role and responsibility is and not just 0:05:52.880 --> 0:05:55.720 kind of sitting there is an option, can you can 0:05:55.760 --> 0:05:59.200 you not take that? It is optional right now, and 0:05:59.240 --> 0:06:01.640 so they're making moves. Judges are trying to make moves 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:03.560 in the state of Texas to make that a requirement 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:06.240 because we do go to a judicial training when you 0:06:06.320 --> 0:06:08.680 first come in, when you're first warning as a judge, 0:06:08.880 --> 0:06:10.680 before you sit on the bench, you go to this 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:15.000 judicial training whatever, and so they're trying to make that 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:17.640 a requirement, and so I think it's important do you 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:22.599 have to take any type of racial sensitivity courses? Is 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:27.839 the judicial system racially insensitive? And at sometimes? Can you 0:06:27.880 --> 0:06:31.560 see this from where you are? Is it insensitive in 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.920 your opinion? Can you look at some cases and it 0:06:35.040 --> 0:06:37.160 was like, Wow, they did that because this person was 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:40.240 a minority, or they did that because this person was there, 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.039 So this was a female, That's why they did this 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:45.719 to her. I certainly saw some of these things from 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:47.600 some of the people who are on the bench previously. 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:50.280 I mean I had a judge make a comment in 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:54.159 open court an individual indicated that they were from Guatemala, 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:56.240 and the judge responded by accident where they are party 0:06:56.279 --> 0:06:58.880 and missed their team and so you know, it was 0:06:58.920 --> 0:07:01.760 an audible gap in the court room. But this was 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:05.360 the norm. Um. You know. I don't think anything came 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:07.640 of that. I don't know if any you know, complaints 0:07:07.680 --> 0:07:10.880 were filed or anything like that. But just to have 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:15.080 a person, as you said, in authority who's making decisions 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:18.520 that impact your life, your future, your family's lives, and 0:07:18.600 --> 0:07:21.800 to think that about you simply based on where you 0:07:21.880 --> 0:07:25.280 come from. UM, And I think it's it's etched kind 0:07:25.320 --> 0:07:27.920 of in the fabric of who we are, having grown 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:30.840 up and experienced that, I'm from South Park and I 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:32.720 say it all the time, very proud of where I 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:38.240 came from. They all know it where I go. UM. 0:07:38.360 --> 0:07:40.440 But I know what it's like for people to label 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:44.840 you to you know, to have these thoughts about you 0:07:45.000 --> 0:07:46.960 just based on what your zip code is or where 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:51.080 you went to school. And so, having grown up experiencing 0:07:51.160 --> 0:07:55.680 that in various forms, I'm especially sensitive to the fact 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:58.320 that people you know come before this court from all 0:07:58.400 --> 0:08:00.840 walks of life, and I have to be open. I 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:04.920 have to look at the case and not say, well, 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:07.840 this person is automatically guilty of this person didn't deserve 0:08:07.880 --> 0:08:10.240 a second chance of this person you know lives here, 0:08:10.280 --> 0:08:12.440 so they're only gonna go out and commit more crime. 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:15.880 I have to be fair, um, neutral, um, and make 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:19.840 sure that I'm I'm taking each case into consideration because 0:08:20.000 --> 0:08:22.160 that's how it wants someone to do for me, a 0:08:22.280 --> 0:08:24.880 member of my family, and as a defense attorney, that's 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:26.680 what I wanted I wanted the judge to see my 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:29.440 client as a as a person, as a human being. 0:08:30.320 --> 0:08:34.079 That's so so so getting getting being on the bench 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:39.360 and and and seeing different cases. A lot of other 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:44.360 judges would railroad you because of the color of your 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:47.280 skin or that you know, they would convict you on 0:08:47.400 --> 0:08:49.480 something that you didn't do, but something that you might do. 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:54.400 Jug or go ahead, said, judges set the tone right. 0:08:54.720 --> 0:08:59.760 And so also jurors see judges as obviously persons of authority. 0:09:00.320 --> 0:09:03.199 And if you have a judge that frowns at the 0:09:03.480 --> 0:09:07.040 defense attorney or you know, makes a comment at the 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:11.160 defense attorney during a trial, that translates to the jury. 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:14.920 So the jury then you know, I've had where judges 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:18.000 had screens. They have a computer screen facing you, the 0:09:18.080 --> 0:09:21.199 defense attorney, but the jury is over here. So the 0:09:21.320 --> 0:09:24.280 judge is making faces every time you, as a defense attorney, 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:29.000 say something. All of that translates to you know. Plus 0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:31.200 it's also not something that's audible that you can get 0:09:31.240 --> 0:09:34.079 on record unless you catch it. Now can catch it 0:09:34.160 --> 0:09:35.319 and you see it, and you can say, well, I 0:09:35.400 --> 0:09:38.000 object to the judge making the face and for and 0:09:38.160 --> 0:09:39.760 you say that in front of the jury. Because you're 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:42.920 trying to just a perfect your record, you know, and 0:09:43.080 --> 0:09:46.199 also say that, look, I recognize what you're doing. And 0:09:46.280 --> 0:09:49.679 also judges have the ability to evaluate the equity and 0:09:49.760 --> 0:09:52.079 the fairness in these deals that many people were pleading 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:55.120 guilty to that just wasn't right. I know many of us. Now, 0:09:55.200 --> 0:09:57.520 I know my court is considered it no first time 0:09:57.600 --> 0:09:59.839 conviction court unless the court you know, the code or 0:09:59.880 --> 0:10:03.000 the statue requires it. But we have judges now that 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:05.600 we didn't have before that we'll look at an offer 0:10:06.120 --> 0:10:08.720 that the state is given the defense, and then even 0:10:08.760 --> 0:10:11.720 if they agree, we look at the agreement and determine 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:15.120 whether this is even the just thing to do. Just 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:17.840 because a person is willing to take a plea doesn't 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:20.120 make it the right thing to do. Because we're in 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:23.000 this era, we have so many other options other than convictions, 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:26.840 diversion programs, the further judication and formal dismissals. And unless 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:31.000 the judge forces the parties to consider all alternatives, because 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:34.880 attorneys are required to be not only zealous advocates for 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:38.240 their client, but to give them all those options to 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:41.280 make that informed decision about their case. And so I 0:10:41.440 --> 0:10:45.000 remember that was not always happening, you know, the railroad, 0:10:45.040 --> 0:10:48.600 and you're talking about, Hey, they're gonna time serve taking time, serve, 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:51.040 take it, time, serve, take it. But that's not the case. 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:53.480 You get a young seventeen, eighteen, nineteen year old person 0:10:53.520 --> 0:10:55.920 has never been in the system, but all they know 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:57.480 is I want to get out of here and move 0:10:57.559 --> 0:10:59.800 on with my life. And I tell them all the time, 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:02.360 I'm sure you'll do too. It's a conviction, it's a 0:11:02.400 --> 0:11:04.400 criminal history, is not a credit poort, it ain't gonna 0:11:04.400 --> 0:11:08.360 fall off in seven years. A serious situation, and so 0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:11.760 it just takes that kind of consciousness, awareness and being 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:14.440 awake at the wheel to make sure these things don't 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:18.520 happen and to care to the compassion to care absolutely. 0:11:18.600 --> 0:11:23.880 Houston is one of the most diverse racially diverse cities 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:29.280 in the country, but not until recently have it's judges 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:33.720 been really diverse. And so again we salute you guys, 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:37.920 you know, for the sacrifices that y'all made to run 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:41.559 and put your reputations on the line, and you know, 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:44.160 go through all of the ridicule that that you gotta 0:11:44.200 --> 0:11:48.040 go through and even press that you press the pressure 0:11:48.080 --> 0:11:49.679 that you've got you have to deal with on a 0:11:49.800 --> 0:11:51.520 day to day basis, because I know that there are 0:11:51.640 --> 0:11:56.640 people within the halls of those those walls down there 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:59.280 and the judicial system that don't want you all in 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:02.439 there come. A lot of them have a lot of power, 0:12:02.520 --> 0:12:05.920 and I know that they're working daily and nightly, you know, 0:12:06.080 --> 0:12:09.280 to try to get you guys removed. And and that's 0:12:09.320 --> 0:12:11.880 the sad part about it, is that they see change 0:12:12.000 --> 0:12:14.599 for the better and they don't want that. You know, 0:12:15.040 --> 0:12:20.000 some people they only care about, uh equality when they 0:12:20.040 --> 0:12:23.839 want more equality. You see, I don't care about it 0:12:23.920 --> 0:12:26.920 for everybody. It's just say I care about equality because 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:31.240 I want the equality, you know. And so uh, that's 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:34.080 why it's so important. And and let's just say exactly 0:12:34.200 --> 0:12:37.880 what it is. And we talk about emplicit bias. We're 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:41.959 talking about a lot of times, well in the past, 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:46.839 it's almost exclusively than white people judging everybody, you know. 0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:50.240 And so that's why this diversity is so important. We 0:12:50.320 --> 0:12:53.959 need more black judges, we need more Hispanic judges, we 0:12:54.040 --> 0:12:59.360 need more Latino mean, more Asian judges. We every city 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:06.120 should reflect its population evenly in every industry. I don't 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:09.040 care where it's the medical industry, whether it's my enforcement, 0:13:09.440 --> 0:13:14.480 whether it's the judicial system, the pillars of the community 0:13:14.520 --> 0:13:19.000 should reflect what the people look like. And so we're 0:13:19.080 --> 0:13:22.160 moving in that right, in that in that direction. But 0:13:22.760 --> 0:13:26.160 it's a trip. How evil some people are who have 0:13:26.320 --> 0:13:31.920 the power to derail that, how hard they work, you know, 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:36.439 to try to derail that. You know, how can any 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:39.800 of you like give us like an example of what 0:13:40.000 --> 0:13:43.360 it's like to deal with that. We're dealing with it constantly, right, 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:47.960 I mean, on my walk in here like building, calls 0:13:48.320 --> 0:13:50.520 from you know, my coordinator letting me know this is 0:13:50.559 --> 0:13:54.560 gonna this. We've heard from this group or somebody tags 0:13:54.600 --> 0:13:59.600 you on this Facebook thing. Because there's a really well funded, 0:14:00.240 --> 0:14:07.040 well funded machine that is invested in turning this around. 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:10.199 I'm so proud of the judiciary the way it looks now, 0:14:10.760 --> 0:14:16.120 civil family, juvenile probate. I mean, we got all we 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:21.360 got black women, we have Asians, we have um. Now 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:25.440 we we could potentially be electing our first female sick 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:30.720 judge in the country in the country. So I don't 0:14:30.760 --> 0:14:36.600 want to to sick. She pronounces it sick. I've always 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:39.800 said seek that. I think that she pronounced a sick um. 0:14:40.120 --> 0:14:42.880 So I never can get a solid read on it 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:47.560 if it's strictly religion. Um, but I do think it's 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:51.520 maybe a cross between religion, and I'd rather her come 0:14:51.560 --> 0:15:00.600 on your show and maybe talk about it. So I 0:15:00.680 --> 0:15:05.760 think I think it would say we would American yes, 0:15:05.880 --> 0:15:10.000 suasion and so uh. And when I said that, I say, 0:15:10.040 --> 0:15:14.640 I mean East Asian Indian Americans, not American Indian. Um 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:19.640 seek is it is it? S? I? H Yes, that's 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:24.520 h And So she would be the first female elected 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.040 in the country if she gets elected. But that's what 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:32.280 Houston represents, you know, right, So she would be the 0:15:32.360 --> 0:15:35.600 first that's what Houston represents, that kind of opportunity. And 0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:39.960 just though that type of representation really makes such a difference, 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:43.720 right because judges that we have all kind of different perspectives, 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:45.880 they tell me things that I don't, you know, I'm 0:15:45.920 --> 0:15:49.120 not always aware of. Right, Ramadan could have gotten right 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:51.600 past me ten year ten years ago, it won't you know, 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:54.360 it doesn't now, right because I have an opportunity to 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:57.400 celebrate with my colleagues and and and so it's it's 0:15:57.440 --> 0:16:00.720 just a totally different culture. But there are people out there. 0:16:00.760 --> 0:16:05.400 I saw somebody posts recently. Defense attorney posted recently, Uh, 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:07.480 oh man, I just wish we could could go back 0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:11.840 to good old days. I'm like, whatever before I was 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.280 working or even before I was born, because I sure 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:17.120 can't recall it. The you know, these are the good 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:19.520 old days and there are more to come if we 0:16:19.600 --> 0:16:21.680 can just hold a line. And on top of that, 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:23.760 I think with people coming back to your point as well, 0:16:23.960 --> 0:16:27.800 the importance of diversity in these particular positions. Many people, 0:16:27.880 --> 0:16:31.880 including myself, underestimate the power of judges. I thought our 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:34.560 job solely was on the bench. We were in the 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.640 black robe with the gavel that we don't even use, right, 0:16:38.120 --> 0:16:41.000 But really it's much more. It's deeper than that. Right. 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:44.240 We make policy when it comes to those decisions as 0:16:44.280 --> 0:16:47.520 to how cases, what process, how the criminal justice system flows. 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:51.840 There were so many county administrative subcommittees and committees that 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:55.480 we sit on to determine certain things, whether it's how 0:16:56.160 --> 0:16:59.800 individuals are processed through the joint processing symptoms, whether it 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:01.920 I mean's so many things I can't even get the 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:04.399 bel bone bore where it's whatever it is. There's so 0:17:04.520 --> 0:17:07.720 many committees that I know you go ahead and jump 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:09.560 in just always to tell you what you're not saying 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:11.320 is what they didn't say, let me take a moment 0:17:11.400 --> 0:17:16.359 to brag on my colleagues. Okay, this, this right here, city, 0:17:16.440 --> 0:17:20.840 at this table, is the really the leadership of the 0:17:20.920 --> 0:17:24.920 county criminal courts right now as it sits where some 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:27.440 of the first African American people ever to sit on 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:30.720 the bench within our courts number one, but certainly the 0:17:30.840 --> 0:17:34.560 first to hold leadership positions. So, Judge Finch is the 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:39.840 presiding judge over all sixteen criminal courts. Judge Jones is 0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:44.800 the administrative judge over all twenty county court judges. Judge 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:49.600 uh Draper will be the next presiding judge over all 0:17:49.760 --> 0:17:54.000 criminal courts, uh, you know, county criminal courts. I am 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:58.440 the former, the preceding administrative judge over all twenty of 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:01.960 the county. We jumped in not only to hold the 0:18:02.040 --> 0:18:05.960 positions and and and really sort of even the playing field, 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:09.680 but we jumped in and took on leadership roles, uh 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:12.280 committee positions to make sure that not only were we 0:18:12.480 --> 0:18:15.119 ruling correctly in court and those things were going correct, 0:18:15.720 --> 0:18:20.240 but we changed policies so that it affects everyone. That's 0:18:20.280 --> 0:18:23.280 really the big you know, rub, That's what they really 0:18:23.320 --> 0:18:26.240 are upset about, is we we we got at the table, 0:18:26.760 --> 0:18:28.560 We took the seats at the table, and we were 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:33.040 in leadership positions making changes from the front, also in 0:18:33.119 --> 0:18:35.840 the back. How do you hold on to that power? 0:18:37.400 --> 0:18:41.480 What do you and what can the people do to 0:18:41.640 --> 0:18:44.800 make sure that you not only hold on to that power, 0:18:44.920 --> 0:18:49.399 but grow that power, strengthen it. Supporting vote right, I mean, 0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:52.280 get the word out. We need people talking about the 0:18:52.359 --> 0:18:55.880 fact that I guess the Houston nineteen are running were 0:18:55.920 --> 0:18:58.800 more than just the Houston nineteen. Other African Americans, other 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:04.040 minority judges, political candidates are joining us or have joined us, 0:19:04.080 --> 0:19:07.160 and they are making big strides along with us. Um. 0:19:07.400 --> 0:19:09.200 The beauty of what we can do in the county 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:12.920 criminal courts is these four ladies, in addition to probably 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:16.320 a few others. Really we make collective decisions. We talk 0:19:16.359 --> 0:19:19.600 about what's best for the county, and we're able to um, 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:22.760 you know, quite frankly, vote things in the way we 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:26.000 think that they should go. UM and we do so 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:29.320 with the community in mind. What's gonna work best, what's 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:36.720 gonna be the biggest flash, what's the most important part? 0:19:37.160 --> 0:19:40.080 In my opinion, you touched on that, you know, what 0:19:40.240 --> 0:19:44.240 we did with Belbon reform and um you know how 0:19:44.480 --> 0:19:47.840 huge that was. People don't don't really get it. And 0:19:47.880 --> 0:19:50.960 it's because I think what people here is, you know, 0:19:51.119 --> 0:19:53.800 kind of what you hear out in the media, right, 0:19:53.800 --> 0:19:57.439 because it's it's been totally distorted, But people who actually 0:19:57.520 --> 0:20:00.280 experience it, whether or not they have been accused, had 0:20:00.320 --> 0:20:03.040 a family member accused, or just visited the courthouse for 0:20:03.160 --> 0:20:06.520 jury duty, right, people can really feel the difference in 0:20:06.680 --> 0:20:10.600 what Bill Reform really is. Right, What it really is 0:20:10.880 --> 0:20:15.440 is um us not overcrowding our jails with people accused 0:20:15.520 --> 0:20:19.920 of petty offenses, um extracting ten dollars fifty dollars, a 0:20:20.040 --> 0:20:24.200 hundred dollars for them, or trying to force a trying 0:20:24.240 --> 0:20:26.080 to force a police that's all. That's what it was for, 0:20:26.440 --> 0:20:30.080 is to force people to play guilty for revoting. Podcast 0:20:30.160 --> 0:20:39.800 will be right back after the poet, Okay, j Draper. 0:20:39.880 --> 0:20:42.879 What if you have a seventeen year old high school 0:20:43.040 --> 0:20:48.080 kid who hangs out with the round crowd and get 0:20:48.160 --> 0:20:53.000 some self involved at it armed robbery where his buddy 0:20:53.040 --> 0:20:59.399 gets shot and they go to jail for robbery and 0:20:59.720 --> 0:21:05.000 I cool. Do you offer them immediately offer them a 0:21:05.119 --> 0:21:08.760 bond or do you say Okay, you gotta sit well 0:21:08.840 --> 0:21:13.359 wow until we work the staying out. So let me 0:21:13.400 --> 0:21:16.600 say this. We're not and I asked this question because 0:21:17.200 --> 0:21:20.479 you know that seventeen year old kid was me allegedly right. 0:21:24.600 --> 0:21:27.240 What I say, we're a little limited in what we 0:21:27.320 --> 0:21:29.639 can say and what we were doing certain situations. But 0:21:29.720 --> 0:21:32.119 this and we're misdemeanic court judges, so we don't have 0:21:32.280 --> 0:21:35.600 this issue come up in our courts. But what I 0:21:35.720 --> 0:21:39.440 will say, the beauty of having us and some of 0:21:39.480 --> 0:21:41.320 our colleagues that are at the district court level is 0:21:41.400 --> 0:21:46.879 you have people who's lived experiences, understands that right and 0:21:47.080 --> 0:21:50.359 understands ways in which they can give people an opportunity, 0:21:50.359 --> 0:21:54.280 Because what if a person can be safely released whatever 0:21:54.400 --> 0:21:57.399 they're trying, whether it's aggravated robbery or that, if a 0:21:57.480 --> 0:22:00.359 person can be safely released, if we have can editions 0:22:00.400 --> 0:22:03.520 under which we can safely have them out on bond 0:22:03.560 --> 0:22:06.800 while they wait for their trial, we are legally required 0:22:06.880 --> 0:22:09.800 to do that, um and so we have to ask 0:22:09.880 --> 0:22:13.080 those questions. It helps when the people they're are familiar 0:22:13.119 --> 0:22:16.359 with where you're from, familiar with, um, some resources that 0:22:16.520 --> 0:22:18.960 might be in your neighborhood. You know, I know what's 0:22:19.000 --> 0:22:21.280 in my neighborhood. I know the shape center is reliable. 0:22:21.320 --> 0:22:23.760 I can send somebody over there, you know too, so 0:22:23.960 --> 0:22:26.359 they can use up their time, different places that people 0:22:26.440 --> 0:22:30.439 can go. It helps when people have that lived experience, UM. 0:22:30.520 --> 0:22:33.119 And so I think all of us we think about 0:22:33.160 --> 0:22:36.119 that with every single person that comes in front of us. 0:22:36.320 --> 0:22:38.439 If I see somebody come from the audience and there 0:22:38.560 --> 0:22:40.639 was is that your mom sitting next to you? Is 0:22:40.720 --> 0:22:43.520 that your mom? You live with your mom? Okay? You know, 0:22:43.640 --> 0:22:46.160 kind of really trying to figure out how we can 0:22:46.320 --> 0:22:50.440 get this person through the process, UM without derailing it, 0:22:50.480 --> 0:22:53.639 because it really does benefit all of us when we 0:22:53.800 --> 0:22:57.680 can let a person turn into this and not only that, 0:22:58.680 --> 0:23:03.520 it doesn't help the process when we immediately treat presumptively 0:23:03.640 --> 0:23:07.840 innocent people like they're guilty. Right, and so what the 0:23:08.000 --> 0:23:11.320 judges should be doing, which I believe we do, is 0:23:11.359 --> 0:23:14.000 doing a deep dive into the situation. The fact that 0:23:14.119 --> 0:23:17.520 somebody is here doesn't make them guilty, But what it 0:23:17.640 --> 0:23:20.000 means is that we need to explore what's going on 0:23:20.240 --> 0:23:23.000 here and what can we do to minimize the most 0:23:23.080 --> 0:23:27.920 restrictive situations. To me, incarceration should be a last result 0:23:27.960 --> 0:23:31.840 when you're looking at a spectrum if you care, what 0:23:32.000 --> 0:23:34.120 I think you should do is forget the cause number 0:23:34.520 --> 0:23:36.760 and in some ways kind of forget the charge because 0:23:36.760 --> 0:23:39.240 it's just a title. I think that's why you're supposed 0:23:39.240 --> 0:23:41.359 to have a prosecutor and a defense attorney there and 0:23:41.520 --> 0:23:44.720 ask questions. Okay, let me hear probable cause. Great, you 0:23:44.800 --> 0:23:47.440