For the most part, during my jury trial, I wholeheartedly believed that the judge and prosecutor had it in for me at any cost. It didn’t seem to matter if I was actually innocent of the charges or if the fifteen witnesses who were brought back from prison trying to get their sentences reduced at my expense were giving truthful testimony or not.
I have to admit that it’s hard to believe in fair and equal justice sitting on the other side of the defense table. Nevertheless, I’m not claiming that I was actually innocent. Of course not! I didn’t do all of the things I was convicted of, but I wasn’t completely innocent either.
Time has a way of opening your eyes to see your overlooked responsibilities and the need to accept the consequences of your actions. During my 27 years of incarceration, one thing became apparent. I was in prison because I chose the path I traveled and the friends I trusted to ride with me. You can’t plant an apple tree and then get pissed when it bears apples.
I believe, for the most part, that judges, despite their differences, believe in the letter of the law and are constantly reminded of the reasons they became judges in the first place. There has to be truth to the oath they swore to honor, protecting the rights of the accused while defending the Constitution of the United States.
There’s this fantastic television series, “All Rise,” where Simone Missick plays this compassionate, truthful, and justice-seeking judge, Lola Carmichael. Now, I know this is Hollywood, and trust me, I’m well aware of the dramatization involved in the making of such a show.
However, I like to believe that the characteristics displayed by Missick’s character can be found in most, if not all, of the judges who sit in judgment of the accused who unfortunately find themselves standing before them.
To all of those judges who take their robes and the oath taken to be seriously sacred, I salute you and thank you for your dedication and service. Our justice system may not be completely perfect, But I would still hate to think about what this country would be like if we didn’t have the rules of law and constitution that guide us.
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