Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 November 2003 — Page 3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2003

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A3

VIOLENCE ^ Continued from Page 1 for my son to take him home and he agreed to do so after leaving the bar. He took my son down a road and told him “You have to show respect.”’ He was shot twice in the back of the head by Daniel Capp. In September, Capp was sentenced to 104 years in prison for the death of Carl. This case is an example of the handful of cases that are solved, but there are still countless numbers of unsolved cases - including the recent deaths of Lee Driver and his girlfriend Lashell Wooden, who were both found dead in their home on June 21, possibly killed in front of their two children. Authorities speculate that Driver’s cousin, Christopher JUDGES ► Continued from Page 1 When it comes to the views of their profession, most of the judges would agree. “Television’s views are distorted. Ninety percent of those who serve on a jury respect the system,” said Tanya Walton Pratt, a criminal judge. Everyday challenges Takingthe oath to ensure that every citizen has a fair trial and impartial trial is not always easy as a judge. Weighing personal lives and everyday challenges are factors in the profession. Most judges would agree that making rulings and sentences are never easy, including David Shaheed, a Criminal Court judge. “It can get rather difficult when you get mothers crying, girlfriends ciying and sometimes defendants crying,” he said. For Judge Hawkins, he said that the job can even get isolating. “I hung out with a stack of lawyers in private practice. I am not sure how comfortable they feel stopping by and saying hello now. They are going to wonder if I am thinking if they are trying to ask for something,” he said. But personal challenges are the least of the concerns for these African-American authorities. Caseloads, lack of staff’ and not

Driver, may have some involvement in the death of the Northeastside couple. The cousin mentioned that he spoke with a person, the possible suspect, a few times before the death of the couple. The unidentified suspect spoke of doing a robbery. Another side to the Project Safe initiative is to help prosecute alleged murderers. Project Safe organizers are serious - they have hired a full-time federal gun prosecutor to help fight firearm violence. Last year 70 percent of homicides were gun related, leaving the other 30 percent to strangulation, death by a knife, beating and others. “Since our church has come here, we’ve implemented many

enough court rooms are hurdles that these judges must tackle. Judge Pratt agrees, “We do not have enough space in this building to tackle the caseloads that we have. We need more judges,” she said. Judge Shaheed said that decisions are never easy either. “It is not like you can just dismiss this job. Since this is a drug court it is especially not easy. I think about what can be done differently and what can be done to help the people,” he said. Jail overcrowding What mechanism is best when it comes to tackling the jail overcrowding situation in Marion County? Judge Hawkins said that tackling pre-trial incarcerations should be seriously looked at. “The cost of an anklet for home detention or the anklet for global positioning satellite monitoring is so much than the cost for incarceration that we should have more of them,” he said. “We just need a better way of predicting who is not going to cause a problem on the outside awaiting trial and who is going to show up in court on their next court date and cooperate with their lawyer. We will never be perfect but it needs

programs, we’ve given away food, had festivals, we have a weekly feeding program, we are a designated area for the weed and seed safe haven," said Pastor Donald Goldcr of Temple of Praise Assembly. “It is our duty to help the youth in this community to achieve positive life skills, education, family and Christian skills and give them hope and help them realize that dreams are not dead, but they should come back alive and be successful in life and replacingtheir guns with the Bible." If you would like to sign the aiiaPrqjectSiil'eNeighborhoixliuitigun \iolence pledge go to the Web Site at u’w’w. indygpv.org/mayor/ pac/psn/.

to be altered.” Salary questioned “The pay is questionable and the Legislature refuses to give judges a raise. No one with this amount of responsibility, education and training should have to wait around endlessly for an increase in pay. I n order to keep good, experienced, qualified people they are going to have to keep the pay appealing,” said Judge Cynthia Ayers. All Marion Countyjudges make $90,000 annually, most judges come from a private practice in law before being elected ajudge. Many say that their salary before becoming ajudge was much more comfortable. “Financially life was more comfortable in the private practice - but I knew how much the salary was when I took the job,” Hawkins said.” Despite the negative views, the stereotypes, and even the pay - all five of the judges agreed that they would enjoy their careers. “I had a reduction in my income to become a judge,” said Judge Reuben Hill. “I feel that I was destined to do this. I am happy where I am."

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