Apparently some other groups are getting into the court watching program too.
Christian court watches keep tabs on judges, is the title of CNN’s article on the subject.
This Kentucky group has been getting in on the action as well. It appears that their motives are more for drug offenders when they watch the courts.
From my last article, MADD pays 40K per year for "Court Monitors," I spoke about MADD getting money from the government to "watch/influence" the courts in DUI and DWI cases. This issue has been taken up by Mark Bennett and Robert Guest in the past as well.
Hey, at least this group isn’t State funded….
The original Story can be found on CNN.com, HERE.
Some interesting clips from the article…
Becknell — a devout Christian known to many as "Brother John" — pulls out a pen and an inch-thick docket, mostly of drug and alcohol cases. For the next three hours, he takes diligent notes on the judge’s actions, the attendance of police officers, repeat offenders making another appearance, and so on.
The purpose? To make sure drug offenders in eastern Kentucky are getting what they deserve.
The Community Church of Manchester is leading the way through "Court Watch," a program in which volunteers attend court hearings to monitor judges overseeing drug-related cases.
"They know they’re welcome in my court anytime I’m there," said District Judge Renee Muncy.
Yet, she added that she doesn’t feel pressured by the presence of Court Watch participants.
Neither does Circuit Judge R. Cletus Maricle, who said, "Some judges probably feel they are there to intimidate him. If the judge is intimidated, that’s his fault."