Letters – Family members can be innocent victims of relatives’ criminal activiti

To the Editor:
Innocent means free from guilt or harm. Prove means you have proved that it happened. Guilty means having been convicted of a crime.

When arrested, we’re presumed innocent until proven guilty, but we’re treated guilty. Where are their rights, and the family’s? Is it okay for an officer to pull a gun on an innocent person that has nothing to

do with the charge? Is it okay for the court system to treat a person as a lesser human being? We have elected a Sheriff with a questionable past, who has in turn hired deputies that have been fired from other agencies for DWI and Credit Card Abuse (this is not said without proof). This is not okay.

The County needs a program for both families to cope with this. Understand, there are victims on both sides. So many people are going through this and they feel they are alone.

I’m one of those victims. I’ve had a gun pulled on me when they arrested a family member. The only thing I asked was, “why are they being arrested?” and “show me the warrant.”

I was told, “I don’t have to.” I was victimized by the very same system that is meant to protect people. Why? I now have stress, anxiety and depression. They disregarded my rights, and yours.

You say, “not mine.” It could be you next. I’m going to fight with every ounce of strength I have to make sure this doesn’t continue. They work for us, so why do we let them run all over us?
Why can’t we, the people, see what is going on in front of us? Are we, the country, that blind? What will it take to wake us up? Please, don’t be like me and wait until it happens to you or a loved one until you get it.

While in District Court, a lady’s attorney attempted to explain to Judge Blomerth that his client was in the hospital in ICU. Judge Blomerth responded by saying in open court he didn’t care where she was or why she was not present. Her lawyer had just informed him she was in ICU in the hospital. He didn’t care. He stated to everyone, “Look at all the people here to see me.” One man was there who needed a restraining order to keep their house.

He yelled, saying, “If it’s about your house, I don’t want to see you.” And he said, “I make the rules here.”

Judge Jarrett is the most honorable judge in this county. While Judge Jarrett is on the bench, he treats the defendants with respect, and their family members. To my knowledge, he has never screamed or degraded people while on the bench, or refused to do his job.

He understands that people make bad choices, and their family members are victims of this.

How could we, the people of the United States of America, the home of the free and the land of the brave, let this happen to our country?
Joanna Pendleton
Lockhart