We need to make our courts green! I spent this morning in the County Court building waiting to testify as a character witness at my friend’s sentencing. But we never got that far. After having the first charge dropped for lack of evidence and witnesses, my friend, on the advice of a lawyer, decided to plead guilty to the second charge, resisting arrest in the police station after he was brought there on charges for the arrest that was dropped. He knew it was his word against a bunch of police officers’, and in the present legal system his word would not be believed.

As the father of a police officer and someone who quite often was in the place of his and my friend this morning I feel I understand both sides. However, I feel the court gives priority to the police word and to the past history of the defendant. We never got to sentencing since the judge was rushed for time. So a new date was set.

Sitting the morning in the courtroom I noticed the severe lack of green in the room. There were no plants or flowers to be found amid the wood panels and furniture. Outside of human beings there were few signs of life. The Judge, lawyer, DA all used formal language to talk about the cases. The Judge showed the most emotion when she scolded some parents before her who were so concerned about getting back at each other for petty things that they were harming their children.

If we had green courts there would be green plants and flowers everywhere. Mercy and forgiveness then could sneak their way back into the courtroom, leaving behind past mistakes and punishment. Reconciliation and restorative justice can replace conflict and victimization. Green Justice?

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