Judge spends night in jail with man he sentenced

sometimes the best way to help someone who has fallen into a hole is not to throw them a rope but to climb in Steve Hartman learned this on the road inside the county courthouse in Fayetteville North Carolina judge Lu Oliveira made headlines with an unusual decision a few years ago Joe Serna was arrested for drunk driving as part of his probation he wasn't allowed to drink so when he lied about a recent urine test the judge felt he had no choice I gave Joe a night in jail because he had to be held accountable it was just one night but as he entered the cell joe says he knew it would be one of the longest nights of his life when I walked into the jail cell and they closed door behind me I started feeling this some anxiety it came back they came back a flashback retired Army sergeant first class Joe Serna did three tours in Afghanistan and has two Purple Hearts to show for it the Green Beret survived an ie D and a suicide bomber but he says his scariest moment was the night he was riding in a truck with three other soldiers what happened we were following the creek you know the road gave way and the vehicle went in the creek truck started filling with water yeah all hope was lost trapped and unable to move Joe felt the water rising past his legs then waist and neck until finally it stopped at his chin how many guys got out of that truck alive yeah just me oh I was a sole survivor Joe says it still haunts him so our separate PTSD among his issues a fear of being in small cramped places I knew what Joe was going through and I knew Joe's history and he had to be held accountable but I just felt I had to go with him I felt I had to go with him and so a few minutes after Joe was locked up Judge Lou Oliveira surprised the man he sent to jail by joining him for the entire night we meatloaf and we talked about a lot of things we talked about her families and the walls got further apart the walls just got laid they didn't exist anymore he brought me back to North Carolina from being in a truck in Afghanistan that meant so much to so onion this week Joe promised the judge no more mess ups I don't like you know it's not how law and order usually works but sometimes jail is not what a man needs sometimes the best sentence is compassion that you breathe me Steve Hartman on the road in Fayetteville North Carolina offensive and compassion heals

Channel: CBS Evening News

Views: 11,625,630

Keywords: video, cbs, news, cbs evening news, Judge, On the Road, North Carolina, Jail

Id: V30hcLSRz5M

Length: 3min 7sec (187 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 29 2016

Reddit Comments

[u/Jonesyrules15]

https://justiceforvets.org

Probably a good place to mention this. Melissa Fitzgerald from the west wing is involved with them also!