Letter to the Editor: Thinks at least an apology is in order

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
I am new to Carbon County, having recently moved here from Grand County where I lived for 20 years.
In the middle of May a friend of my fiance needed a ride from East Carbon into court, where he was scheduled to be sentenced. I drove him, then sat and waited until his time to go before the judge. He was the last person on the docket that day, so I had an opportunity to witness justice being doled out here in Carbon County.
I was happy to find out that the judge proved to be fair yet firm in his decisions. When my friend asked for a couple of extra days to get his affairs in order, the judge allowed him to do so and brilliantly arranged a review of the case in six months, if my friend could produce a clean U.A. when he showed up to start his time.
However this letter does not have to do with that case, but another I saw, something that disturbed me. A man who had been locked up all weekend came in garbed in the usual prison outfit, striped jumpsuit double chain around his waist with his hands cuffed to it and shackles on his ankles that also were attached to a chain between his legs. When he shuffled to the podium the charge was read, failure to comply with a collection agency’s claims.
“What! I exclaimed, people are locked up here for failing to pay their debts!?”
“Yep,” my friend answered. “I was summoned for a $300 hospital bill nine years ago when I had my accident and hurt my back.”
The judge noticed on his paperwork that the agreement was actually with the man’s wife. The bench warrant had apparently been issued in error. The judge ordered an immediate release of the prisoner. I waited for party responsible for requesting the warrantto act sorry or apologize.
Nothing was forthcoming and so I am writing this letter.