it's hard not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over when you were asked about it in June of 2016 I recognize the pain I can only imagine if my wife my daughter did not come home one night [Music] this is Judge Amber wolf of the Kentucky 30th District Court second division judge Wolf's sympathetic Nature has become well known in the cold and rational legal world and today she's going to show the lengths she will
go to in order to treat her defendants with compassion before her is James rer a 24-year-old Kentucky man who is facing burglary charges after he and his wife Ashley were caught breaking into a warehouse and stealing six flat screen TVs Ashley recently gave birth to the couple's baby boy while rotor was in custody and because the pair are codefendants there is a no contact order in effect between them meaning the defendant has not yet met his newborn son Judge Wolf is just wrapping up rotor's hearing and is preparing to start Ashley's hearing when she notices
the young mom holding up the baby in the gallery for her husband to see as he exits the courtroom the realization that the man hasn't yet met his baby son triggers something in the judge's sense of humanity and she decides to take action you sure you're comfortable with this is this what you want to do all right just stay right there for just a second Judge Wolf calls Ashley rer to the front of the court and speaks to her before calling James rer back into the courtroom she issues him with some strict instructions before clarifying
the situation with him I don't want you to say anything to me about your case at all don't say anything your lawyer is not present right now but I understand that there is a chance that you're going to go back to Todd County and that your baby is a month old and you haven't met that baby yet the judge summons Ashley rer to the podium with her baby boy and Judge Wolf introduces them I know you have a no contact order between you and miss rer that I have um that I issued and I'm not
changing that I'm making a temporary exception right in front of me on the record so that you can meet this baby this is your son watch the heartwarming moment as Ashley hands the tiny infant over to her husband who takes the baby and cradles him lovingly careful you see his little shirt Yeah Ashley rer is overcome with the tenderness of the moment and can be seen wiping tears from her eyes and it seems she's not the only one as the camera pans back to Judge Wolf she can also be seen wiping a stray tear from
her cheek with that the judge wraps up the moment telling the defendant that she will see him at his next court date judge Wolf's tears were a reaction to a joyful emotional moment in her courtroom and miss rer you can stay up here cuz I'm going to call your case next thank you for letting me be a part of that if you all aren't teared up then you're just heartless but unfortunately for Judge Jennifer daro it's utter heartbreak that puts her on the verge of tears it's hard not to think about what I watched and
not have this reaction judge daro is conducting a sentencing hearing for Daryl Brooks at wakashaw County Circuit Court in Wisconsin the sentencing follows a contentious trial and which 40-year-old Brooks represented himself against more than 76 charges including six counts of intentional homicide after he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in wakashaw the incident resulted in the deaths of six people the youngest of whom was just 8 years old and the injury of dozens more despite his claims that he sounded the vehicle's horn to warn The Spectators he was found guilty on all counts Brooks
is in court today to hear his fate in relation to the charges and judge daro isn't about about to hold back as she delivers her emotive speech the judge starts out by pointing out all of the reasons that she didn't accept Brooks's defense that he didn't intend to plow through the crowds many police vehicles at these intersections with their lights flashing there's no doubt in my mind that Mr Brooks would understand a parade was going on was not yet dark it was dusk I think that aids to the visibility that Mr Brooks would have seen
all of these people this is not under cover of night as the judge continues her impassioned address to the court Brooks sits Fanning himself nonchalantly with a file folder until judge daro can no longer hold it together what happens next is highly unusual in a courtroom setting judge daro can be seen becoming increasingly emotional but as she begins to talk about the 11 members of the wakashaw South band who were mowed down by Brooks she is overcome through her tears she describes how the evidence that she has seen keeps her awake at night it's hard
not to think about what I watched and not have this reaction those were images that frankly kept me up at night that I saw over and over and over judge daro continues applauding the courage of the band director who testified during the trial and the sheer emotion can be heard breaking her voice she is a hero to me to get up on the stand to identify each one of her students she eventually reaches for the kleenex wiping away her tee as she goes on she takes a few moments to compose herself before continuing to speak
while Brooks remains emotionless in his seat the hearing carries on and judge daro seems to have collected herself but as she begins to speak once more about testimony given by victims of the attack she breaks down again and then of course another video that frankly is very difficult to watch and hard to unsee I Now understand why one of the girls called her aunt and said my enti entire team is dead because that's what it looked like it was horrific and to think of those two Brave young ladies who got up during this trial to
testify about what they saw what they did your dancers are proud of you and because of you justice has been served incredibly as she delivers her harrowing words Brooks shows no visible signs of caring and he raises his hands in the air in a show of disregard as she nears the end of her address Brooks begins to interrupt the judge that you had contact with her on the 20th there was some physic with her on the 20th Mr Brooks this is my time you need to not interrupt Mr Brooks the state you need to stop
said specifically wrote you your honor and now you want to sit up here do not interrupt me or you will be removed to the other cour want to sit up here stop and try the killer continues to argue and judge daro threatens to have him removed if he doesn't stop you talking about someone with five kids that don't have C you need to stop right now or you will be removed remove me then Brooks is eventually escorted out of the courtroom for his Outburst flanked by sheriff's deputies all right he will be removed he cannot
simply stay quiet he ultimately receives life in prison without the possibility of parole it would be difficult for anyone to remain unaffected by such a heinous crime not least judge daro who has three kids of her own but as we see in the next case it's not just female judges who are brought to the brink by the tragedy of the crimes they encounter judge Robert chastine is in court today to sentence Bo Dukes for helping to conceal the death of Tara grinstead grinstead who is an Irwin County teacher and former beauty queen vanished in 2005
her body was never found but it's believed that terara was murdered and although the man suspected of killing her was acquitted of the charges his accomplice Bo Dukes confessed to police in 2017 that he helped to dispose of and conceal Tara's body justice has been a long time coming for Tara's family and judge chastine Begins the hearing by acknowledging this nothing that I do here is going to relieve the pain that the family has endured all these years it's clear by his body language that the judge is struggling to maintain his composure and he fidgets
with items on his desk as he tries to find any words that might bring Comfort to the grinstead family it's just an unfortunate situation that the fam's had to grieve that long to determine what happened to teror gr understand I I just can't quite you know wrap my head around the emotional strain is obvious in his voice as he continues his address and that would have been the time to you know to come forward and say let me tell you what I did we all have but that would have been the time to come forward
unable to contain himself any longer judge chastine breaks down in distress at the prolonged suffering that terara grinstead's family endured over the 12 years they spent looking for answers when you were ask about it in June of 2016 I don't take any pleasure out of sentencing anyone but you know that's a part of my job judge chastine eventually Masters his emotions and he hands down the maximum combined sentence of 25 years to Bo Dukes ensuring at least some measure of justice for the grinstead family Court's going to sentence you on count one to a period
of 5 years to serve in the State Penitentiary on count two of course going to sentence you to five years to serve in the state penitentary consecutive to count one and on count three Court's going to sent you for 5 years cons consecutive to count two to serve in the State Penitentiary and on count four the Court's going to sentence you to 10 years consecutive to the sentence in count three to serve in the State Penitentiary judge Chase's distress was no doubt caused by the senselessness of Tara's murder along with the unnecessary prolonged suffering of
her family and in the case of Judge William Atkinson he has seen too much of this same anguish Time After Time judge Atkinson is in court today to sentence David Meyer on two counts of homicide by you of a vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration Meyer's alcohol level was almost three times over the legal limit for driving when he hit Rebecca and raia pennenberg who were out walking in Lawrence Wisconsin the mother and daughter were killed instantly on impact the pennenberg family are present in court to learn the fate of Meyer and a number of
statements written by their loved ones are read out requesting a lengthy jail sentence for the drunk driver judge Atkinson's feelings are clear as he begins to address the court with some very strong words seen too many people suffer from dunk driving I didn't know the family had no connection uh but I've seen too many of these cases despite not knowing the victims or their family it's clear that the judge has been deeply affected by the case his voice cracks and he becomes increasingly upset as he continues to speak in an incredible show of humanity judge
Atkinson breaks down in tears openly weeping as he imagines the prospect of his own wife and daughter going out one night and not coming home because of the actions of a drunk driver I recognize the pain I can only imagine if my wife my daughter did not come home one night onlookers in the court are stunned by his speech and a few are overcome by his words as he concludes his address Myers himself speaks expressing his regret and apologizing for his actions there's nothing I can say that's going to ease their pain there's no words
I can say to give them any peace I've been and we'll continue to give people the understanding of what it means to drink and drive I continue to tell everyone I meet that when you drink the first thing you lose is your judgment however judge Atkinson isn't buying his show of remorse and he sentences Meyer to a total of 10 years in prison for killing Rebecca and Ria pennenberg he also orders Meyer to serve 10 years of extended supervision after his release during which the defendant will not be allowed to buy or drink alcohol [Music]
