[SEL] Thieves

[Judge Tommy Turner]

Well Dave, here in KY it is difficult at times to tell the house and
barn apart!  In regards to the discrimination situation, I remember a
gent having his water turned off for failure to pay the bill.  An ACLU
attorney appeared on his behalf stating it was a clear case of
discrimination against the poor.  The guy's water didn't come back on
though until he paid the bill!

I had an eviction hearing for the local HUD development a few years ago
that was somewhat similar.  The rent ($40 I think for a two bedroom
unit) hadn't been paid and she had been issued a notice of eviction.
She appealed stating she was too poor to pay the rent and it came to me.
The first thing I did was ask if I could visit her home.  She said yes.
While it was a bit cluttered it wasn't dirty and overall was nice.
However, I spotted 3 packs of cigarettes and probably a half dozen empty
beer cans in the trash.  I told them we would return to the hearing
room.  I asked her who the cigarettes belonged to and she said "me".
Then I asked who the beer cans belonged to and she said "me".  I told
her I would issue an order giving her  one month to catch up on her
rent.  During the time she was not to purchase any cigarettes or alcohol
and those dollars were to apply to the rent (I was treading on soft
ground a bit here but what the heck).  I'd have no problem booting her
out but she had 3 small children under 10 and I wanted them to have a
home.  I checked in a month later and she had caught up on the rent.  I
saw her in town a couple of years later and she came up to me and said
"I want to say thank you, I quit smoking, quit drinking, and I've never
been late on my rent since".   

Sometimes things do work out!

Tommy Turner
Magnolia, KY



Hi Mike, MOST states make a distinction between your home and your  
barn--not sure about KY!
	Dave
PS, Judge Turner, Could the Castle Law be found unconstitutional  
because it discriminates against the homeless?
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