Commissioners lies & deceptions regarding the NEW CC Justice Center!!

Editor’s Note: Folks, Robert A has been questioning the massive estimated and the REAL costs of the NEW CC Justice Center for a long time now. Not only is this New Justice Center the most expensive construction project managed (Mis-Managed) by the nit-wits; Kevin Gordon, Johnny Hutchins, Ronnie Whetstine, Deb Hardin and Doug Bridges, on the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners, its purpose for being is packed with inaccuracies, false narratives, lies and deceptions. AND overall stupidity with perhaps a large dollop of corruption mixed in for good measure.
In reality, the New Justice Center is NOT needed at all. All it took was Robert A making a two-hour inspecting and investigation tour to the “Presently operating Courthouse” on Wednesday (August 21, 2024) to put all the pieces together of this sad, sad puzzle and financial disaster in the making. Folks, this is not opinions talking. This is well proven eye-witness facts. YOU have the same opportunity to see for yourself as Robert A has.

Folks, The Old landmark Courthouse in Shelby had one Courtroom that was in operation for almost 100 years. The present 30-year-old CC Courthouse in Shelby has five (5) full-fledged Courtrooms. The new $400+Million$ Justice Center as presently planned by the Artful Dodger (Kevin Gordon) and his band of taxpayer pickpockets (Johnny Hutchins, Ronnie Whetstine, Deb Hardin and Doug Bridges) will have 10 full-fledged Courtrooms plus other rooms that can be used for Court hearings. The Cleveland County Jail presently has 309 inmates, some locked up for many months upon months, awaiting trial.

Over the years Robert A has made visits to the present courthouse for various reasons. Murder trials, All types of Criminal trials, Mental Commitment Trials, Civil Court Trials, Small Claim Court trials, Research into Public Records in the Clerk of Courts Office etc. For the record, Robert A’s very first Newsprint issue of Citizens for Good Government published in 1994 included articles related to the child abuse murder of 2 ½ year old Jodice Peeler by her mother’s boyfriend and how the CCDSS was forced to abandon their “insanity” based coverup of crimes against the elderly Laura Moses of Casar after a full five-day Superior Court Trial; where, after the insanity charges were defeated by the jury verdict, all 12 jury members AND the Judge lined up to shake Mrs. Moses hand. (Perhaps Robert A will reprint those articles sometime in the future.)

From all these experiences, Robert A has developed the habit of always making a swing by the five Courtrooms to see how many Courtrooms were in use and to check the Court Calendar for every courtroom (Posted on the wall beside the door leading to each courtroom) to see what was going on. And what was NOT going on, after years of observation, Robert A came to THREE Conclusions:

1.The District Attorney’s Office had adopted the tactic of keeping persons charged with felony crimes in jail for extended periods of time until they were willing to plead guilty to lesser charges, get probation and release for time already served. instead of actually trying a case, getting a conviction and sending the inmate to prison. Instead of trying the case in the first place.

2.The tactic described above has led to Superior Court Calendar charge rates of around 80% for the crime of Probation Violation. Often followed by two or more new instances of Probation Violation on top of probation violations. On top of the original crime.
3.The tactic described above results in longer overall CC jail times and more victims of other repeated criminal acts (crime sprees) when the inmates are let out of jail multiple times.

Another related situation, the murder of Shelby Police Department Officer Tim Brakeen, resulted in three persons, the killer and two of the killer’s relatives spending three years each in jail without a trial. That is Nine full person-years in jail on murder charges that the District Attorney (now Superior Court Judge Sally Kirby-Turner) tearfully admitted that she might not have gotten a murder conviction on the alleged killer.

Folks, it certainly appears that the Cleveland County Justice System will waste months upon months and years upon years of Cleveland County resources for their own ego and score keeping purposes. At the expense of taxpayers and the multiple crime victims who very often receive no restitution (as Robert A himself experienced) for his loss (years ago) due to the criminal acts of a habitual criminal. A habitual criminal, that at this very instant has been in the Cleveland County Jail for around six months without trial.

So, back to Robert A’s investigations of August 21, 2024 down at the Cleveland County Courthouse.

August 21, 2024 is on a Wednesday. And it was early in the afternoon and a perfect time for Robert A to swing by the five CC Courtrooms to see what was going on. Remember folks, The Artful Dodger and his Gang of Pickpockets have already decided that the present CC Courthouse is to be replaced by a $400 Million$ new Justice Center wit TEN full fledged Courtrooms. So…, it would be expected that the present CC Courthouse with only FIVE Courtrooms would be as full as a tick with court cases. Especially with 309 inmates locked up in the CC Jail right down the hall awaiting trial and it being early afternoon (around 2:30 PM) on that Wednesday afternoon, with no inclement weather or adverse weather or anything else in the way of the CC Courthouse from doing business. Basically, it was the ideal time for the Judges, Lawyers, DA’s and Courtroom personnel and staff to be going about their business of trying cases and dispensing the appropriate justice in the matters at hand.

So, Robert A, get to the point! What court business activity did you see???
Robert A saw exactly NOTHING regarding Court business going on or much of anything else going on in the five CC Courtrooms. No Court Calendars were on display at any courtroom. Some Courtroom doors were locked. And one courtroom had what appeared to be kids playing games. Robert A asked no questions to the kids about what they were doing.
Robert A then walked down the hall to the Criminal Side of the Clerk of Court’s Office and asked about one of the inmates. The habitual criminal who once stole property from Robert A and was let off without paying one cent in restitution. The habitual criminal seems to have graduated to child abuse (with injury) and child neglect by allowing kids around a drug environment. (Kind of like a CC Commissioner allowing a two-year-old child around his home swimming pool with no adult supervision.) Amongst other crimes.

Robert A plans on returning to the Clerk’s Office soon to better review the habitual crooks overall criminal record. Which Robert A fully believes will indicate a total breakdown of any program in CC to rehabilitate youthful offenders. Robert A also said “Hello” to the Clerk of Court who has always impressed Robert A with her efficiency and helpfulness toward all.

In conclusion, Robert A found NOTHING to indicate that the present CC Courthouse needs replacing with a $400 Million$ price tag Justice Center with twice as many (10) Courtrooms. Hey, why waste $400 Million$ for ten Courtrooms that are shut down, when 5 shutdown courtrooms that are already paid for can be shut down just as easily at no additional taxpayer cost???

Folks, Stay Tuned!! The new CCG 2024 NC General Election Sample ballots will be out soon!

In the meantime, here are Robert A’s recommendations for the CC Commissioners and CCS School Board:

Editor’s Note: Robert A recommends voting in the 2024 General Elections for the Commissioner and the CCS School Board Candidates as follows:
(Please vote for ALL of the Candidates listed below on your ballot to provide the maximum Ballot Security!!)
 
Cleveland County Commissioners Candidate recommendations: Vote for these three!
 
XXXX Tony Berry
XXXX Stormy Mongiello
XXXX David Peace

Cleveland County School Board Candidate recommendations: Vote for these five!
 
XXXX Kenneth A. Ledford
XXXX David Fisher
XXXX Gloria Sherman
XXXX Rod Powell
XXXX Tracy Ross