When Green Beret Joe Serna was sentenced to a night in jail for a probation violation, he knew he couldn’t do it. Judge Lou Olivera, a Gulf War Veteran, understood that compassion can be more effective than punishment at times but he also knew he couldn’t allow Serna off without a night in jail.
According to an article in Liftables, Judge Olivera knew when Joe Serna lied about a urine test in court something had to be done. The judge sentenced Serna to one night in jail. Serna, a three-time recipient of the Purple Heart, has struggled with PTSD since arriving home from the service. Being locked in a cell alone caused all those memories and fear to surface.
After Serna was escorted to his cell, the security camera in the jail captured an image of the judge carrying his pillow and blanket to the cell to join Serna. Watch this story of compassion and understanding in the video below.
