What a week of ups and downs, but in the end, justice was serve here in Augusta.
First, on Wednesday, Rony Denis and eight other members of the House of Prayer were arrested in a raid on a West Lake home. If the charges against them are true, these men defrauded veterans as well as friends and family.
Thursday, we commemorated 9/11 with the Columbia County Fire Rescue as it hosted the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Those who climbed the 55 flights included Evans High School students who are working toward becoming firefighters themselves.
The icing on the cake when Judge Shawn Merzlak dismissed murder charges against 16-year-old Vincent Carter Jr. and 18-year-old Nametrius McClam. The charges were dismissed because of evidence presented at a preliminary hearing that showed both boys were acting in self-defense. Justice was truly served by this decision.
Kudos to Judge Merzlak, attorney Keith Johnson, who represented Carter, and everyone else who was involved in the resolution of these two cases.
In these days when there is so much darkness in the world, we need to hang on to those moments of light to sustain us. Tragedy seems to be a daily occurrence, especially tragedy resulting from gun violence, but sometimes, it’s the result of violation of trust such as that perpetrated by those House of Prayer leaders who were arrested this week.
Nothing prepares us for a week like last week. We know beyond a doubt that more violence, more tragedies, more wanton criminal acts are on the horizon; history proves that maxim. So, take a deep breath, find the joy in those moments of lightness, and get ready for what comes next. Have confidence there is a new generation of first responders who are preparing to step up and serve with those already doing their best to protect us, that the justice system actually works (at least most of the time) and that the good days will outnumber the bad days.
