Colon participates in Courts In the Schools

Colon High School students were witness to a “Courts In the Schools” program last week.
Staged by St. Joseph County District Court Judge Rob Pattison, Friday’s session followed previous in-school court sessions in Three Rivers and Sturgis.
The two cases heard Friday centered on sentencings of suspects related to drugs and alcohol.
Pattison said he is an advocate of the Courts In the Schools program because it gives students a first-hand perspective of the consequences from situations involving poor judgment.
Sturgis Police Officer Rich Johnson and prosecutor John McDonough also used the event to recall how alcohol-related accidents cost the lives of loved ones: Johnson’s sister and McDonough’s uncle.
Nichole Nelson and Derek Wright agreed to have their sentencings take place in the public forum. Nelson’s case involved narcotics and Wright’s stemmed from driving while intoxicated.
Their voluntary participation was factored into their sentencings.