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The Brad Weisman Show
Welcome to The Brad Weisman Show, where we dive into the world of real estate, real life, and everything in between with your host, Brad Weisman! Join us for candid conversations, laughter, and a fresh take on the real world. Get ready to explore the ups and downs of life with a side of humor. From property to personality, we've got it all covered. Tune in, laugh along, and let's get real! #TheBradWeisman #Show #RealEstateRealLife
The Brad Weisman Show
Kathryn Lehman - Running for Judge
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Kathryn Lehman's path from social worker to judicial candidate reveals a professional journey shaped by genuine concern for community welfare and justice. After witnessing courtroom proceedings while advocating for troubled teens, Lehman realized her calling extended beyond social work into the legal realm—prompting her to attend law school at night while maintaining her full-time position.
This unique foundation gives Lehman something increasingly rare in our judicial system: perspective from both sides of the courtroom. Having spent five years as a public defender before transitioning to nearly nine years in the district attorney's office, she brings balanced insight to her candidacy for Berks County Common Pleas Judge. As supervisor of the drug task force, she has prosecuted some of the county's most dangerous offenders, including securing convictions in the largest fentanyl seizure in county history.
What distinguishes Lehman's candidacy is her unwavering commitment to applying the law fairly while understanding the human elements behind each case. "When you are doing the right thing, you can't worry about those things," she notes when discussing difficult decisions, emphasizing that integrity must guide judicial action even when decisions might be unpopular. This philosophy has earned her bipartisan endorsements from prominent figures across the political spectrum, including District Attorney John Adams and State Representative Eric Weaknecht.
The primary election on May 20th presents Berks County voters with an opportunity to elect someone uniquely qualified for the bench—the only candidate with extensive trial experience for what is fundamentally a trial judge position. Consider supporting Kathryn Lehman, whose blend of legal expertise, practical courtroom experience, and compassionate understanding offers the balanced approach our judicial system needs.
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Welcome to The Brad Weisman Show, where we dive into the world of real estate, real life, and everything in between with your host, Brad Weisman! 🎙️ Join us for candid conversations, laughter, and a fresh take on the real world. Get ready to explore the ups and downs of life with a side of humor. From property to personality, we've got it all covered. Tune in, laugh along, and let's get real! 🏡🌟 #TheBradWeismanShow #RealEstateRealLife
Credits - The music for my podcast was written and performed by Jeff Miller.
from real estate affects the market as a whole, which then sometimes will affect the right. You know the real life we all learn in different ways. If you think about it, wayne dyer might not attract everybody and everything in between. The mission was really to help people just to reach their full potential the brad weisman and now your host, Brad Wiseman.
Speaker 1:All right, we're back Thursday 7 pm, like every other Thursday, with a new show and I'm pretty sure you're going to really like this show. It's a little different. We got somebody in here that I should actually be nervous about, because she's running for judge and she's an attorney and just in case I ever screw up, you know what we might get a little get out of jail free card or something. Who knows you might. I don't know, it's like Monopoly, who knows? But no, on a serious note, we do have Catherine Lehman here. She is running for Berks County Common Pleas Judge and I was told by many people that she's amazing. Many of my friends have said she's incredible and they said amazing. Many of my friends have said she's incredible and they said you got to have her on the show. So that's why she's here.
Speaker 2:How are you doing, Catherine? I'm doing well. How are you?
Speaker 1:I'm doing great. My daughter's name is Catherine too, spelled a little different.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:That's right, but I love the name.
Speaker 2:K-A-T-H-R-Y-N is the best way, that's the best way.
Speaker 1:Well, my daughter might have some thoughts about that. It All right, so let's get right from the beginning here. So you graduated from Shippensburg University? Yes, okay, you have a master's degree from Boston College for social work.
Speaker 2:Correct.
Speaker 1:And you went to Waterloo University in Harrisburg to be an attorney. Correct, yes, and how long ago was that?
Speaker 2:Well, I graduated from Exeter and then I went right to Shippensburg. So I graduated from Shippensburg University in 2005.
Speaker 1:Awesome.
Speaker 2:Immediately went for my master's and I took about six months. I was working with delinquent teenagers and we would go to court, and that's what kind of motivated me to go to law school, because I didn't know what we were doing in court.
Speaker 1:Because at least she admits it At that point you had no clue what was going on in court. And that's awesome. So you didn't know. You wanted to be an attorney right away.
Speaker 2:That's correct.
Speaker 1:You thought that the social work was going to be it.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely. I had suffered a family tragedy when I was in high school and Exeter connected me with a social worker. When I was 18 and going to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. And so I thought why not social work? So it was through that that I decided I was going to take this path, and I started working with delinquent teenagers and advocating for them to stay in the home as opposed to being removed, and that's kind of what led me to law school because, like I said, I didn't know what we were doing.
Speaker 2:I had a very small part in advocating for them and then from there I I didn't know the process. So I needed to educate myself, and that's why I went to law school at night.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's like that's a big decision. It's not like you just go, oh, I'm going to law school. I mean that's right, I mean that's a serious thing.
Speaker 2:I always think of doctors, a full-time job, working with the delinquent teenagers and their families, and then at night I would go to law school.
Speaker 1:So, um, and I ended up still graduating in three years because I went full-time while I was there. Yeah, exactly she's smart. Yeah, she's definitely smart.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you.
Speaker 1:Do you ever get called smarty pants at me?
Speaker 2:No, not really.
Speaker 3:Especially not by my husband, your husband's, here. His name's.
Speaker 2:Guy right, yes, how you doing Guy, I'm great.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Good, good, good. That's nice and very supportive that your husband's here, I am Very blessed.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, yes.
Speaker 3:You are blessed. That's great.
Speaker 1:And he served the city and the public for a long time.
Speaker 2:He still is I police officer. He has accomplished so much while he was there, and now he is in the sheriff's office. He's the captain of the warrants in the canine division.
Speaker 1:Yeah, awesome, very cool We've had. You know it's funny, we've had the canines actually in the studio. I'm not kidding, they actually were in the studio from the sheriff's department were in the studio. It was crazy.
Speaker 2:It was really cool.
Speaker 1:That was different trying to calm down a dog. Those dogs are a little hyper.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, and they were all over the place. It was pretty funny. He was a canine handler for the sheriffs before he was promoted, so we do have a retired canine, oh that's really cool, very cool, very cool.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I'm glad you didn't bring him. I love dogs, but it would have been a little crazy.
Speaker 2:He's a little older now, so he's a little bit calmed down.
Speaker 1:That's good. That's good. So from out of law school, where did you go from there?
Speaker 2:So I started in the public defender's office in Bronx County.
Speaker 1:I moved and that's not easy either.
Speaker 2:No, it's not an easy job.
Speaker 1:Because you're a public defender means that those people have no money, correct, and you're defending them, correct. So, whether you like them or not, oh yes, absolutely. That's the part.
Speaker 2:Well, right, everyone is afforded due process. Yes, which is great, that's great.
Speaker 1:It's a great thing. I'm not downing, I'm just saying she's like everybody's, I know that. I wasn't saying we should put people to jail for no reason. I'm just saying that basically what defenders one.
Speaker 2:They get a bad rap, which is really unnecessary. They're dealing with cases every single day in court, every different type of crime and every type of personality that comes through, and then they have a much higher caseload than a lot of private attorneys. And no knock on private attorneys I mean their job is equally as difficult. But you don't get to say, hey, you didn't pay me this month or we have differences in how to proceed.
Speaker 1:It's your client is your client and thank God we have that. Yeah, absolutely Thank God we have that, because there's no reason that you should have to have money to be able to defend yourself.
Speaker 2:Right, or to have a good attorney. Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 1:That's cool. So you go into that and now you are in the DA's office. That's where you are now, right, that's correct.
Speaker 2:So I spent five years in the public defender's office and now I'm entering my ninth year in the district attorney's office. Do you have to work with John Adams? I do.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry about that. So sorry about that. No, he's a good guy. I like John John's awesome.
Speaker 2:He's a great boss.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's a good guy and I've sold homes to one of his daughters. I sold a house to Okay, yeah, yeah absolutely, they're good people. Funny story too, his wife. When COVID happened I walk into Governor Mifflin, to the gym of Governor Mifflin, and it was my first shot for COVID. I walk up and all of a sudden I see Betsy.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And she's like I'm going to love doing this shot. I'm like, oh, she was the first shot I got from COVID.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Betsy's wonderful.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, she is, she's great, so okay, so also one of the things you do you're Berks County Field Hockey Officials Association, so you officiate for Berks County for field hockey.
Speaker 2:Yes, so middle school.
Speaker 1:In your free time? Obviously, In my free time, yes.
Speaker 2:So middle school and high school, and then I also do some collegiate field hockey Unbelievable.
Speaker 1:Did you do that in college? Were you playing or?
Speaker 2:anything. No, I played at Exeter and then, once I graduated, I didn't play and then I started officiating, probably maybe 15 years ago, I'm not exactly sure I've been the president of the officials for probably eight years.
Speaker 1:That's awesome and you know what they need. That People you know it's funny. They're having a tough time now with officials for basketball, all the different things.
Speaker 2:For all the sports. Yeah, nobody wants to do it anymore. This is a huge plug. If you're listening, we need you?
Speaker 1:Yes, plug, plug, plug. You can plug, go for it we need you. Yeah.
Speaker 2:We can't sports If we don't have officials that show up. It's great way to be involved. It's a great way, it's great extra money, um, but it's also really wonderful to like give those kids a little bit of encouragement and just like keep them on the field.
Speaker 1:Cool. I'm glad you do that, that's cool.
Speaker 1:Cause our kids, our kids, uh, benefit from, like my son's in basketball and Catherine plays a field hockey and and you know, and the coaches too, we always say that. You know it's tough because nobody wants to be coach anymore these days, so and it's a kind of a thankless job. You get yelled at by parents sometimes, which is always, always nice, but yeah, so that's really cool. I'm glad you do that. It's a nice giving back and nice way to to help out young kids. So let's go into a little bit more of you. So you, you're at the district attorney's office, eric Weakneck, who is now our state rep, a state rep now both endorsed you.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:For the choice of judge. Yes, that's amazing. Yes, because you got you know, those guys do get along too. They both get along very well, but it's just two different things. And they're coming together and saying look, yeah, we support you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really so.
Speaker 1:Barry Chlauk supports you. Yes, yeah, ari Chlauk supports you.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I saw him on there. He's another one.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:But that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's incredible.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is. So when did you make the decision to do?
Speaker 2:this, so I can tell you the exact day.
Speaker 1:Okay, go for it May 23rd of 2024. Okay.
Speaker 2:Guy and I made the decision to run.
Speaker 1:That's cool. You involved him in the decision. Oh, the spouse always has to be involved in that, because it's a lot of work.
Speaker 2:It's a lot of work. It's a lot of sleepless nights and it's a lot of anxiety and stress and not everybody's nice. Not everyone is nice Not everybody's nice.
Speaker 1:No, I've noticed that I was involved with a campaign for my friend to try and get on school board and it was amazing Some of the things that I even got told or said on to me, and I wasn't the one running, I was just supporting my buddy and it's incredible you get some hateful things said to you.
Speaker 2:I'm very fortunate. We've been very, we've received really great positive feedback so far. I mean knock on wood, of course, but it's been, it's been a good experience so far. I have to not going not going to what, of course, but um, it's been, it's been a good experience so far. I have to say that it's better than I expected it to be, if that makes sense, yeah. Yeah, I'm just very fortunate that he is by my side and supportive in this, because I don't know how you would do it without.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Plus, he carries guns. That's always a good thing. I had to say it. I mean, come on, he's a policeman for how many years. He's like your own bodyguard.
Speaker 2:You're pretty lucky that way. He's been called that several times on the campaign trail.
Speaker 1:Yeah see, I know.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:When Eric used to come in here he'd be packing. I know Now he's a state rep. I'm not sure he might be just packing a sandwich, kind of a granola bar or something, but yeah, so, yeah, that's awesome. Now tell me, what does it take to do the common police judge, like what? Why do you feel that you are set up for this and what does it take to do that job?
Speaker 2:Well, I think, first a common police judge is a trial judge, so if you would get called in for jury duty. I'd be the judge that presides.
Speaker 2:I have been Okay that judge that presides over that jury is the position that I'm running for. So one of the biggest things about that is it's a trial judge position and I'm the only candidate running that has ever tried a case and I try cases on a regular basis. That is my job is to try cases as an assistant district attorney, so I feel like I'm very well qualified for that position in order to be ready to handle the law that comes through, the questions that come through the difficult situations, and I feel like I'm uniquely prepared for that position because it's what I do on a regular basis. Plus, I have that social work background so I'm able to determine, use that common sense.
Speaker 1:Also maybe have some compassion.
Speaker 2:Right, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Right, I mean, you know, I always think of judges. I was just like mean. You know, I think they're mean, it's just. The first thing comes to my mind is they're mean, grumpy, and they're not going to be fun, and no, that's what I think.
Speaker 2:I'm not mean.
Speaker 1:I know you're not mean. I mean there's times where there has to be some sort of compassion involved, but obviously the law comes into play.
Speaker 2:So the law is the law. It doesn't matter if we like it or we don't like it. That's not the judge's position to determine that If you don't like the law then you need to write your legislator.
Speaker 3:That's right.
Speaker 2:But while I'm not mean, I am tough. It's important to be able to make tough decisions, and I do that whether it's in the courtroom or on the field hockey field or in life in general. Like I said, I grew up here. I care about Berks County Good, and that's where you know. My husband and I have dedicated our careers to that's awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, we do appreciate you doing that, so let's go into. There's people that are also running against you.
Speaker 2:That's correct.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're not going to say anything mean about them or anything like that. No, of course not.
Speaker 2:No, but there's people running against you, and is there one position? Out of the three people that are running?
Speaker 1:Yes, there's only one position, so Judge.
Speaker 2:Sprecher retired in July of 2023. So his position is the only position that's open right now.
Speaker 1:So what other judges have that position that we would know their names.
Speaker 2:So there's Teresa Johnson she is our first um female president. Judge in Berks.
Speaker 1:County. She was after Schmal or no.
Speaker 2:Uh, she was after judge Parisi and then before judge Parisi. I believe it was judge Yatrin and yeah, cause Jeffrey Schmal.
Speaker 1:I think wasn't he in there somewhere.
Speaker 2:Yes, but now he's a federal judge, federal judge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we don't, don't mess with him man. When he went to federal I actually started being nice to him Because he's a good guy, he's a good guy too, I like him. But yeah, I started being real nice to him at that point Because that's a real, that's really getting up there.
Speaker 3:How often do judges run? Sorry, I've just no go ahead. How often do you have to run to be?
Speaker 2:So the common pleas judge is a 10-year long position.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, big commitment.
Speaker 2:And then you run for retention.
Speaker 1:So then it's a yes or a no.
Speaker 2:So the voters would vote yes to retain you or no.
Speaker 1:I've seen that when I go in to vote. Yeah, I know what you mean. So the first time when you're on the ballot it's going to look different.
Speaker 2:Yes, so in May, may 20th.
Speaker 1:This is good to bring up, so.
Speaker 2:May 20th is the primary and I'll be running as a Republican and a Democrat because it's a bipartisan position.
Speaker 1:You can cross file. It's bipartisan. You don't want a judge who's politically motivated. Nobody ever does that. Well, it's our job In the common plea. Supreme Court, Superior Court, Sure that's a little bit different Commonwealth Court, because they're nominated Right.
Speaker 2:But this is a trial judge and you just want a trial judge that's bipartisan, not politically motivated. So I'll be running as a Republican and a Democrat and May 25th is primary, so when they go in you'll see my name and the other two candidates.
Speaker 1:And that's countywide.
Speaker 2:That's countywide, all of Berks County, so we're going to look at the Catherine Lehman is the one that we're going to want to click on or touch or when you're mail in ballot.
Speaker 1:Yes, they're becoming very popular. Yes, did that answer?
Speaker 2:your question yes.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's a good question, very good question. So 10 years, basically, and then after that it's like a yes or no. So you'd really, as long as you're doing a good job, at that point nobody's going to hopefully bail you, bail on you, or something like that. Okay, good, give me an example of a case that might come up in the comment, please. You were saying it's a trial, but is it civil or criminal?
Speaker 2:So the position that I'm running for the president judge decides where each judge is assigned. So I could be in criminal, I could be in civil, I could be in family court.
Speaker 1:We don't know that yet.
Speaker 2:Correct. In civil I could be in family court okay, so you could be, it doesn't?
Speaker 1:we don't know that yet, correct, no one knows that, so that wasn't a dumb question.
Speaker 3:Then, yeah, there you go.
Speaker 1:Very important I thought for sure she was gonna go. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2:no, no, and so those judges rotate. Um so, almost every judge handles the murder cases, though.
Speaker 1:Oh, almost every judge, yes almost every judge handles the murder cases yes, so they're on a rotation right right, right right.
Speaker 3:Oh, I see, I see, I see Okay.
Speaker 1:And I guess that's probably just to, so that one person's not always doing them.
Speaker 2:Correct, yeah, yes.
Speaker 1:Because that's not the ones that everybody wants.
Speaker 2:Correct, I would think yeah, right.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, that's so wild. And we know there's people running against you and they all cross-file. So, no matter what, there's no Democrat, no Republican nothing like that. Okay, what made you want to move from the DA's office to being a judge?
Speaker 2:So I'm very fortunate in the position that I have right now and I recognize that, like I said, john is a great boss and I've been given the opportunity to try some of our most dangerous and violent homicide cases.
Speaker 2:I'm the supervisor of the drug task force and so not only do I prosecute drug cases, like major drug offenders and homicides, I handle every type of case that comes through. This is an opportunity for me to serve Berks County in a very different way. Like I said, I think I have a unique balance of knowing the law, being able to follow the law that's what we do in the district attorney's office but understanding the spirit that's behind that law and being able to show a little bit of compassion, but also being able to make tough decisions, when a lot of people have a hard time making tough decisions because 100% of the time 50% aren't going to agree with you and you have to be strong in your values, in your morals and who you are in order to make those tough decisions. And so when this position became available, I thought why not me?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's cool, kind of a calling. Yeah, yeah, it's a calling, that's cool, and if by some chance you wouldn't get it, would you try again?
Speaker 2:I don't know. We haven't looked that far yet. We're focused. She's going to get it, brad, she's going to get it.
Speaker 3:That's right.
Speaker 1:Oh, I think she is too. I mean, I'm voting for her. I can tell you that. Thank you, I'm made 20. Of course I don't get hate mail. I might need your protection. Yeah well, that's cool, that's awesome and it's because it's a big deal. Do you do you worry about? I mean, we hear about this, you know, in different state, local. Whatever you make a decision, do you have to worry about the decision made, like being fearful of other people that didn't like your decision?
Speaker 2:So that's something that we I specifically have had to deal with in the district attorney's office. I've had people threaten to kill me. I've had people threaten to kill my family. It's a tough job.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I don't mean to say that like, oh, poor me, because I don't feel that way. When you are doing the right thing, you can't worry about those things. People aren't going to like doing the right thing sometimes. But when you're strong in your values and your morals and, like I said, in who you are and you know that you have that integrity behind it, If you're making decisions because it's the best decision to make, then you have to be strong in that conviction yeah, absolutely, and we lack that today. Yes, we do Right.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of places where we lack that today, so it's good to hear that that's how you feel, um, because it's it's not a popularity contest.
Speaker 2:It's exactly right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely not, and there's too many places in our lives today, in our country, in different places, that it seems like it is a popularity contest and it's just not. So that's cool. I like to hear that, and I would think people out there would like to hear that too. So we talked about what makes you qualified. Let's go into some other stuff. Do you have any stories of anything that you're like? I don't even know what you can tell. We were talking about this.
Speaker 1:What you can tell, like Eric had one. You don't have to mention names, but Eric had this thing where he had to go get somebody's bird as the sheriff's department.
Speaker 3:He had to go get a bird.
Speaker 1:It was part of a divorce. He had to go get the bird out of the house and you might even I know a guy might have been part of that, I don't know. But is there anything weird that ever happened as a, as a assistant, da or something? You're like you aren't going to believe that this is what happened.
Speaker 2:Um, it literally happens every day. Okay, it's every well, give us a for instance, you don't have to give us names.
Speaker 2:I mean just things like we had a witness testifying who ended up having a seizure from anxiety from testifying in the middle of testimony, we're bringing in ems to help our victim, yeah, and then, well, what do you do with the rest of the hearing? And those are the kind of things that it's like well, the defendant is entitled to cross-examine, and so you can't just be like, oh well, clearly she means it like you know, yeah, exactly we've had people just really um what's the craziest one.
Speaker 1:Like you went home to guy and said you are not gonna believe this. Oh, boy.
Speaker 2:so we recently had someone, um that we agreed to go to treatment, um that they could get out of jail if they went to treatment, and instead of going to treatment, they decided that they were just going to break out of treatment and go run around a couple of days with their boyfriend and then go back to treatment, as if oh, so like a little break, a little break from treatment, yeah. So I mean, it's just those kinds of things I'm thinking that's not allowed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not part of the deal, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:I have a question, Kate. So what is the silliest thing that people do or don't do? That might get them unnecessarily into trouble just because not doing or not knowing.
Speaker 2:Really basic things, sometimes Wearing appropriate attire to court. You know things that don't say like F off oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:But you know, technically they're allowed to wear it, but it's just not a smart thing Normally when you see it, like the big cases, like yeah, the guy looked like an absolute bum right when they caught him and the next thing, you know, he comes in clean shaven three piece suit, you know, and you're like wait a minute, that's not the guy that you know it is. You know, and you're like, wait a minute, that's not the guy that you know it is. You know, obviously that was smart on the attorneys. They're, they're, they're getting them ready, they're getting the person ready. So I, you know, I saw this. You were involved in one of the biggest, the largest fentanyl bus in Berks County.
Speaker 2:That's right. Yeah, that's amazing. Yeah, four kilos of fentanyl.
Speaker 1:That's a lot. That could kill a lot of people. How bad is that? How bad is that? As far as I know, that's pretty bad it's really bad.
Speaker 2:So you can overdose on 0.02 to 0.03 grams of fentanyl, so um four kilos is enough to wipe out burke's county and wow, yes, why, why?
Speaker 1:it's just unbelievable. So do we have a problem with that here?
Speaker 2:oh yeah, absolutely it's pretty bad. Yes, it's. Fentanyl is everywhere, it's everywhere yes, and it's.
Speaker 1:And is it as? Is it as lethal as they say? In that I've heard that the policemen have to really be careful because you could ingest it so right and it or it could be on your hands or whatever, and you have to be very careful absolutely so in this case.
Speaker 2:When, um the police were executing the search warrant at this home um the individual was using fentanyl and spraying it on synthetic cannabinoids, and that-.
Speaker 1:Synthetic what.
Speaker 2:Cannabinoids, so a lot of people call it synthetic marijuana or K2.
Speaker 1:See, I obviously don't use this stuff. You can tell If I would have went. Oh my God, you guys wait a minute. He knows way too much. Was this a ploy? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I have some under here, but no, but synthetic, like a synthetic marijuana. So they sprayed on that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it was Damiana leaves, and he was using like a garden pressurized hose and spraying it on the leaf, and so that was when they opened the tarp the chemical, so we had several officers who had to be transported to the hospital for potential overdose.
Speaker 1:You're kidding me. It's that bad.
Speaker 2:It's that bad.
Speaker 1:You know you hear this stuff but you don't realize that that's the way it is. That's crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we actually have an investigation. We're past investigation stage but investigation really never ends. But in one weekend we had 14 individuals who overdosed and died. Those individuals were selling it as crack cocaine, but really it was laced with fentanyl. So an individual who's? An addict and addicted to crack cocaine, went and bought fentanyl without knowing and overdosed and died.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, cause it's, it's pretty fast right 14 individuals in one weekend. That's horrible. Yeah, yeah, it's some bad stuff, Some really bad stuff. Well, thank you for being a part of getting it off the streets, because you know he has children. I have children, you know, and and that's the innocent people, the kids that are getting in in a gummy or in a whatever it is and not knowing and there's been many children have died that way across the nation.
Speaker 2:And the and the way they're manufacturing it. Now it's in pills that look like they do, pill presses right. Yeah, like prescription pills that you would go to CVS or wherever, and by Wow. Yeah, it's really crazy it is crazy.
Speaker 1:It is crazy, so thank you for doing that work. Now, as a judge, you're going to be getting those cases hopefully, yeah, yeah, amazing yeah unbelievable. Well, is there anything fun you want to talk about? Not that this wasn't fun, I'm just saying I have a question, I have a question before we finish.
Speaker 3:So what are the different types of courts that we have, at least in our area here, and how do they work? Good?
Speaker 2:question. So are you asking about? It's kind of a compound question?
Speaker 1:Yeah, a compound question Well, we have a federal court here, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we have a federal court and then we have the Common Police Court, which is at the courthouse in the city of Reading. And then we have local magisterial district judges. So those are for each little.
Speaker 1:I don't mean little, but each community Small claim stuff, right yeah?
Speaker 2:Tenants, evictions, things like that. So those are anybody who is 18 years old and a resident of that area can be a magisterial district judge. And then there's the Common Police judge, which is the next level above it, those you have to be an attorney and in good standing. And then there's the Commonwealth Court, which is like appeals generally, like if you sue the government.
Speaker 1:Is that an appellate court? Yes, see.
Speaker 2:You sound smart. That is the word. Appellate, which means appeals there you go, I did some study before she came in but, and then there's a superior court which is also an appellate court, and then there's supreme court, pennsylvania supreme court that's amazing.
Speaker 1:All the steps and then it goes federally the same. The federal has the same thing too, right?
Speaker 3:yes, wow, it's incredible.
Speaker 1:That's why it takes so long to get the supreme court of united states, because you have to go through all that Right, and they often won't hear.
Speaker 3:No, they're not hearing, you and I about you know, tripton Feller or something like that or whatever.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, exactly Unbelievable, so no. So what do you do for fun, besides officiate?
Speaker 2:This is fun.
Speaker 1:This is fun Good.
Speaker 2:Good, I'm very fortunate. I do love my job. You know I've been fortunate that I've been given the opportunity to try some of our most dangerous cases, and that's really important because we all like to go into the. Santander and watch the Royals or watch a concert, and we have to be able to do that, like we have to be able to be safe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're protecting our freedom. You're trying to get the bad people off the streets and put them where they need to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And that's not limited to the city, that's everywhere, yeah absolutely Everywhere we are, crime happens.
Speaker 1:Everywhere there's no.
Speaker 2:And some of my best moments, I think, have been the connections that I've made with some of the victims' families. We just ran into one the other day for a homicide case and it was probably the biggest hug I've received in a really long time.
Speaker 1:That's cool, that is cool.
Speaker 2:Probably four years ago that I prosecuted that case, that means something. And you know she sprinted across that room when she smalled me. So that is fun, that's cool.
Speaker 1:That's cool, she sprinted across that room when she smiled at me. So that is fun, that's cool. That's cool. It's kind of like I mean when I sell a house, you know it's a little bit like that I get a hug. You know I'm selling the American dream. I mean, come on, it's a good thing, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but we want've been able to seize two houses in the city of Reading, which is something that we don't do on a regular basis, because those two houses were solely used for drugs Kids getting off the school bus. We have surveillance of these guys handing out drugs as kids are getting off the school bus. Those kids deserve to live in a nice neighborhood. Yeah absolutely and to grow up in a normal, have their friends over, be able to go outside after dark.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so we've seized those properties. I took them in civil court, and now they belong to the district attorney's office.
Speaker 1:And eventually you can sell them.
Speaker 2:Well, our goal is to donate them to Habitat for Humanity. Yeah, that's perfect, yeah.
Speaker 1:Those guys will be in here in a couple of weeks. They, yeah, that's perfect. Yeah, yeah, they're going to. Those guys will be in here in a couple of weeks. They're coming in. Uh, Tim Daly and and NHS Steven Geringer is going to be coming in.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, they're great individuals.
Speaker 1:Great people, great people doing great things. So, uh, we're going to have to wrap it up, but I really appreciate you coming in. This is awesome and if, if, ballot, if you win, it's may. What is the voting day again?
Speaker 2:may 20th may 20th.
Speaker 1:That's the primary, that's right, and then after. So, if you get on then, is that it then or no?
Speaker 2:then there's the in november would be the big election so if I win on both tickets, then it's, that's it, yeah that's, that's it okay.
Speaker 1:Cool, awesome, very cool, all right, all right, that was awesome. Thanks a lot. Thanks so much for coming in, and I wish you the best with uh becoming our next judge. Thank you, all right, awesome, all right. There you go, boy, I almost got myself in trouble. I swear. If you find me in jail, you know why? Because I really ticked off the new judge that's coming up, right, hugo, it wasn't that bad. I wasn't that bad, right? Okay, just making sure, all right.
