Brazos County commissioners approve establishing one of two proposed specialty criminal courts

This podcast contains comments from the June 4, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners have approved moving forward with establishing a specialty criminal court for those accused of crimes who have a mental illness or an intellectual disability.

The resolution that was unanimously approved at Tuesday's (June 4th) meeting says the judge who would be assigned specialty cases will apply for a state grant that would cover expenses starting in September of next year.

Click HERE to read and download the resolution that was approved during the June 4, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting.

This was one of two specialty criminal courts that were recommended by a commission committee last year.

A representative of VFW post 4692 and the local Vietnam veterans organization, county commission candidate Mike Southerland, asked for the creation of a specialty court for veterans.

Commissioner Steve Aldrich, who also supports a veterans court, asked for the second consecutive meeting for a public discussion.

County judge Duane Peters directed Aldrich for the second consecutive meeting to meet in private with local judges and prosecutors. 

Peters told Aldrich on Tuesday that "I think there's things going on that they're taking care of (that are) short of a veterans court."

Following raised voices in the exchange between Aldrich and Peters, Aldrich declared completing his comments and Peters went on to take the vote on the mental health specialty court.

Commissioner Wanda Watson agreed with a statement from Nancy Berry, who said the mental health specialty court "is a great idea. We've talked about it for a long time, the need is definitely there and I'm glad we're moving forward on this."

Watson, Berry, and commissioner Chuck Konderla made no comments about the proposed specialty court for veterans.