![01/22/2021 —Marietta, Georgia — Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court graduates Kenneth (left) and Edward (right) share a laugh after having their records expunged by Superior Court Judge C. LaTain "Tain" Kell at the Cobb County Superior Courthouse, Friday, January 22, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com) [Last names are withheld by request of judge.]](https://www.ajc.com/resizer/v2/5F4PN7XVGMNU2P5NOTUFXKY2WA.JPG?auth=98f10fbcd608dd96d1f202f056654485fd45b35f0a769705f43cb840c3893932&width=1600&height=900&smart=true)
Two military veterans completed a once-in-a-lifetime mission Friday.
The men, graduates of Cobb County’s Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court, had their criminal charges dismissed and records restricted as part of District Attorney Flynn Broady’s broader plan to seek punishment other than a prison sentence for nonviolent offenders.
The last names of the veterans, Kenneth and Edward, were not used during the ceremony since their criminal records will be sealed from view of the general public, including employers. Broady, a U.S. Army veteran who spent 26 years in the military, said the program is “one of my true passions.”
The district attorney said alternatives to incarceration, known as restorative justice, allows people charged with criminal offenses to take advantage of services such as accountability courts and programs that treat substance abuse and mental illness. These opportunities will give people the tools they need to re-enter society as productive members of the community, Broady said.
“Today, we take that first step for the men and women who served our community and our nation in the armed forces,” he said. “We owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.”
![01/22/2021 —Marietta, Georgia — Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court graduates Kenneth (right) and Edward (center) are asked by Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady Jr. (left) to sign a document that will expunge their records during their graduation ceremony at the Cobb County Superior Courthouse, Friday, January 22, 2021. Superior Court Judge C. LaTain "Tain" Kell presides over the Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court in Cobb Superior Court. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com) [Last names are withheld by request of judge.]](https://www.ajc.com/resizer/v2/IRNAUXQ6CDAOYIICD4A7FR57LI.JPG?auth=1568c5aa6ff31bcbe26d24e893ec889485782f57ec2f13bc7db54ce62d5188bb&width=1000&smart=true)
Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com
Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com
Both men who participated in Friday’s ceremony originally pleaded guilty to criminal charges in 2016. They were allowed to withdraw those guilty pleas, and Broady and Superior Court Judge LaTain Kell signed orders that dropped the charges and sealed their criminal records.
Broady said another program participant qualifies to have their records restricted and charges dropped, and veterans court officials are trying to make contact with that person.
Friday’s ceremony was held following the regular veterans court calendar, during which participants give Judge Kell updates on how they are progressing through the program. The court began in 2014 and allows eligible veterans with substance abuse or mental illness issues who have been charged with felony crimes to participate in a treatment plan with veterans health care professionals mentors and court staff members.
Each participant must complete all aspects of the program, which includes an individualized treatment plan developed for each veteran. Since it began, 49 people have graduated from the court, said Program Coordinator Katelyn Parker. There are currently 11 participants, she said.
![01/22/2021 —Marietta, Georgia — U.S. Military Veterans Kenneth (left) and Edward (right) congratulate each other with a fist-bump after they both graduated from the Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court in Cobb Superior Court at the Cobb County Superior Courthouse, Friday, January 22, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com) [Last names are withheld by request of judge.]](https://www.ajc.com/resizer/v2/CUZXMQL5KN36SJBY7QM3J7NVZI.JPG?auth=2337a09864c56d5e3b04d65a018f15114f8fe122886ba9783f994625cf9bdcb5&width=1000&smart=true)
Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com
Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com
Originally, defendants were given the opportunity to participate in veterans court after their cases had been adjudicated. However, Broady said Cobb court officials will now extend the opportunity to veterans who qualify before their cases are decided.
Judge Kell, the current presiding judge of the veterans court, said the records restriction and dismissal of the charges are a “great opportunity for us to offer to these men.”
“We’re very happy that we have the ability, because of their status, to give them that opportunity here today,” he said.
Edward, who served three years on active duty in the U.S. Army and another three on reserve status, said he was grateful for the chance to start over with a clean slate. The Fulton County resident said the program gave him the tools to learn from his mistakes and to take responsibility for his past actions.
Kenneth, an 8-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran who now lives in Henry County, said it feels good to be one of the first veterans court graduates. He said participating in the program allowed him to get the mental health therapy he needed and taught him how to be accountable for decisions he makes in life.
“You’ve got to take accountability for what you’re doing,” he said. “A lot of times we lay the blame for things we do on other people when, in fact, we caused a lot of things ourselves.”
About the Author
