A BATTLE WON, BUT NOT THE WAR
July 28, 2018
Arlene DeHart
July 28, 2018
Judge Johnny Walker’s courtroom was packed with spectator as the trial of Elwrard Williams. proceeded through meet of last week. There were underlying tensions involved with this case of a man accused of killing an 18-year-old named Corey Butler during a wild gunfight on Morgan Street three years ago. That meant extra security in the courtroom, where an unusual number of officers were present both in uniforms and civilian clothes. At one point in the trial a wet-clad, narcotics officer stood near the doorway This was all in addition to the bailiffs who were assigned as a matter of course.
The issue was the bitterness between the families d victim and victimizer. Both sides know each other; and there is a considerable cross-pollination of boyfriends, girlfriends, brothers and sisters between them.
Also present during each day of the trial, wearing a golf shirt and keeping a low profile, was the chief a the Houma Police Department. Dana Tyree Coleman
Chief Coleman knows many of the people who were in the courtroom, in some cases through his official work as a law enforcement officer, in other cases because of his contact with the community over all, and through church activities.
From the time he took office in 2014 he has acknowledged trying to use his status in the community and the trust he has built over the years as a patrol officer and detective to make Houma a better place. He has attempted in what ways he can to overcome tie fear and the distrust some have for law enforcement by seeing to it that there is a familiar face behind the badge ?.
A few weeks ago there was a music festival in Houma. at the some of that was included.
Juice, who has earned a reputation as a peacemaker and advocate of positivity in the community, is well known to Coleman, who presented him with a resolution from Terrebonne Pariah honoring him for all that he has done. Juice isn’t the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak landscape of street crime that Coleman’s cops are constantly batting.
Corlon Gray,, who is the brother of the late Corey Butter, has a ministry that is largely dedicated to keeping kids an the right path, to teaching them about consequences and showing them the positives of rejecting the temptations of wealth and false status that lurk cm shadowy street corners.
Gray and Coleman are well-acquainted tan They talk about what progress the minister makes, and what challenges remain, acknowledging that there are lots of them
There are others who are involved with trying to avert trager mentoring programs — some slow to materialize — are in the works, and both Navy and Pickett hope to expend the work they are doing.
During the trial of Elwrard Williams. jurors got a glimpse of the brutality that can grow from unchecked evil on neighborhood streets. Fur a lot of the spectators this sadly was not news.
But the presence of Chief Coleman no doubt had an effect on the relative peace and quiet that prevailed in court especially at the emotional moment when the jury returned their verdict of guilty, relegating Williams to prison for the remainder of his natural life.
During the testimony and presentation of evidence, a picture was Painted of the problems that face our neighborhoods, parents and their children.
The week done by the peace-maker is not so evident, and rarely heralded
But it’s good to know that they exist.
It’s good to know that they exist.’
