North Carolina Judge Lou Olivera showcased a heartwarming act of empathy when he spent a night in jail with a veteran he had sentenced. The decision by Judge Lou Olivera came following he came to know about the struggles of Joe Serna, a Green Beret and Gulf War veteran, who served a total of three tours in Afghanistan. However, he did receive a couple of purple hearts for his outrageous bravery but is still battling severe PTSD.
Judge Who Sentenced Veteran to Night in Jail Spends Night With Him After Learning About His PTSD #SmartNews https://t.co/DBpIQAm4xP
— Deplorable Don (@donengland1) December 20, 2021
Serna earlier faced considerable trauma when he survived the IED explosion, which was a suicide bomber attack, along with a submerged vehicle accident that claimed the lives of the soldiers who were with him at that particular time. After a DUI arrest, Serna was placed on probation with some strict regulations applied, which even included abstaining from alcohol.
However, things worsened when he violated those rules, and Judge Lou Olivera eventually sentenced him to a night in jail.
“He did his duty,” Serna said. “He sentenced me. It was his job to hold me accountable. But what he did next… sounds like I’m making it up – and I’m not.”
Judge Olivera made this unexpected decision as he was highly concerned about Serna’s PTSD and claustrophobia. After Serna was placed in the cell, the judge walked with him, too, and sat beside him.
“I said, ‘Judge, what are you doing?’ He said, ‘We’re in the foxhole together.’ They closed the door and locked it,” Serna recalled. “He could get out, but they locked the door.”
However, just walking into the cell and spending some time with him was not everything that the judge did; rather, he brought a loaf of homemade meatloaf along with some clothes for him to change. Then, they spent the night together and talked about various topics, from personal struggles, family stories, military services, etc.
Judge Olivera eventually made the night easy for Serna concerning the fact that he has a number of illnesses.
“When he came in, I knew everything was going to be okay,” he said.
And Olivera’s decent gestures are yet to come. In the morning, he drove Serna home and also stopped on the way to buy donuts for his family. The judge decided to publicly share Serna’s experience because he believed in accountability balanced with compassion.
“I knew he had to be held accountable, but I also knew I had to go with him,” Olivera explained. “I’ve seen evil as a judge, but I also see humanity. Joe is a good man. Helping him helped me.”
The gestures Olivera made and all the help and compassion certainly didn’t make Serna feel like he was in a cell and left a lasting impact on him.
“Judge Olivera is an amazing man,” Serna said. “I can’t even begin to describe the humanity.”
Judge Lou Olivera, an Army veteran who served during the Gulf War, sentenced Joe to a night in jail. Knowing Joe’s history and how difficult it would be for him to spend an evening confined, Judge Olivera decided to spend the night with Joe in his jail cell. #ThankYou #Veterans pic.twitter.com/yhNY5VkoVe
— Quo Vadis, America? (@quovadisusa) December 21, 2021
For veterans like Serna, it is nothing but a reminder that support always lies within reach. “To other vets: if you find yourself on the X, you need to reach out,” Serna urged. “Somebody has your six. Isolation is not the answer. Help is out there.”
