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Brooklyn’s Veterans Treatment Court hosts annual Memorial Day celebration

May 26, 2017 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Pictured from left: Hon. Matthew Sciarrino Jr., Hon. Bruce Balter, Hon. Michael J. Brennan, Hon. John Ingram, Hon. Matthew J. D’Emic and John T. Dougherty. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese
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The Brooklyn Veterans Treatment Court invited judges, attorneys, veterans, former clients and members of the U.S. Military into the courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn on Friday for its annual Memorial Day remembrance event.

“This is a courthouse dedicated to doing what’s right and what’s just,” said Justice Matthew J. D’Emic, administrative judge of the Kings County Supreme Court, Ciminal Term. “If we didn’t remember our veterans, then we wouldn’t be doing what’s right and just. I want to thank Judge Brennan for doing this because it’s a lot of work, but it’s important. Doing this, and remembering the people who keep us safe, is such an important thing.”

Hon. Michael J. Brennan, presiding judge of the court, served as the master of ceremony. Taylor Cannon sang the national anthem, Sgt. Michael Garcia read the invocation, Mary-Jane Dilberian performed the POW/MIA ceremony, and the NYS Courts Ceremonial Unit brought the pomp and circumstance.

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The first speaker at the event was Hon. Joseph Gubbay, the presiding justice of the Brooklyn Treatment Court and the Brooklyn Veterans Court.

“I want to thank Judge Brennan for all of the work you have done for many years as a beacon and symbol for justice, kindness, fairness and the special place you hold in your heart for our veterans,” Gubbay said. “As you look around the courtroom, you see all of these symbols and how much dedication went into preparing this. This all has Judge Brennan’s hands on it.”

Gubbay was followed by Acting Director Susan Sturges and D’Emic.

“It’s important to recognize these heroes and the best way to do that is to provide the best services that we can,” Sturges said. “We do everything in our power to provide the veterans with whatever services we can. In the Veterans Treatment Court, that means providing them a path to recovery, to the best life possible.

“We invited all of our participants today, and a lot of them said that they couldn’t show up because they have a job and they are at work,” Sturges continued. “That’s the best reason for them not to be here today.”

Judge John Ingram was the last to speak, and he discussed the history of the court that started in Western New York and rapidly spread throughout the entire nation. The model of the court is to keep veterans out of prison and instead rehabilitate them and get them back into society.

“The Veterans Court does so much good for so many people,” Ingram said. “If someone has a felony conviction, it ain’t easy to get a job. So this court gives back to our veterans in the criminal justice system who put their lives on the line.”

 


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