Court offers new interface in prosecuting offenses by vets with PTSD
The Brownsville Herald
By MARK REAGAN
January 19, 2014
Nearly 2,000 veterans in Cameron County are caught up in the legal system facing charges ranging from substance abuse to assault.
And the Cameron County Commissioner’s Court last Wednesday approved the collection of fees for participation and implementation of a Veterans Court to take a new approach for how the District Attorney’s Office will handle the prosecution of veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“We have 19,544 veterans in Cameron County and surrounding areas. And of that, approximately 10 percent get involved in the legal system, the criminal justice system,“ said Yasisca Pujols, veterans justice outreach coordinator and clinical psychologist.
The new Veterans Court will be in 444th state District Court, with Judge David A. Sanchez presiding.
Assistant District Attorney Evan Robbins, who is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, was appointed as the special prosecutor for the court and will handle all of the cases.
“I basically have two roles. Right now, I am the intake supervisor for felony cases that come in. So in addition to screening the cases to see if we’re going to prosecute them or not, I’ll also screen them to see if they are eligible for Veterans Court,“ Robbins said.
However, for a veteran to be eligible for the court Robbins must determine a connection between the criminal activity and PTSD.
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