Austin’s Daily Commentary – September 7, 2023
Austin talks about Judge Blanchard’s sentencing for a man caught taking upskirt pictures in Evans. Transcript: Austin: [00:00:01] There are very few public officials that have worked in the CSRA…
Austin talks about Judge Blanchard's sentencing for a man caught taking upskirt pictures in Evans.
Transcript:
Austin: [00:00:01] There are very few public officials that have worked in the CSRA that I have the admiration for, that I do for Superior Court Judge Jim Blanchard. Judge Blanchard has served for decades in this area, first in the Augusta Judicial circuit, now as the chief judge for the Columbia County Circuit. And again, a man of integrity, great wisdom and wonderful judgment.
Most of the time, I got to say, though, I don't necessarily agree with what he did yesterday. A slam dunk case involving a man who was taking upskirt pictures at the Evans Target. Robert Joseph Hall, a 51 year old shift manager at SRS when this happened.
He was charged last May 2022 with following a woman all over the store, taking upskirt pictures of this woman when he was tracked down and discovered, his phone confiscated. They found many, many, many other pictures of other women in other locations that this man had taken over God knows how long a period of time.
He was sentenced yesterday in court to five years probation and some other considerations as well. He's got to be on the sex offenders list. He has to wear an ankle bracelet. What I didn't know yesterday was that he also has home confinement. Supposedly. I got to look into that. But he needed jail time. And most definitely the victim in this case is devastated that the man did not get jail time. And I don't understand why he didn't.
Again, this is a man who was caught red handed doing what he did to this one woman who just begged for jail time for him yesterday in court, but also many, many, many other victims who have no idea they were victimized, who this pervert followed around taking pictures up their skirt.
Can you imagine if you caught this guy doing that to your mother, your sister, your daughter? I tell you what, they had me locked up. I cannot imagine the rage that I would feel at a man like that. Judge Blanchard normally hits home runs. Normally he's one of the most dependable judges in the area. I think he blew this one.
And if you disagree with him not giving this man jail time, we probably need to let him know it. It's a shame. But every now and then, even the best public officials take a misstep. I think he missed on this one big time. And that's the comment I'm Austin Rhodes, AM 580/95.1 FM, News Talk WGAC.
