District Judge Jennifer Nicholson, who ordered John Allen to jail
Posted on 12/23/2007 5:11:14 PM PST by mylife
‘Friends’ offer help after man, 86, goes to jail
By JOHN K. MANNA New Castle News
Ordinarily, John Allen wouldn’t let just anyone into his house.
That was before last week’s experience when he made some new friends — in the Lawrence County jail.
Allen spent seven days in the lockup after he was found guilty of violating Union Township’s property maintenance code for having high grass on his property. He also was cited for having junk, rubbish and garbage outside his house.
His imprisonment would be of little significance, but for one detail: His age.
Allen is 86.
And that’s what led his new friends — the staff at the county jail — to lend him a helping hand.
Corrections officer Steve Smith, who originated the idea to help, said he was partly motivated by the fact that he had been told that District Judge Jennifer Nicholson “was going to throw him in jail again” if he failed to clean up his property.
“We just got to help him out,” Smith said.
So, on Monday, a day after Allen was released, Smith and about a dozen other corrections officers — on their own time — went to his house on Mapeat Lane to begin cleaning up. Because of the snow that fell over the weekend, they postponed cutting any of the grass or weeds with a weed whacker and concentrated on the interior.
Attorney Dallas Hartman donated a garbage bin, which the staff filled to the brim Monday with trash that consisted of all kinds of household items, including old furniture, that had accumulated.
It was no coincidence that Hartman got involved. His father, Constable Dallas Hartman, said he had asked his son to contribute the trash bin. The constable was the one who had served the warrant on Allen and taken him to jail.
Smith, along with fellow corrections officers John Lucchini and Matt Clark, were back at the Allen home Tuesday morning to resume the cleanup.
Staff members planned to return to his house today to continue the work.
Allen’s troubles began in June when the Union Township police department sent him a letter saying he was in violation of the ordinance. Chief Joseph Lombardo said he had been given seven days to clean up before he was cited again.
“He would not pay heed to any warning,” Lombardo said. “We tried to get him help.”
The township tried to have Challenges, the area agency on aging, help, but he refused. He even refused help from his neighbors, who had complained about the appearance of his property, Lombardo said.
“I don’t want local people in my house,” was Allen’s answer to the New Castle News when asked why he refused his neighbors’ help. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t let you through the front door.”
Nicholson said Allen was given “multiple opportunities for it not to go this far.”
She said she had talked to Allen twice before the Oct. 15 hearing, but he didn’t want to comply.
He was cited three times for each of the two violations.
Nicholson sentenced him to seven days in jail plus a $500 fine for the grass violation. He could have received a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail term of up to 30 day for the third offense under the ordinance.
Allen faces another hearing on Jan. 31 before Nicholson for the rubbish and garbage violation.
“This was one of the tougher cases I’ve had to deal with,” Nicholson said.
Allen, who is about 5 feet tall, is an Army veteran of World War II. After the war, he received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and worked for various aircraft companies in California.
He said he has lived in the house, which was his sister’s, for about three years. Some of the items at the house belonged to her, he noted.
Allen said he was never married, adding, “But, God, I came awful close.”
As for his stay in jail, he said, “I’ve got nothing but good to say about the way they treated me. But they didn’t allow me to read any books.”
Smith said the jail provides books, but nobody is permitted to take any into the facility.
Allen was placed in a holding cell, separate from the general jail population, Smith said.
Despite the good treatment he received in jail, Allen has no desire to return.
“Whoever wants to be incarcerated?” he asked.
Allen paid special praise to Constable Hartman and Smith.
“These two guys were very helpful to me.”
Thanking everyone from the jail who helped, Smith said Warden Charles Adamo provided some cleaning materials from the jail.
Smith also put in a request for someone to donate a stove and refrigerator because Allen’s are in bad condition.
As he and the others prepared to get started Tuesday morning, he gave another reason for helping Allen.
“My wife had cancer two years ago,” he said. “Everybody helped. It’s payback.”
District Judge Jennifer Nicholson, who ordered John Allen to jail
She’s innocent
Oh baby, absolutely 100% not guilty.
She’s most definitely innocent!
sounds like he was living in an unhealthy house, maybe this was a good thing to get it cleaned out
It worked out well, but not because of our justice system.
It was only individual hearts that helped.
The Judges wasn’t one of them.
Yes, he served his country during WWII and deserves respect for that, but just because he is 86 years old doesn't mean he is exempt from the local laws for maintaining his property.
I'm glad the staff at the jail helped him out while he was in jail.
Hopefully he learned a lesson
What lesson is that?
I think he needs more help than just cleaning up the property....
Merry Christmas is helping others.
Probably so.
:0)
Lets hope they are not as intolerant when you hit 86.Did you ever think he may be having issues?I for one will give him the benefit of the doubt.
For starters, how about accept help when you need it instead of being a stubborn old coot!!!
I dont care how goodlooking she is.Somebody somewhere is tired of listening to that mouth.
I could understand his not wanting strangers poking around his property.
Hope it all works out well.
Many older folks become secluded.
You betcha!
I note the Judge didn’t muss her pretty hair helping out with the clean up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.