Presiding Judge Ordered New Cameras For Judge Lewis

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
Date: Nov 26 2014 10:13 AM

HOUSTON COUNTY:  Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Michael Conaway ordered new cameras and monitors for District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis.

Judge Lewis holds initial appearance each day with those in custody at the Houston County Jail. Within 72 hours of arrest a person is suppose to appear before a Judge or Magistrate for the initial appearance.

With Thursday and Friday being a holiday, Judge Lewis will travel to the Houston County Jail over the weekend and hold one or two initial appearances between today and Monday.

The camera system that Judge Lewis used was an antique system. Judge Lewis, while in the courtroom, talks and views the people directly in the jail. They communicate to and from via the computer.

Judge Conaway used some funds at the Judge’s discretion, from the Library Fund to purchase the camera system. Judge Conaway used ENCO from Highway 84 West for the new cameras.

The system currently does not allow Judge Lewis the ability to remote in from another location such as home. He physically has to be at the Houston County Courthouse.

ENCO is a Houston County manufacturer of camera systems. While I have never toured their business, it is my understanding they do a lot of cameras in buses across the country.

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