PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE
Honoring Public Service: Spotlight on Unsung Legal Heroes
A Promise Kept: The Heart of the Judge Marvin U. Mounts Jail Tour
Judge Jonathan Gerber Fourth District Court of Appeal
A continuing series by Jean Marie Middleton, Esq.- President
Honoring Judges Jonathan Gerber and Moses Baker, Jr.( Retired)
As President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, I recently stepped away from my practice and the desk to take a seat on a journey that changed my perspective forever: the Annual Judge Marvin U. Mounts Jail Tour.
The Legacy of a Compassionate Giant
Judge Mounts was more than a jurist; he was a bridge between the law and humanity. Those who served alongside him remember a man who could be " tough when necessary, but profoundly compassionate when mercy was called for."
For over 30 years, Judge Mounts led a pilgrimage of judges, lawyers, and criminal justice practitioners into the heart of Florida’ s correctional system. He believed that to truly serve justice, one must see where it leads. Before his passing in 2003, he entrusted this sacred tradition to Judge Gerber and Judge Bollinger. When Judge Bollinger retired, Judge Baker stepped forward to help carry the torch. Because of them, a promise made 23 years ago remains unbroken.
A Journey into the Shadows This is not merely a tour; it is a two-day, soul-searching odyssey. Chaperoned by Wardens Tifani Knox and Shellie Baker, we traveled across the state, visiting seven facilities that house every classification of inmate— from those reclaiming their lives to those waiting for the end of them.
The Faces Behind the Numbers
When convicted felons enter the Florida Department of Corrections( FDC) system, they are assessed and placed in a prison facility based on the seriousness of their offense, prior record, and escape history to determine their specific custody level and facility assignment.
Our journey began at the Loxahatchee Road Prison. Here, among men preparing to re-enter society, Judge Gerber encouraged us to do something radical: talk to them. I was moved by their staggering candor. Standing face-toface with men only weeks away from freedom, I realized how thin the line can be between a life of service and a life of struggle. We saw this same human spirit at the Lake Correctional Institution and Sumter Correctional Institution, where inmates create, learn, and grow.
The Weight of the Final Sentence
At Lowell Correctional Institution, the oldest women’ s facility in the state, the air felt heavier. We met Tina Brown, the only woman on Florida’ s death row. Standing before her in her orange jumpsuit was a jarring, humbling experience. It wasn’ t like meeting a " convict "; it was like speaking to a neighbor across a garden fence— friendly, open, and hauntingly human.
We walked through the Reception and Medical Center, witnessing the inmate intake process as well as the fragility of life in the 120 bed hospital units. At Union Correctional Institution, we saw a different kind of dignity in the Veteran’ s Ward, where former servicemen train service dogs, their cell doors proudly adorned with replicas of the medals they once wore for our country. Watching Judges Gerber and Baker receive hand-crafted personalized license plates from the Warden at Union— a small token for their years of dedication— was a poignant reminder that even in confinement, gratitude finds a way.
Our journey ended at the Florida State Prison in the execution chamber. I thought I was prepared for that room. I thought my years in the legal profession had steeled me for it. I was wrong. Seeing the place where the state carries out its most somber duty is a weight that words cannot fully capture!
A Testament to Devotion
The Judge Marvin U. Mounts Prison Tour is a testament to the fact that justice must never be blind to the human condition.
To Judges Gerber and Baker: Thank you. Your tireless commitment to this legacy ensures that we, as practitioners of the law, never forget the people behind the paperwork. You haven ' t just kept a promise to a late colleague; you have kept a promise to the very idea of justice.
" To be tough when needed, and compassionate when called for."
— The Mounts Legacy continues.
Judge Moses Baker, Jr.( Retired)
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3