It Begins: Judge Mandates COVID Vaccine As Condition Of Probation

A Franklin County judge recently began including vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of defendants’ terms of probation.
Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye said last week he added the vaccine as a condition on three cases in the week of the roughly 20 sentences he imposed.
He said he discussed the matter in open court with the defendants, and they attributed their unvaccinated status to procrastination. None raised any philosophical, medical or religious objection.
“It occurred to me that at least some of these folks need to be encouraged not to procrastinate,” Frye said in an interview. “I think it’s a reasonable condition when we’re telling people to get employed and be out in the community.”

Some local judges have put a unique program in place: offenders who get vaccinated may have their sentences reduced.
Channel 2′s Tony Thomas spoke to courthouse employees in Hall and Dawson counties about the new initiative to help improve the community.
“In our judge’s view, every shot in the arm is a service to the community,” Hall County Court Administrator Jason Stephenson said.
The sentence reductions have been offered in several dozen cases so far.