Judges orders: “Give blood or go to jail”

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – If local judges start repeating orders from judge in Alabama, many convicted offenders could start lining up at blood donations centers to keep from being locked up.

On any given day in criminal court, a judge orders a convicted offender to pay some type of fine as punishment. And many offenders simply can’t afford to pay those fines. When they don’t pay, they end up in handcuffs because they are in violation of a court order.

So imagine a judge telling an offender who can’t make payments on their fines to either donate blood or go to jail.

It’s actually happened.

Alabama judge Marvin Wiggins is making national headlines after telling convicted offenders who can’t pay their fines to "give blood or go to jail."

If many local judges began repeating what Judge Wiggins has done, blood donations centers in chattanooga like Blood Assurance would be bustling with business.

"I believe it’s an interesting way of getting people to donate blood. It’s certainly creative," said Blood Assurance Spokesperson Charlie Callari.

According to several published reports, offenders who donate blood are required to bring back a receipt or documentation to show Wiggins they have complied with his ultimatum.

Unfortunately there is a pro and con when it comes to forcing offenders to donate blood. On one hand, blood donation centers would love more foot traffic.

"We would like to take donors from all areas. However they can come to our donor center. We would love to have them because we need the blood for the hospitals that we supply," Callari said.

On the other hand, not everyone can donate blood.

"10-15-percent of folks just can’t donate because they’re not feeling well that day or they’ve traveled to an area of the world that precludes them from donating or their iron levels are low so they can’t anyway," Callari said.

Judge Wiggings isn’t the first judge to order an offender to give blood or go to jail. And he probably won’t be the last; which brings up another question. Could we start seeing more judges across the country issuing similar orders?

News 12 attempted to talk to several Hamilton County Judges and court administrators but they were all attending a judicial conference and were not available for comment.