In the latest episode of Lubbock’s Justice System: Who Needs Consequences Anyway?, two women say the courts failed to protect them from a man who somehow collected more assault charges than traffic tickets—while still managing to walk free. Courtney Gage, who already pleaded guilty to “continuous violence against the family” (a phrase that really shouldn’t exist, by the way), violated his probation over 30 times. Instead of heading straight to prison, he got a judge who apparently thought “time served” should include time on your couch.
Judge John Didway of Terry County sentenced Gage to seven years in prison in April—but then let him stroll out of the courtroom minutes later after Gage appealed. No jail, no problem. Gage promptly racked up fresh assault and strangulation charges across multiple counties, because when you’re out on bond for assault, why not see if you can go for the high score?
Even the district attorney seemed baffled, saying most judges would’ve doubled his bond or locked him up immediately. But not here—because in West Texas justice, we believe in second chances. And third. And fourth. And thirty-first. Meanwhile, the victims are left bouncing between counties, DA offices, and broken systems that treat violent offenders like mildly overdue library books.
Only after Gage’s third recent arrest did the judge finally revoke his bond—because, shockingly, choking yet another woman turned out to be one violation too many. Now, after months of pain and bureaucratic indifference, the victims are relieved he’s finally behind bars… at least until the next appeal.
Maybe next time we can skip the trial and just hand violent offenders a punch card—“Assault 10, get 1 free.”
