Category Archives: Crime and Punishment

Here’s your committee to investigate the HPD dropped cases situation

I wish them luck. Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday named the five people who will run an independent investigation into the Houston Police Department’s handling of over 264,000 suspended incident reports. The committee will be led by a former state … Continue reading

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Nate Paul to finally serve that jail time for contempt

Sometimes you forget how slowly the wheels of justice can turn. And sometimes you’re reminded. A real estate investor accused of bribing the Texas attorney general is facing jail time after the Texas Supreme Court denied his appeal of an … Continue reading

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In which I learn about our use of “Dataminr”

I have three things to say about this. The Houston Police Department will stay in the ranks of law enforcement agencies around the country using software to monitor social media for information on criminal activity following a City Council vote … Continue reading

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More on the HPD dropped cases

Mayor Whitmire wants some answers. Houston Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday called for an independent investigation into the Houston Police Department over how and why more than 264,000 cases were declared suspended for lack of personnel. “I trust and believe … Continue reading

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City of Uvalde gets its report on police performance at Robb Elementary

It landed with a thud. A city-commissioned independent review of Uvalde police’s response to the Robb Elementary School shooting cleared local officers of wrongdoing, infuriating parents of the 19 children killed in the massacre and at least two city council … Continue reading

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The HPD suspended cases situation

I don’t know what to make of this. A review of sex crimes cases suspended with an internal code citing a lack of personnel has expanded department-wide to include more than 264,000 cases, Police Chief Troy Finner said Monday. The … Continue reading

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So what happened with the original Woodfill investigation?

Good question. Five years ago, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg appeared poised to prosecute Jared Woodfill, a prominent local attorney and Republican activist, for serious financial crimes. Ogg’s office received a judge’s permission to conduct a raid of his … Continue reading

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The Devine connection to Woodfill and Pressler

Birds of a feather. A very rancid feather. In 2022, the Texas Supreme Court declined to kill a high-profile sex abuse lawsuit against former Southern Baptist Convention leader Paul Pressler and his longtime law partner, Jared Woodfill. For Justice John … Continue reading

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Judge rejects Paxton’s “but I’m an orphan!” motion

Good. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton remains on track to be tried for felony fraud this spring after the presiding judge shot down his attempts to have the charges thrown out. During a Friday court hearing in Houston, Harris County … Continue reading

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Paxton prosecutors respond to his “but I’m an orphan!” motion

They’ll fight it out on Friday. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be in a Houston court Friday in a nearly 9-year-old securities fraud case he is now seeking to dismiss. Paxton could face trial as early as April 15. … Continue reading

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Don’t expect much from that Uvalde grand jury

I mean, I wasn’t, but in case you were, don’t. After more than a year of pressure to file criminal charges against some of the Texas law enforcement officers responsible for the botched response to the Robb Elementary School shooting, … Continue reading

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Judge Aguilar suspended

As expected. A judge charged in January after a domestic violence allegation by his girlfriend has been suspended from the bench with pay, officials said. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct signed a suspension order Wednesday against 228th District Court … Continue reading

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Yes, please do investigate Jared Woodfill

Is there a petition I can sign for this? A former client of Houston attorney and Texas House candidate Jared Woodfill is asking state and federal investigators to give fresh scrutiny to a 2017 investigation into allegations that he misappropriated … Continue reading

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Paxton invokes the “but I’m an orphan!” defense

This fucking guy, I swear. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal team is asking a Harris County district judge to dismiss his securities fraud charges, claiming his right to a speedy trial has been violated in the case that has gone … Continue reading

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Uvalde grand jury investigating police response

I admit to having mixed feelings about this. A special grand jury first convened [January 19] in Uvalde will investigate law enforcement’s delayed response to Texas’ deadliest school shooting to determine whether criminal charges can be filed against officers, the … Continue reading

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On hiring more cops

Not as easy to do as you might think. Halfway through his inaugural speech, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the city made it far too hard for people to join the Houston Police Department. As an example, Whitmire pointed out … Continue reading

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DOJ releases its Uvalde report

It’s brutal. Officers had many opportunities as the 2022 school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, was still unfolding to reassess their flawed response to the shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead, the US Justice Department concludes in a … Continue reading

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On solving the crimes

This is a nice profile of Precinct One Deputy Constable Joe Bowden, who is good at his job. His specialty is solving bike thefts, and I want to highlight this bit that shows him in action, and then share some … Continue reading

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County criminal court judge arrested on domestic violence charge

Not great. Deputies in Galveston arrested a Harris County district court judge on New Year’s Eve following a domestic violence allegation, according to authorities. Frank Aguilar, the elected jurist in the 228th District Court, was arrested by Galveston County Sheriff’s … Continue reading

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A crime threefer

Houston on pace to post 20% decline in homicides in 2023 Houston’s homicide rate is down 20% compared to the year before, outpacing a historic decline in killings nationwide. The city logged 339 homicides thorough Dec. 18, down from 425 … Continue reading

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On “active shooter” training and what happened at Uvalde

You may not want to read this story, which is part of a package that includes a TV documentary. It’s about the Uvalde massacre and how it could be that so many law enforcement officers were just standing around doing … Continue reading

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Crime continues to decline in Houston

Noted for the record. Don’t let it get in the way of any campaigns. Houston was part of a nationwide decline in most crime statistics in major cities, leading one crime data analyst to say the trend shows that it … Continue reading

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The Houston-Area Crime Gun Intelligence Center

This sounds promising. When Houston-area law enforcement officers announced in September that they recovered 79 guns during an investigation into a group of suspected gang members, they had a pretty good idea of how those guns had been used — … Continue reading

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More Nate Paul indictments

For your perusal. Nate Paul, the Austin real estate investor whose relationship with Attorney General Ken Paxton was central to his September impeachment trial, was charged with new crimes by federal prosecutors on Wednesday. The U.S. attorney for the Western … Continue reading

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Paxton prosecutors win pay ruling

I’m sure this will be appealed, but for now it’s a win for them. A Harris County district judge has sided with the special prosecutors handling Ken Paxton’s securities fraud case in their years-long effort to get paid. The judge, … Continue reading

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Skeet Jones indicted and suspended

Have you been waiting for a Skeet Jones update? Well, you’re in luck. State regulators have suspended without pay the top elected official of Texas’s least-populated county after a grand jury indicted him for cattle rustling. Judge Skeet Jones, patriarch … Continue reading

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Paxton’s securities fraud trial set for April 15

Mark your calendars. And maybe make plans to camp out at the courthouse overnight if you want to get a seat, I suspect there will be a lot of people wanting to attend. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long-delayed trial on … Continue reading

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Wait, there’s another Republican in trouble?

It’s been an eventful year. As state lawmakers prepare for the third special session of 2023, the protracted year of lawmaking is having the unintended effect of delaying a House member’s criminal trial. Rep. Frederick Frazier, R-McKinney, was indicted over … Continue reading

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New criminal courts coming online

Good. Three new felony courts with a $9.2 million budget are expected to open next week, in what officials say is the final stretch in tackling a backlog of criminal cases that have piled up over the past six years. … Continue reading

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Hervis Rogers again cleared of voting charge

What the hell, man? District Attorney Kim Ogg’s prosecutors quietly reviewed a voter fraud allegation against Hervis Rogers — the Houston parolee who waited six hours to vote in the February 2020 presidential primary — nearly a year after illegal … Continue reading

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Uvalde DA to present mass shooting case to grand jury

Yeah, I know, what took so long? The Uvalde County prosecutor said she’ll present a case stemming from the Robb Elementary School massacre to a grand jury by the end of this year. The Texas Department of Public Safety has … Continue reading

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Another data point on ransomware

And other cybersecurity incidents, from the FBI. A series of cyberattacks across Texas, including some in the Houston region, are part of a growing statewide and national trend of increasingly sophisticated groups working through computers to steal money and information, … Continue reading

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Grand jury empaneled in Paxton case

Well, well, well. Federal prosecutors have seated a grand jury in San Antonio and called witnesses close to suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to testify, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told the American-Statesman. The purpose of the … Continue reading

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On bringing DPS troopers to Houston

I have some questions. Call in the troopers. That’s one of state Sen. John Whitmire’s plans for reducing crime in Houston, which voters consistently have rated as one of their top concerns. A similar partnership with the Texas Department of … Continue reading

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