Tag Archives: District Attorney

Filing season opens today

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s supposed to open today, anyway. It may get pushed back a day or two until the remaining legal actions get sorted out. As we know, after being turned down by the San Antonio federal Court, AG Greg Abbott is … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

When prosecutors get in trouble

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You know, this grand jury investigation of the Harris County DA’s office is starting to look like a full-fledged scandal. Two Harris County prosecutors are facing contempt charges after a judge learned that members of the District Attorney’s Office were … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Grand jury requests special prosecutor

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting mighty interesting over there. A Houston grand jury that may be investigating the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Police Department’s troubled breath alcohol testing vans has asked for a special prosecutor and an extension of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

More troubles for CM Jones

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There have not been many dull moments this year for CM Jolanda Jones. That seems unlikely to change in the near future. [O]n Wednesday, revelations surfaced that one of her staffers photographed a citizen picking up public records from her … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

DA won’t bring charges against CM Jones

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Politics: Harris County prosecutors who reviewed ethics complaints against City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones have concluded that criminal prosecution is not warranted. In a letter to the City Attorney David Feldman the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said it had … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Gallego to run for CD23 and other updates

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Pete Gallego has decided to run for Congress in CD23. Gallego first won election to the Texas House in 1990 and has chaired various committees and also been part of the Democratic leadership, doing time as head of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

DA gets Jones case

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What sound does a hot potato make when it gets passed to someone else? The Harris County District Attorney has been asked to review for possible criminal prosecution allegations that Councilwoman Jolanda Jones used city resources to support her private … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Another Travis County DA race?

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

When Ronnie Earle announced his retirement in 2007, it kicked off a spirited Democratic primary to replace him that was ultimately won by his chief lieutenant, Rosemary Lehmberg. It looks like we may have another such primary next year. Former … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Still talking about jail overcrowding

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another op-ed about jail overcrowding in Harris County and what to do about it. It’s all familiar stuff – we’ve only been talking about this for a million years or so – but I was struck by what wasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Time for the biennial attack on the Travis County DA

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Every two years, some Republican legislators try to kill the Public Integrity Unit of the Travis County District Attorney’s office. An amendment tacked on to the House budget bill approved last week would shift roughly $3.4 million a year from … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CM Johnson gets no-billed on evading arrest charge

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news for Council Member Jarvis Johnson. A Harris County grand jury has declined this morning to indict Houston City Councilman Jarvis Johnson on charges stemming from his arrest in June for evading arrest, according to his attorney. Johnson … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on CM Johnson gets no-billed on evading arrest charge

DA investigating CM Johnson

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Houston City Councilman Jarvis Johnson’s office pressured city officials to certify a security firm as a minority-owned business to win a lucrative subcontract for the company, which later gave a 40 percent ownership stake to a close Johnson associate, … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on DA investigating CM Johnson

It’s still hard to free an innocent person

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise, right? While some appellate attorneys are applauding Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos’ establishment of a Post Conviction Review Section, whose work led to the freedom of two wrongfully convicted men in the past week, Texas law continues … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

DA clears Metro

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Months after prosecutors took boxes of documents from Metro’s downtown headquarters and experts examined the agency’s computers, the investigation into allegations that Metropolitan Transit Authority administrators illegally destroyed public documents has ended, Metro officials said today. In a letter … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

DA responds to CM Johnson

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Council Member Jarvis Johnson said his piece last week about his recent arrest for not pulling over on a traffic stop. Yesterday, the Harris County District Attorney had their say about it. Houston City Councilman Jarvis Johnson told police he … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on DA responds to CM Johnson

The Trib talks with Craig Watkins

Posted on June 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff. For the 11th event in our TribLive series, I interviewed the district attorney of Dallas County about why and how he’s worked to exonerate the wrongfully imprisoned and whether he’s dragging his feet on a controversial corruption case … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Trib talks with Craig Watkins

Grand jury hears Metro document shredding evidence

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Obviously, the District Attorney’s office is farther along in their investigation than I thought. A courthouse appearance today by Frank J. Wilson, the former Metropolitan Transit Authority president accused of destroying public documents, provided the first indication that prosecutors are … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Beyond DNA exonerations

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’re all familiar with the way the Dallas DA’s office has handled using DNA to review cases in which a defendant’s guilt may have been in question. Now that most of the cases in which DNA evidence still exists have … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Firing Frank

Posted on April 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Annise Parker has said she wants the new Metro board to fire Frank Wilson, the agency’s CEO. So why hasn’t that happened yet? There are a couple of complicating factors. Among them are uncertainty about the outcome of two … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Trib talks to Craig Watkins

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib has a fascinating article about Dallas DA Craig Watkins, who is running for re-election for the first time this year, in which he defends himself against charges that he has not been sufficiently vigorous in prosecuting political malfeasance. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Trib talks to Craig Watkins

More on the new DA drug policy

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Bennett notes the new policy for dealing with trace amounts of drugs as announced by the Harris County DA’s office and suggests there’s little to be concerned about. What we’re really talking about here is a small number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on More on the new DA drug policy

Getting smarter about crime

Posted on December 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The news that Harris County DA Pat Lykos has changed the office’s policy to no longer will file state jail felony charges against suspects found with only a trace of drugs is good news indeed. Lykos said the move “gives … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lykos asks Senate for regional crime lab funds

Posted on November 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County DA Pat Lykos went before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week to ask for money that would be used to help get a regional crime lab up and running. Lykos testified Tuesday in support of the Innocence Protection … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Lykos asks Senate for regional crime lab funds

Chron poll: Brown leads

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Campos teased the news earlier today, and now the story is up: Peter Brown leads in a new Zogby poll of the Mayor’s race. According to the poll, Brown leads the field with 23.8 percent of the vote, followed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Endorsement watch: At Large

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Having dispatched with the District Council races yesterday, the Chron continues with the schedule I’d hoped they’d follow by making their endorsements in the At Large races. As I thought, they went with incumbents Sue Lovell in #2 and Jolanda … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Election tidbits for 9/29

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Dallas DA Craig Watkins’ Republican opponent. I thought he came across better than the commenters did, but I feel pretty good about Watkins’ chances nonetheless. Via Grits. Some love for Bill White, including the Bill Whites for Bill White … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Election tidbits for 9/29

The county’s proposal for a public defender’s office

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next week, a proposal for a “hybrid” public defender’s office will be presented to Harris County Commissioners Court. It is considered a hybrid because it would allow courts to use both public defenders and private attorneys. For example, two of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The county’s proposal for a public defender’s office

“Jail hell”

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the title of this Houston Press story about the experiences of those who have served time in the Harris County jail, as told by those who have just gotten out. The story is partly a response to the county’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Grand juror disagrees with dismissal of arson charge against Francisca Medina

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Given the grand jury issues that surrounded the original indictment of Supreme Court Justice David Medina in the matter of the fire that destroyed his house, this seems only fitting. A grand juror who sat on one of two panels … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Sheriff and the deputies

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had mentioned before that there was some discontent from the Sheriff’s deputies bubbling up, mostly in the form of emails sent to Carl Whitmarsh’s listserv. Earlier today, the following was sent out: SHERIFF GARCIA, KEEP YOUR PROMISES A Labor … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The exodus from the DA’s office

Posted on August 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron writes about disgruntlement in the DA’s office. Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos promised to clean house when she was elected in November and promptly fired seven senior prosecutors. Now other experienced prosecutors, including a member of Lykos’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When county officials cooperate

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I was sent a copy of this story as a PDF a few days ago, and I’m glad to see (via Hair Balls) that it’s available online. It’s about the level of cooperation between Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on When county officials cooperate

How to uncrowd the jails

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Defense attorney Rob Fickman makes the case for dealing with Harris County’s jail overcrowding problems. Jail overcrowding creates unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Locking up the wrong people does not leave sufficient room to lock up the right people, those who … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The DA’s new DWI program

Posted on August 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Harris County District Attorney’s new driving while intoxicated diversion program appears to have some problems. Under the new program, those accused of a first-time DWI will be offered the diversion program or 30 days in jail and a $750 … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The DA’s new DWI program