Tag Archives: District Attorney

How the tables got turned on the video fraudsters

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A must read. Planned Parenthood’s legal strategy was in some ways similar to how corporations facing major white-collar criminal investigations often cooperate closely with prosecutors to try to influence the outcome. From the start, Planned Parenthood and its Houston lawyer … Continue reading →

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Every investigation on Planned Parenthood has cleared them

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Think Progress: After a months-long investigation, a Texas grand jury decided not to indict Planned Parenthood on Monday — providing more confirmation that there’s no solid evidence to support the accusations against the national women’s health organization. This trend … Continue reading →

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Grand jury indicts Planned Parenthood video fraudsters

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sweet. A Harris County grand jury investigating allegations that a Planned Parenthood clinic in Houston illegally sold the tissue of aborted fetuses has cleared the organization of wrongdoing and instead indicted two anti-abortion activists behind the undercover videos that sparked … Continue reading →

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County finally takes jail overcrowding seriously

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see what this actually becomes. Chasing $4 million in grant money, Harris County officials on Thursday announced reforms in the criminal justice system to unclog dockets, lower jail population and address racial and ethnic disparities. And because the changes … Continue reading →

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Interview with Kim Ogg

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As I said before, there are two strong candidates who merit consideration for your vote for the Democratic nomination for District Attorney. Kim Ogg was our nominee for DA in 2014, having vanquished the annoying perennial candidate that is cluttering … Continue reading →

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Interview with Morris Overstreet

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And just like that, we’re on to the 2016 primary elections. I know it feels like we’ve just barely finished with 2015 – the filing deadline for the 2016 primaries was two days after the 2015 runoff. Believe me, I … Continue reading →

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2016 Election page is up

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here it is. A few notes: – This is for races that will appear on the Harris County ballot only. Our ballot is big enough, with enough contested primary races, that I didn’t have the time or the energy to … Continue reading →

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John Bradley does John Bradley things

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Grits for Breakfast: Former Williamson County District Attorney and Texas Forensic Science Commission Chairman John Bradley – who left Texas to become Attorney General of the island nation of Palau after facing national disapprobation, losing reelection, and struggling to … Continue reading →

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Republican filing deadline highlights

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As a followup to this, here’s a look at who filed for what in the Republican primary here in Harris County. Set your phasers to “snark” and come on in with me. Congress There are nine Congressional districts partially or … Continue reading →

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Would you like to sit in armed or unarmed?

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Houstonia: Imagine it’s a Saturday afternoon. You stop into Whataburger to pick up lunch with your kids in tow, the only thing on your mind remembering which kid doesn’t want ketchup on his burger, which kid only wants ketchup … Continue reading →

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Anderson updates pot prosecution policy

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Small amounts of marijuana now mean a citation, not a ride to jail, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said Thursday. The county’s top prosecutor outlined changes to a pilot plan for low-level offenders she implemented last year, one … Continue reading →

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Morris Overstreet to run for DA

Posted on November 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I know we’re all still recovering from Tuesday, but the 2016 filing season is almost upon us, and the Democratic race for Harris County DA just became a contested race. Former appeals court judge Morris Overstreet announced Thursday that he … Continue reading →

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Another view of the Temple case

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Press devotes a cover story to the David Temple case and the allegations that then-Assistant DA Kelly Siegler withheld evidence from the defense. In July 2015, visiting Judge Larry Gist issued his damning decree: 36 findings of prosecutorial misconduct … Continue reading →

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Perry appeal briefs

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The latest update on the appeals before the CCA in the Rick Perry matter. The 3rd Court of Appeals this summer tossed one of two counts against Perry, saying the coercion law underlying it violates the First Amendment. The 3rd … Continue reading →

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What is coercion, anyway?

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It could be the defining legacy of Rick Perry’s career, depending on how things go in the courts. The coercion law has been used only sparingly in Texas, according to records for the past five years, and some legal experts … Continue reading →

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Ogg announces for DA

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Rematch time. Kim Ogg, the Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for district attorney last year, launched her second bid for the office Friday, promising to pursue violent criminals, de-emphasize misdemeanor marijuana possession cases and aggressively combat prosecutorial misconduct. Ogg took a … Continue reading →

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DA’s office responds to Temple case allegations

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Their view differs, to say the least. Three months after a judge ruled that a Katy man convicted of murdering his wife did not get a fair trial and excoriated the prosecutor who handled the case, saying she withheld evidence, … Continue reading →

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Perry appeals his other indictment

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

More for the CCA to deal with. Lawyers for former Gov. Rick Perry are urging the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to finish off the remaining charge in his indictment, ratcheting up their push to end the case against the … Continue reading →

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Harris County DA to investigate Planned Parenthood clinic here

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t spent any time writing about the misleading attack videos on Planned Parenthood being put out by yet another shadowy anti-abortion group, so let me dispense with this. Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said Wednesday her office has … Continue reading →

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Paxton girding for indictment

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So are we, Kenny. So are we. A Collin County grand jury is expected to weigh evidence brought by two temporary district attorneys assigned to the case. Paxton’s advisers are furiously preparing for a criminal indictment. The looming showdown has … Continue reading →

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Three panels investigating Sandra Bland’s death

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One was appointed by the Sheriff: In the wake of the controversial arrest of Sandra Bland and her jailhouse suicide, Waller County Sheriff R. Glenn Smith has asked for an independent panel of civilians to evaluate all aspects of the … Continue reading →

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Perry wins one and loses one at the appeals court

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

He’s still under indictment. Former Gov. Rick Perry must face one criminal count in the abuse-of-power case against him but another would be dismissed under a Friday ruling by an appeals court. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the … Continue reading →

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More allegations against Kelly Siegler

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here they come. Howard Guidry was 18 years old when he was charged being the triggerman in a 1994 murder-for-hire case that involved a Missouri City police officer and his estranged wife. Twice he was convicted and sent to death … Continue reading →

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The David Temple case

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have not followed this very closely, but it definitely deserves all the attention it has received. There’s a 1,300-page offense report detailing the investigation into the fatal shooting of Belinda Temple in 1999. There are audio tapes of witnesses … Continue reading →

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Sheriff asks for more funds for body cameras

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good move. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office recently applied for a grant from the Department of Justice to purchase 750 wearable body cameras, a new technology aimed at improving government transparency and accountability after a year of high-profile police-involved shootings … Continue reading →

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Abbott signs bill to remove Public Integrity Unit from Travis County DA office

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Ignoring calls for a veto, Gov. Greg Abbott signed controversial legislation this week that will allow elected and appointed state officials and state employees to bypass Austin prosecutors when they are accused of public corruption. Abbott, a Republican, … Continue reading →

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DPS, investigate thyself

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What could possibly go wrong? Set to take over statewide corruption investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety must decide whether it will investigate itself. In April, DPS Director Steve McCraw demanded that the Travis County District Attorney’s Public Integrity … Continue reading →

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Stickland not out of the woods

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Despite what he says. A state investigation into allegations that state Rep. Jonathan Stickland improperly registered witnesses to testify on a bill banning red light cameras has cleared Stickland of wrongdoing, his office announced Monday. But two officials involved in … Continue reading →

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Rangers to investigate Stickland

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s starting to get real. The Texas Rangers will investigate allegations that witnesses were improperly registered to testify last week on a bill banning red light cameras at a House Transportation Committee hearing. The House General Investigating and Ethics Committee … Continue reading →

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As Jonathan Stickland turns

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Cue dramatic organ music. The chairman of the House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics said Friday he plans to investigate allegations that witnesses were signed up improperly to speak at a transportation committee meeting from which state Rep. Jonathan … Continue reading →

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Prosecutors respond to latest Team Perry filings

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Back and forth, forth and back. The special prosecutor in the case against Rick Perry is asking a judge to deny the former governor’s latest two efforts to quash the indictment against him. Perry, meanwhile, is once again showcasing a … Continue reading →

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House approves bill to move Public Integrity Unit

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Like it or not, looks like this is going to get done. The Texas House gave initial approval Monday to a stripped-down bill that would remove public corruption cases from Travis County’s Public Integrity Unit. Final House approval is expected … Continue reading →

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Collin County grand jury interested in Paxton case

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. A Collin County grand jury has asked the Travis County District Attorney’s office for its investigative file on Ken Paxton, indicating the panel wants to look into the attorney general’s admitted violations of state securities law. “Collin County … Continue reading →

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Perry appeals to appeals court again

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It had been a few weeks since his lawyers filed any paperwork, so I guess they were getting twitchy. As the race for president shapes up, former Gov. Rick Perry is imploring a state appeals court to take quick action … Continue reading →

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