tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post8801777212448807119..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Grand jury reform: Beyond eliminating the pick-a-pal systemGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-78590915633535510912015-02-16T10:12:37.656-06:002015-02-16T10:12:37.656-06:00Anon 2/11/2015 05:16:00 PM,
Anderson only claims t...Anon 2/11/2015 05:16:00 PM,<br />Anderson only claims there is a problem because a growing number of people perceive grand juries are unfair, not that their decisions are faulty. That perception is fueled by the media when their desired outcome is not achieved, not because the process was unfair. <br /><br />There are several police unions but if you're referring to the big city union president, Ray Hunt, he is not in favor of changing the system. He might be supportive of Anderson or other law makers that have helped his organization in the past but you will not find him against the pick a pal system in Harris County. And politicians of all sorts are not exactly bastions of credibility on a potential campaign issue, all of them needing to find something to scare the public with for donations and votes.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I'm personally in favor of all kinds of reforms to the system in order to improve the process, not obtain specific outcomes, but relying on the opinions of politicians (and all you mentioned qualify) is a dangerous and slippery slope.The Phantom Bureaucratnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-54377526464989988302015-02-12T22:50:32.294-06:002015-02-12T22:50:32.294-06:00Anon 03:16
The DA has more control with pick-a-pa...Anon 03:16<br /><br />The DA has more control with pick-a-pal than without. The Harris County DA's Office used to hand lists of people to the judges to be appointed to the grand jury years ago. More recently the office simply passed them to the court administrator - as if that made a difference. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-3887429667083190742015-02-12T08:17:20.910-06:002015-02-12T08:17:20.910-06:00As a defense lawyer who mostly handles appeals, th...As a defense lawyer who mostly handles appeals, there's something that drives me nuts. The Texas Rules of Evidence allow defense attorneys access to a witness' grand jury testimony after that witness has testified at trial. It's TRE 615, y'all. How often in my 20+ years of practice have I seen trial lawyers use that rule? NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.<br /><br />Just sayin' ..... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88606835780309725382015-02-12T03:16:55.971-06:002015-02-12T03:16:55.971-06:00Allowing Devon Anderson complete control over the ...Allowing Devon Anderson complete control over the grand juries is akin to feeding the hens to the fox.<br /><br />http://blog.bennettandbennett.com/2011/11/live-by-the-hatchet-die-by-the-hatchet.html<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-85742238734531458542015-02-11T17:16:38.992-06:002015-02-11T17:16:38.992-06:00Anon,
Let's see.
The Harris County DA (a for...Anon,<br /><br />Let's see.<br /><br />The Harris County DA (a former District Court judge), the president of the police union and various state legislators say the pick-a-pal system (NOT the grand jury system) is screwed up but you, on the other hand, know better? <br /><br />What am I missing? Please enlighten me. Really.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-66621344203978177622015-02-11T17:13:07.564-06:002015-02-11T17:13:07.564-06:00Anon 11:01am,
Sure.
http://www.houstonchronicle.c...Anon 11:01am,<br /><br />Sure.<br />http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Hispanic-representation-on-Harris-County-grand-5969524.php#/0<br /><br />http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20111016-grand-jury-system-questioned.ece<br /><br />http://www.swacj.org/swjcj/archives/3.1/Karson.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-12885963182251312002015-02-11T11:30:25.756-06:002015-02-11T11:30:25.756-06:00"there is absolutely NO evidence of any syste..."there is absolutely NO evidence of any systemic problem with the way grand juries work in Texas. In fact, the overwhelming evidence is to the contrary:"<br /><br />Bahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha.......................................Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-13441096242929006632015-02-11T11:01:53.531-06:002015-02-11T11:01:53.531-06:00Ms. Falkenberg, the grand jury system need not pro...Ms. Falkenberg, the grand jury system need not provide every conceivable due process protection imaginable. Their ONLY job is to determine probable cause. Nothing more, nothing less. The system still provides all sorts of mechanisms and processes to correct grand jury mistakes. Trials, appeals (state and federal), writs of habeas corpus, post-conviction DNA testing just to name a few. Keeping in mind that Texas has a system in place where grand juries are not even necessary to vet cases. They're called MISDEMEANORS! I suppose in Ms. Falkenberg's Utopian world, the legislature could throw a billion or two at the criminal justice system so that the grand juries could achieve a level of perfection in their decision making process equaled only by the Apollo moon landing. However, that's not reality and, more importantly, it's not necessary. Other than a few anecdotal examples of police officers winding up on Harris County grand juries (which is perfectly legal under ANY system, by the way) there is absolutely NO evidence of any systemic problem with the way grand juries work in Texas. In fact, the overwhelming evidence is to the contrary. As an aside, it remains mystifying to me-to point of bordering on absurdity-that the Ferguson, MO grand jury decision is trotted out as any kind of example supporting a claimed need for grand jury reform. Even a blind man could see that grand jury got it right! There may be areas where the criminal justice system could stand some tweaking or improvement in Texas but the grand jury system damned sure ain't one of them! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-17738272286564996292015-02-11T08:54:27.087-06:002015-02-11T08:54:27.087-06:00fyi, I removed an IMO libelous comment. Please try...fyi, I removed an IMO libelous comment. Please try to stick to the issues in the post and refrain from character assassination sans evidence.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.com