Sunday, December 30, 2007
Smith County Justice Gets New Web Watchdog
Go say "Howdy" to SmithCountyJustice.org, a new website dedicated to "fighting injustice and corruption in Smith County, Texas." Regular readers know I grew up in Smith County (in the county seat of Tyler, actually), and try to keep up with local crime and punishment issues back in the hometown as much as possible. The site joins another local blog, Smith County: Tell the Truth, documenting the social, public safety and monetary costs of Tyler's legendary "tuff on crime" brand of justice.
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27 comments:
Did you actually read that crap?
This is clearly the work of a fellow with an axe to grind, groping at anything to discredit Jack Skeen and Matt Bigham. It's embarrassing to read. This guy, though anonymous, is pretty obvious in his agenda.
If this is your typical referral, it affects your credibility.
You can read through the hundreds of Grits postings available to you to determine if it's my "typical" referral.
To be honest, I only read the page on the Sheriff, which clearly has an "axe to grind" but also links to lots of legitimate information. We all have opinions.
That said, one needn't grope to discredit Jack Skeen - he's a caricature of himself.
I didn't link to the guy because I agree with every word, I linked to it because he's discussing topics that interest me in my hometown, and not very many people do. best,
Scott, I didn't know you're from Tyler.
My wife grew up in Tyler, Shelley Regan.
There is hardly an axe that doesn't need grinding when it comes to the judges, LEOs, and DAs office in Smith County. Any lawyer or any judge will tell you its a nightmare....off the record. There isn't anyone in the courthouse who isn't involved or silently standing by on this obscene mess. Skeen uses the jail and high bail to coerce guilty pleas for the DAs office, and the lawyers go along because they have to make a living in the courthouse and fear Skeen and the DAs office. The other judges sit silent or participate. The voters wisely waved off building an empire for these despots but the commissioners court is going to keep plotting until they get the money.
9:50
So, what you're saying is that Smith County is basically like any other county?
Sorry, rage, but starting with the iconic unblindfolded statue of Lady Justice out front and extending to its single-mindedly pro-prosecutor judiciary, Smith County justice is anything but typical of elsewhere in the state. IMO, Brown and Johnson counties probably are its only peers in egregiousness, along with the CCA itself. Skeen is like more like a (much smarter) version of Tulia's Terry McEachern on steroids - anything for a win, with a "win" defined as the most draconian possible sentence.
Let's put it this way: On those lonely nights when he's away from his secretary, Chuck Rosenthal probably has wet dreams about the type of extremist sentencing they get away with in Smith County for low-level stuff. For a good backgrounder, see this oldie but a goodie.
I am from henderson county with a stones throw distance from smith county (Chandler to be exact) and I know from first hand how shady both of the counties are. They usually help each other to get convictions (especially in an election year. It is very appauling. Jack Skeen (along with Henderson County DA Donna Bennett)are in lack of better terms nothing more than blood thirsty, assanine individuals (and i am putting it extremely nice to what I want to say)
Now I understand why Judge Clark is known for giving the Attorney General's office whatever they ask for in child support cases...her husband works for the AG's office and prosecutes child support cases. However, this does not make Judge Carol Clark's actions of forcing a person into court without an attorney, cutting a person off in court, and have the official "court record" contain comments that were never stated in or during the court hearing legal. Judge Carol Clark should be removed from the bench and disbarred...at the very least.
12:32:
If it makes you feel any better, I hear Donna Bennett is under investigation due to the fact that her husband;s DWI case file has been "misplaced." And a few other reasons...
Grits:
I know the story and know about the tough sentences. Still, this sort of behavior is rampant across the state. Tyler just gets harsher sentences because of all the Baptists. If they can't have fun, no one can.
(Just kidding Pastor Powell)
One of the candidates for sherriff I hear is under investigation to for the "misplacement" and selling of some herbal remedy that many are getting sent to jail for (Mr. Nutt. It doesn't surprise me in the least about Bennett after some of the comments I have heard about her.
Rage
So you know anything about about McKee, the person running against Bennet for the Republican nomination. Haven't heard a thing about him good or bad. I haven't heard of any Dems. running for it either.
So you know anything about about McKee, the person running against Bennet for the Republican nomination. Haven't heard a thing about him good or bad. I haven't heard of any Dems. running for it either.
Don't know anything about him, just know that he hasn't destroyed evidence like Bennett has.
I enjoy practicing in Henderson and surrounding counties, but do only civil work.
Rage
In your opinion,how is the judge that is over the 173 district court? Is he someone that is reasonable? I want to meet with him and ask him something but I don't know if it is worth my time because what I have to ask is very rare to happen.
I think all of the judges in Henderson Co. are fair, although there will always be rumors of trying to sweep cases under the rug or of favoritism.
Not sure how off the wall your request is, but if you don't ask, you definitely won't get it.
I only don't have to get a positive answer from him but also from either Bennett (which most likely is a no no since she is tring to get re-elected) and the sheriff (which I do not know either). It is not complicated just hard to get them all to agree.
In reference to McKee, I know him from his days as a prosecutor in Smith County. He is a former Army Ranger. He is hard working and dedicated to his clients. His ethics are beyond reproach. I believe that his high ethics was one of the main reasons he left Smith County DA office. He will be a great DA.
don bennett accused of coercion of a witness. if convicted ,crime carries up to 1 year in jail and a 4,000 fine .he is the husband of henderson county d.a. donna bennett.see athens review jan.26
2008.
Don Bennet was arrested for a DWI which was dismissed and assault which was dismissed and now this threat. When will the honest law abiding candidates be elected.
Will the truth ever be told? The author is a scammer who was looking to make a quick buck. At best all his information was gathered at the local watering holes and from people who knew someone, who knew someone. This was about greed and power. Only a few people knew what was about to transpire.What they didn't know was ,they were selling their souls to the Devil himself. The Sheriff's Department and Tyler PD had no clue that Tyler was about to be torn apart. The people of Tyler were about to find out the "Rose City" had very sharp thorns......The Truth will be told....
continued from"Will the truth ever be told".As far as "Anonymous" goes,there is none in Smith County. Since my posting last week I have been stopped and my vehicle searched "four" times. Some day when certain people have died or retired I might feel to free to"Tell the TRUTH and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH" so help GOD.
There are people, 13 bloodlines, to be exact that have ruled the world for hundreds of years. Don't think that they haven't been watching.
Someone is selling a "new" paperback copy of Smith County Justice. I emailed the seller asking the name of the puglisher. He emailed me back saying it was Open Seas Press. The starting bid was 35.00. I have always wanted to read this book because I was raised in Tyler. I am kinda leary of biddling on this book because it may be a scam.
For those wanting to read "Smith County Justice" by David Ellsworth, here is a link to an online copy of it. http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Smith_County_Justice
Most disturbing.
well where do i start? my husband lost his job 12/4/2008 he continued to make his court ordered child support payments, he looked for another job, but do to my schedule i asked him to stay home and help take care of the kids and so also he could go pick up his children the 1st,3rd and 5th weekend, anyway in feb 2009 we ask the attorney general to assist us with modification for the current child support order they said we needed to fill out some paperwork, so we did and in July 2009 they stated that they could not modify child support at this time, so we continued to make the current child support payments, my oldest son from a previous marriage was murdered by his girlfriend 6/1/2009 so most of our money went to his funeral,we contacted his ex with this tradegy and asked if she would work with us, she replied no, so once again we contacted the attorney generals office and we were finally given a court date for 12/2009, granted my husband did not work during the past year but did make some payments a total of 13 payments to date, not the the required amount but some, we did geta court appt attorney to help us fight the suit that the aog filed on my husband in 12/2009 once again we thought it was to help us, oh no, we had court yesterday and the judge ordered my husband to pay her attorney fees{ she hired one after she found out we were trying to modify after my husband went back to work} plus court cost, plus old medical bill plus additional arreages, not only that but the judge placed my husband on 10 years probation, @ 60 month and she is sending him to jail this weekend, even though he is scheduled to work, not only that but his ex wife works as a nurse at the jail where my husband is going to be for 4 days, and finally but not least, we have the children for our court ordered spring break visitation and the judge said to return the childen early so my husband can go to jail, why cant she wait and send him to jail when he doesnt have the children? I feel this is not best for the children to miss out on seeing their dad...
Jack Skeen and Matt Bingham are as corrupt as corrupt gets, as well as plenty of other dirty cops in Smith Co. but I think its time that all of that comes to an end and I need the help of The citizens that live there or family of a loved one whom has been falsely accused of a crime they did not commit. if anyone has witnessed an injustice in court from Jack Skeen or has evidence of anything illegal please contact me at sm_dd_wd@yahoo.com. Please I need your help to bring home my husband who is being falsely accused. they will do everything in their power to convict him unless i do something about it first.
Crap? Men who entrap defendants, especially minorities, and the poor of any race? That's not crap. Smith County is what is has been for decades: one of the most corrupt counties in the great State of Texas. Great place to live, if you have the money and connections.
How do I know what I'm talking about? I'm from some of the very families who have had control of Tyler and Smith County, but did not have the good sense to send these vile, corrupt, evil, self-serving, bloated fat cats packing a long time ago.
I am a recovering addict.ive seen it first hand,and it is very real,and dangerous.that is all i have to say.you wouldnt believe whatis going on.
In about 1996, my brother was sentenced to 99 years. He was branded as a habitual criminal and charges were enhanced. First off,one of the charges that Smith County used to enhance him had been dropped. We paid extreme money to get the transcripts of his trials to send to the grand jury for a review of his case. This is the kicker, the Smith County grand jury, refused to even read the transcripts. Why? My brother was railroaded by the corruption and hatred of then sheriff J. B. Smith and then constable of Lindale Dennis Taylor. I personally have contacted many attorneys to help my brother and to fight for justice in Smith County...guess how many responded back to me...big fat "0". One attorney even made the comment, " you cannot fight Smith County"! So because of the corruption of so many elected officials, my brothers illegal conviction of 99 years stands.
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