Wednesday, March 05, 2008

DA who failed to prosecute TYC sex abuse cases won re-election in landslide

Yesterday's elections produced a slew of odd and surprising results, but none more bizarre than this, according to AP:
The West Texas district attorney accused of ignoring a graphic and detailed report alleging rampant sexual abuse at a state juvenile jail has won re-election.

Randall W. "Randy" Reynolds beat challenger Kevin Acker, the Ward County attorney, with about 68 percent of the vote in complete but unofficial returns in the Democratic primary. There were no Republicans on the ballot.
There's an old saying in politics that a gerrymandered incumbent can typically only be defeated if they're caught with a "dead girl or a live boy," which explains why the Pyote case generated such turmoil in Austin.

Which makes this outcome all the more mysterious: I don't know if Ward County voters would care if Reynolds were himself caught with a "live boy," but they don't seem to mind if those in his jurisdiction who do find themselves in that predicament avoid prosecution. What other conclusion can you draw from this result?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

And, the cover up way of doing things is still alive and well at WTSS.

Anonymous said...

It makes one wonder as if the people of Ward County are stupid or the scandal really wasn't much of a scandal except in the mind of the politicians who needed their 15 minutes of fame.

Anonymous said...

Then again, consider Reynold's opponent.

Anonymous said...

People in Ward County are not stupid. Reynold's opponent wasn't much of a choice either. Better the devil that you know than the one that you don't. Pretty much sums up small town politics. I would have rather voted for the kid that throws my newspaper, but he wasn't on the ballot.

Anonymous said...

Looks like it is hard to find a good DA in small town/small county Texas.

Politics at its best. Real people with real lives are destroyed and everyone looks the other way.

Pity!

Anonymous said...

Normally, small county DA's and District Judges are people who couldn't make a living in the free market.

Plato

Anonymous said...

Speaking of the TYC sex scandal, Brookins showed up for a scheduled hearing today, in Ward County, without his attorney. He stated his attorney hasn't returned his calls in over two weeks!! Smelly at best! Big town politics???

Anonymous said...

"What other conclusion can you draw from this result?"

People out this way don't care what happens at WTSS. The people at WTSS only care to the degree that an issue effects their jobs.

Anonymous said...

I hate to break it to everyone but unless you are living in the TYC bubble, there is a big wide world out there that does not know or care what is going on.

Anonymous said...

You'll care when someone you know ends up in TYC or works for them. The world ain't that big!

Anonymous said...

I didn't say that it's right - it just is. DOn't shoot the messenger.

Anonymous said...

SURPRISE, SURPRISE. SURPRISE....

Well, golly, don't that beat all!

Anonymous said...

The Attorney General is in charge of the case now, and when the two men get aquitted, because of the there really wasn't enough evidence, who is going to get the blame?

Anonymous said...

"...and when the two men get aquitted, because of the there really wasn't enough evidence..." The same thought has occurred to me. Also, it seems that the more time that passes since the alleged incidents the less likely there will be convictions.

Anonymous said...

It is time to let the old disaster go and get prepared for a new one.

Get ready!

There is no way that discipline can be as relaxed as it is without one of these kids getting killed or something.

Never forget that about 3 in twenty of these kids would shoot you for the change in your pocket.

Anonymous said...

Just to top it off, you also need to consider the judge. He has functioned in a trial for about a year due to illness and probably should not have taken this case. At one point, he attempted to hand papers to the district clerk to be noted and copied... only she had left 5 minutes earlier, rising from her chair and walkng in front of the judge on her way out; not to mention the 5 minutes it took to pour himself a glass of water (or get out a short sentence)

Ed Veronda said...

the saying couldn't be reelected if he were caught with a "dead woman" or a "live boy" was first applied to the corrupt Huey Long. Perhaps he is up there with him.

Anonymous said...

10:31

That's very interesting. Tell me something, do you have a documented source you pulled this from, or did it pop out of your head? I REALLY want to know!

Anonymous said...

Let me put this as simply as I can...TYC sex abuse cases aren't the only cases he fails to prosecute...thus he is re-elected. Especially in his home county of Reeves - that is just the way they want him. Lazy and incompetent. What I find hard to believe is that he won in Ward County. Now that's a crying shame:(