The full story is well worth reading.Bruce Isaacks (right), as Denton County district attorney in 2004, refused to prosecute a police officer who had been indicted on a murder charge for his wife's death.
Medical authorities concluded that the woman had committed suicide, Isaacks swore then and later. The medical authorities swore that wasn't so, and after Isaacks was voted out of office, jurors finally got to hear the evidence. They convicted the cop of murder last year.
Now, finally, there's going to be an investigation of whether Isaacks committed perjury, Donna Fielder of the Denton Record-Chronicle reports today. She has dogged this story for years, with Isaacks denying wrongdoing all the while.
Donna's report made me think of a story my DMN colleague Reese Dunklin and I did in 2002. It looked at how Isaacks failed to prosecute two other well-connected men who were accused of domestic violence.
One of my favorite parts: Isaacks said he didn't prosecute one of the guys because a conviction could cost him his bail bond license. "There was going to be a disproportionate impact on that old boy," Isaacks told us. "He was going to lose his ability to earn a living."
Friday, April 30, 2010
Did DA commit perjury to protect wife-murdering cop?
Via the DMN Investigates Blog:
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3 comments:
This is a sad reminder of just how much power the DA has and just how discriminately he/she can wield it. I'm often told by ADAs, "my hands are tied. The grand jury indicted. It's my job to prosecute and your job to defend. I can't just dismiss the case." Not only is that kind of sentiment just ridiculous, this just goes to show how 'good ole boy' the dispensation of justice can be.
Mike that unfortunately is all to true. A ADA can dismiss charges if they choose the DA will not like it as it will hurt their chances with the ir political “base” Which in TX all to often means extreme radical right . Decisions such as this should never be based on the political winds say or what the radical base of a party thinks . It is a very troubling indictment of the judicial system and the considerable near total power a prosecutor has . I highly doubt that this is a isolated incident in fact I know it is not if we count every county in TX . As far as I am concerned it is damn near time for AG Holder should come on in and clean house seeing TX cannot or will not do it on its own . I am thinking that if TX does not clean up it act soon that there will be a suit or suits that make Ruiz look like childs play . Between the abuse by prosecutors TDCJ There is a lot of material that is just waiting for the right attorney and it is mist like when Obama appoints a third justice that will replace Scalia or Thomas who both are pushing 80 as well as fill many lower courts . Should he do that he has the chance to level the playing field and reduce these kind of abuses that have brought us to this point .
Most people do not understand power a prosecutor wields until they are in the defendants chair or a defense attorney . That is part of the problem most people think that criminal proceedings are like Law and Order or CSI The reality is not even close .
Smith County is even worse . And I sure wish I could get some help with a case I know of . It is the kind of case that a ambitious and skilled appealed attorney would make their name with . And There is a lot to work with if only I could find some one wiling to help me . It involves suborned perjury, snitch testimony that was never disclosed as snitch testimony all kinds s of constitutional violations racism and of course the good ol boys .With lots of of corruption and cronyism . I would love to have good legal help but cannot afford it and lack connections .
Karma sucks in this case.
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