Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Finally: TYC sex abuse trial begins in West Texas

Five years after the allegations were investigated and three years after the underlying allegations hit the headlines, spurring massive upheaval at the agency, former Texas Youth Commission administrator Ray Brookins' trial finally began yesterday. Here's a report from AP and another from the Odessa American, which also recently published an article on the future of the town of Pyote now that the West Texas State School has closed.

MORE: From the Odessa American. And from Wednesday.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny how long the wheels of justice finally began to turn in this case, isn't it? It has always been my experience that is takes seemingly forever for anything to happen in a case where state officials are accused of wrongdoing. Of course, when it's the little guy under scrutiny, he doesn't even get to pass "GO" and collect 200 dollars. Keep your ears open. There is more trouble brewing in TYC's central office.

Anonymous said...

What I learned in tyc is that if a staff accuses you of something and you become defensive you must me guilty. Randy Chance wrote a book that if someone with tyc is defensive about what’s in that book then they must me guilty of the accusations in that book. Raped by the State weeding out the abusers, wasters, and pedophiles tyc style. So go ahead and whine it up you wasters of tax payers money, you failures at your job of rehabilitating kids, you child molesters, this ought to be a good thread. Oh I left out the punk ass team playas the root of all evil in tyc. One thing about team playas is they are to ignorant to know to critique the writing style other than it may be to advanced for them to read. I just thought about why Chances book may be falling on deaf ears in tyc, the writing style is to advanced for you people.
Chesters going down, in a bad way. Flush tyc.

Sheldon tyc#47333 II c\s
Mvssb gssb Ftyc

Whitsfoe said...

What do yall think? Is it just a coincidence that Brookins trial is occurring on the heals of WTSS closing, or was that the plan all along?

Anonymous said...

Sheldon, I think you just like to rant and gain attention. Is there a point to your verbose comment? Are you capable of brief and succinct comment? Can it be relative to the post?

PS, don't work for TYC, in case you wish go off on a Tirade about how I must be the "man" supporting the system. I do not work in the CJ field.

I get it, you have been wronged and abused by the system/TYC. Stop letting it control you and move on!

Anonymous said...

"An internal investigation revealed that several employees at the Pyote jail complained to their bosses or other TYC officials, but that the complaints were largely ignored."

That sounds like the TYC that I know. That has been the culture from top to bottom.

Anonymous said...

Sheldon,

LMAO! Randy was sitting behind a computer taking notes as opposed to standing up to anything he wrote in the scrap book of his. Not like the caseworker and now superintendent who stood up and screamed to the world what was occurring at WTSS. Get real.

Anonymous said...

You are out of touch and information. Randy reported many abuses long before the WT incidents. They are recorded on the Dallas News logs of WT. Brookings was just another abuse case after Randy left the agency. Don't try to pass your shortcomings to others. Even if convicted, you oldtimers will say Brookings was setup.

Anonymous said...

Part of the West Texas culture - when Mr Elms reported that "Raped by The State" was true, it was quickly suppressed by the local media, and Elms was made a scapegoat. No coverup was made? Think again. Many more than just Scott and Billy were aware of the dealings by Brooking with youth, yet they chose to be quiet; some actively helped quell the talk..

Anonymous said...

We now have before us what is known as "a learning experience." Give some thought to the TYCers who were insiders before the news of the corruption became public. Listen to them now talk about these court cases. Listen to them carefully and then compare what they say with the true facts as they come out.

If you do this, you will understand that these old insiders haven't changed a bit. They still put out the same old self serving spin to rationalize their thuggish behavior all these years. Not only can they rationalize, they can minimize and distract. You may be impressed with their positions and assume that they are successful. Reflect a minute on who supported them all these years and why they were so comfortable being a dirty insider all these years.

Look at others on the make running around trying to get in with these dirty insiders. It's the TYC circus.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it sad that the local news, DA and judge would all attempt to disguise or disregard the improper conduct going on at the Peyote jail? Much of the public has been brainwashed and still don't know the truth about the madhouse in West Texas. TYC connections run deep out there. Hopefully the trials will bring forth the real truth, that has been hidden intentionally by some in positions that can alter the public knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Fortunately for you West Texas area people, the Channel 7 and 9 news gave fairly good coverage of the events in Pyote. This at least offset somewhat the other seemingly biased media.

Anonymous said...

12:44 quit whining, did Brookins get that DOS position that you thought you were most qualified for? How many times did you put in for that PS II position always to be turned away based upon lack of experience? Blame, blame, blame, but no basis for this other than the fact your sub-servant role in life, and lack of back bone. Move on and get over this disdain you have for others who actually try

Anonymous said...

Yeah Ranty, we're all sorry you retired still at the entry level position, but as I've said before, there was a good reason for their decisions. You never made much sense then and you certainly don't now.

Gritsforbreakfast said...

Y'all, stay civil and don't get personal.

Anonymous said...

Now Grits, all the Chesters want to beat up Randy for pullin down there house of cards. What game is that you playin, spades is it.

Anonymous said...

ANONOMUS 4/21/2010 09:48:00 AM; I was thinking just that, I should get over it. I’ve been getting over it for 35 years. The tyc was supposed to be fixed but its worst now than before Morales v Turman. Then I think about all the punk minded people who just get over it run and hid when injustices happens to others. Look at the punk Poles who were just supposed to get over it when brutal nazis rolled in and hauled off their neighbors. You’re not in CJ then educate yourself to what our state does to children by preparing them to be feed into the modern day slave system called by the oxymoron, criminal justice. I thought I was relatively brief in my tirade. If you find yourself pro child abuse then I can understand your critique of me but if you wish to go beyond a cell warrior and have the legs to stand up to state sponsored child abuse then I am open to any advise on speaking out and bringing awareness to state sponsored child abuse.

I realize there are many inside tyc who are doing what they can to stop the abuse, I only use Chance’s book as a rally point. This was a good thread to remind tyc’ers early on of their own protocol, if you’re defensive you must be guilty. Raped by the State is a public document of all the things people know are going on in tyc either reported by people against abuse or criticized by abusers. I have the upmost respect for people who work for tyc and fight against abuse in such a culture. Those who are guilty need to be persecuted to prosecuted and should wear something similar to the modern day badge of shame like sex offenders. On sex offenders, how many as a senior in high school made it with a sophomore, gee, according to our hypocrite laws you should wear the sex offender badge of shame. A tool to punish Chester is used to punish Romeo as well. Just another form of control, used and managed by the ignorant of our society, that’s gone way out of practicality and used as a tool to control our citizens. But for another topic.

120 years of state sponsored child abuse, it’s time to stop the whole pipe line to enslavement that begins in public school through tyc and into prison. At the very least warn people so they can protect their children from these psychopathic hall monitors
So cell warrior 4/21/2010 09:48:00, are you just a code 21, pro state sponsored child abuse, or what? Contact me and lets reason together to protect our future, our children.

Sheldon tyc #47333 II c/s
Mvssb, gssb, Ftyc
oldschool@ironguardiansnt.org

Anonymous said...

Who promoted Brookings and who protected him all those years? Too bad she wasn't put on the stand.

Anonymous said...

From the Dallas Mornings News 2007:

Mrs. (Lydia) Barnard joined the TYC in 1986 and by the early 1990s was working with some of the agency's worst youth at its Giddings unit. In 1995, she was named superintendent at the San Saba State School. She met Mr. Brookins four years later when he was hired as her director of security.

Despite Mr. Brookins' disciplinary counseling for "unprofessional conduct" and several reprimands, Mrs. Barnard generally praised him in performance reviews. When he was caught accessing pornographic Web sites on his work computer in March 2001, Mrs. Barnard gave him 90-day probation. She could have fired him for the offense.

Later that year, Mrs. Barnard was promoted to director of juvenile corrections at TYC headquarters, where she oversaw the West Texas State School and several others. In 2003, Mr. Brookins transferred to that prison as director of security, and Mrs. Barnard supported his promotion to assistant superintendent.

Mrs. Barnard was dispatched to the campus in September 2004 following rumors about Mr. Brookins' after-hours activity with youth and after receiving a grievance listing 11 complaints about him.

The visit turned up nothing; Mrs. Barnard dismissed the allegations as unfounded. Weeks later, she named Mr. Brookins acting superintendent.

Despite continued complaints of strange, inappropriate behavior, Mrs. Barnard didn't change her tune.

By February 2005, a Texas Rangers investigation turned up widespread evidence of sexual abuse at West Texas – evidence that would unravel Mrs. Barnard's career with the agency.

Anonymous said...

A couple of other TYC folks helped Bernard with her 'guidance' of Ray during his sexual exploits of children. Why have they been sheltered? Too many skeletons in the closets to bring them out.

Anonymous said...

This Brookins trial will be contained and not much will be exposed about the system of corruption at TYC that allowed this to take place. The Hernandez trial will also be contained.

The skeletons will remain in the TYC closet. For us to really experience justice the whole story would have to come out and the web of corruption would have to be exposed. The web refers to the network of people that sustained this mess. We know who they are.

Anonymous said...

There are some people here that are watching the trials and extremely worried that their names could come out. Any small tear in their culture shield and the empire may begin to fall apart. I love to see their faces as they squirm about and are overly touchy about the whole affair. You have to be here to understand the real story. There is also another story about to explode which may take out several more dogs.

Anonymous said...

11:51:00 AM, what is that story?

If you work for TYC, please begin to take an honest look at these old dogs. You have a lot of suspicions about them but you constantly discount these suspicions and go against you best judgment and against your values. These old dogs have had the run of the yard for 20 plus years and it's past time to finally pull the plug on them.

Anonymous said...

"Any small tear in their culture shield and the empire may begin to fall apart." So true.

Anonymous said...

I hope Barnard's 'goffer' truth also comes out. Being right in the middle of it all, he helps hold up the shield of terror. Every time I run into him I feel sick.

Anonymous said...

Is the jury still out? Please let us know when the verdict comes in.

Anonymous said...

They found him Guilty!

http://www.oaoa.com/news/brookins-46222-class-bodytext.html

Maybe he can share a cell with his victims.

Anonymous said...

Interesting that he pled not guilty, and that his lawyers are recycling almost verbatim the same language to discredit inmate testimony that were used in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"Not altar boys and not Boy Scouts."

Thanks for the newsflash, Einstein.

BB

Anonymous said...

Hooray, one down and many to go. You have to love the defenses attempting to get Chester off on a technicality. It’s kind of silly that so many tyc emps and the like think all state boys are liars. On the other hand it’s just as easy to assume all tyc workers are child abusers. Well I know that’s not true, there are good people trying to do right by these kids. Today justice was served, please as a former student, I beg you people don’t let this go like you did back in my day with Morales v Turman. Oust the rest of the abusers by whatever means necessary. The good people of tyc have been empowered to clean their house.

Sheldon tyc#47333 II C/S

Anonymous said...

Holy Moses! A great day for the youth of Texas and Texas citizens. A main TYC child abuser guilty as charged plus many more. Now lets get the conspirators that covered for him and the others hiding under their desks, before they sexually abuse more innocent youth. Don't you know Hernanadez pooped his pants right along with Ray! Thanks for decent jurors that are fed up with the abuse in TYC. Thanks for your book - Randy!

Anonymous said...

Guilty on four counts. Some as far back as 1994 and TYC says it was just an isolated West Texas incident. Right, TYC we believe all you pass out. Now it has been verified the sex abuses were happening all along the TYC trail as Austin denied any knowledge or active coverup. Maybe he'll get 20 years per count and save a cell for his buddies that knew all about him, all along the TYC way. Justice for TYC finally.

CharityLee said...

This story broke the same month my son committed capital murder. As soon as I read it and realized this was where my son was destined to finish growing up, I cried for three hours. And then I got busy advocating for reform. Three years later, I am smiling to know the hard work of a lot of amazing people is finally beginning to pay off. Do I think all TYC's problems are solved? Hell no! But justice does still exist in this world and today is just a reminder to keep working for it no matter if you are crying or smiling.

Anonymous said...

Trying to get bad administrators ousted from TYC is like trying to get a postal employee fired. Unless they rape or kill someone, it ain't gonna happen. It's that way with just about any administrator in any govt job.

Anonymous said...

Not true. Some good, honest and hardworking people were unfairly ousted three years ago. When the Owens/Pope TYC used the broadsword to cut the head off, some got stabbed in the back. That's when TYC lost its heart.

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