- The Dallas News published a good primer on bail reform issues with lots of links. See also new coverage of the Harris County bail lawsuit from the Texas Observer.
- After supporters of Attorney General Ken Paxton tried to stop payments to the special prosecutors on his case, I suppose turnabout is fair play. Now that the Court of Criminal Appeals has backed prosecutors in the pay dispute, those prosecutors are looking at donations to Paxton's own legal defense fund.
- Everyone concerned with abolition of the Driver Responsibility Surcharge should read this.
- How did Hurricane Harvey affect the justice system in Houston? One word: Delays. Especially bad news for misdemeanor defendants.
- Contrary to their initial PR blast, ICE raids in Austin earlier this year did not involve any "egregious" cases of criminal immigrants, instead focusing on non-criminals. Emails recently uncovered via FOIA show top brass were disappointed.
- I'd linked to it in an earlier roundup, but Grits keeps thinking about this story of alleged police misconduct out of Dallas and how many others go undiscovered because media don't have the resources to apply to the story that Cary Aspinwall was allowed to expend on this one.
Saturday, October 07, 2017
Roundup: Justice delayed after Harvey, ICE raids focused on non-criminals, and other stories
Here are a few odds and ends on a beautiful Saturday morning that merit Grits readers' attention:
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2 comments:
It's egregious outrageous folks ACCUSED and jailed must wait while the judges & law-enforcement industry have coffees. There's no reason the pitifully-insufficient satellite court in H. Co. or even a gymnasium, etc., could not be used for courts.
They'd simply move some metal detectors and copper-stacks to the halls, so the judges wouldn't have to "fear for their lives."
Let the arrogant judges drive 30 miles for court, through crappy crowded streets, the way Houston residents have had to do--for decades.
Downtown has always flooded, yet they built the jury building, underground. What incompetent genius planned it, Houston Metro?
You have to recall, the REASON they have too few courts to handle the seething crowd that is Houston, is to encourage more folks to JUST SEND IT IN, JUST ACQUIESCE, SUBMIT, JUST PAY THE FEES, FINES & DONATIONS TO AVOID FURTHER ABUSE. If you pay, you also waive your right to a Magistrate, Hearing, etc.--they rationalize the guilty can pay, without counsel---just go right to the cashier's window.
You cannot remember when Houston went by the laws, instead allowed to ramble rogue--so all levels get the big bucks, biggest ATM in the State. What, your court had no recorder? It's only in the City Charter! What, you had a visiting former-judge without even an oath on file, rule against you, summary judgment? Eaten baloney and forced to take shot, by physical force? Hey, it's Houston, it's H. Co.--not that Katy is better.
Goddamn these on-the-dole employee traitors-to-the-people they are SUPPOSED to serve (as far as the citizens are told). No, no, everything is rosy, move along.
"Goddamn these on-the-dole employee traitors-to-the-people they are SUPPOSED to serve" The people have to start holding these Public Employees accountable to their Oath of Office!
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