tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post5372756468810823605..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Transcript of interview with Prof. Jennifer Laurin on prosecutorial oversightGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88509272941680552322012-03-31T12:26:05.781-05:002012-03-31T12:26:05.781-05:00On the situation in Rockwall, I also contacted the...On the situation in Rockwall, I also contacted the Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit(TCJIU). They did respond. From their response:<br /><br />"The Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit’s purpose is to bring about meaningful reform through education, training, and legislative recommendations. Therefore, the Integrity Unit cannot participate or assist with an ongoing criminal matter. Further, any official review of innocence claims must follow specific procedural steps for this Court to take action."<br /><br />Then they list several innocence outfits but don't say what steps are required for their court to take action...<br /><br />So they don't do anything directly but they are tasked with recommendations to the legislature. As Scott has pointed out repeatedly, this is the long term solution to prosecutorial misconduct.<br /><br />They also indicate they are a "court"? Has this court ever done anything?<br /><br />David SwingleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-50067780132420235572012-03-30T13:51:08.207-05:002012-03-30T13:51:08.207-05:00And by the way, that single Da up in Tulia who kne...And by the way, that single Da up in Tulia who knew the evidence was false yet proceeded? His license was suspended for 2 years, probated- translation, he did not miss a day of work over it, suffered no serious consequences of his criminal behavior. Which just shows how little DA's have to fear for misconduct.Phillip Bakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-7456209175856915112012-03-30T13:48:29.152-05:002012-03-30T13:48:29.152-05:00The essence of it is that there are no checks on m...The essence of it is that there are no checks on most DA's here and the rest of the country. I heard a lot of nice talk yesterday about educating DA's in every county of Texas, training their staffs on professional standards, ethics, and the Brady opinion. The seminar glossed over the matter of electing judges and DA's, with only Judge Perkins saying elections had no effect on his court. Perkins is a good man, one of good, ethical, honest judges we have. But it defies reason to think elections do not influence judges. And expecting some training sessions to overcome the heavy disincentives of DA staffs to report on their colleagues? Just more voluntary hopes. No teeth.<br /><br />So, at the end of the day, we have:<br />-A US Supreme Court handing DA's almost total immunity fro civil actions for their actions while in office<br />-A State Bar that nobody respects because it is toothless and just does not do its job<br />-A Judicial Conduct Commission that seems as ineffective and toothless as the Bar<br />-The highest levels of our justice system in the hands of politicians- and like all such, they must raise campaign money, please a base, etc. And any lawyer appearing before them know how much retribution they can dish out. This is NOT an impartial system<br />-A public that knows nothing and militantly keeps it that way. Wilco residents have know of Bradley's tactics for a long time, but it made them feel "safe", even at the expense of destroying few lives along the way. Collateral damage?<br />-A general population that has always gloried inTexas image as "tough on crime" and having brutal prison. Texans know how bad TDCJ is, they just don't give a damn.<br /><br />Despite all this, we have Sen Rodney Ellison, Sen Whitmire and others maing progress in small steps (updated Fire Code- even tho we went ahead and killed Willingham-, ban on "crime sniffing dogs", the highest compensation in the country for those wrongfully convicted, and state of the art guides being written on eye witness testimony (once thought the gold standard of evidence and now known to be very unreliable), and a small beginning on a discussion about DA's and their power.Phillip Bakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-10228487193143758472012-03-29T09:32:40.162-05:002012-03-29T09:32:40.162-05:00A Texas Tale of Dirty DA's-
The situation in ...A Texas Tale of Dirty DA's-<br /><br />The situation in Rockwall County involves an illegal search, falsified government documents and aggravated police perjury. The prosecutor withheld a state document, signed and witnessed by both officers directly contradicting their statements under oath on a key point, smoking gun evidence of police perjury. The original prosecutor committed suicide and the case was transferred to a new court under a new Judge, passing the hot potato.<br /><br />The new court, the 439th District Court, Judge and District Attorney (Rakow/Culpepper) have been notified of the withheld evidence and sent copies no less than 5 times. It is well within the power of the DA to drop the charge and any self respecting Judge would swiftly throw this case out of his court.<br /><br />However, in response to each of my factual notifications, the court schedules new “due diligence” hearings. The next one is April 04, 2012. The scheduling of new hearings smacks of cover up and evidence of the Court's systematic ongoing intentional denial of the truth and justice. <br /><br />So we have acute civil rights violations, falsified government documents, aggravated perjury, flagrant ongoing prosecutor misconduct by two prosecutors (withheld evidence + cover-up) and two judges supporting the State's criminal activity. No people, this is not a simple mistake or slight oversight, it is intentional, systemic and ongoing LEGAL TERRORISM.<br /><br />I contacted the Texas Rangers and the FBI – no response and no action. Surprise, surprise!<br /><br />Oversight is a joke:<br /><br />I have filed a formal grievance with the State Bar – No response and no action.<br /><br />I have filed a formal complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct (SCJC) – No response and no action.<br /><br />I have contacted the Texas Attorney General's Office (OAG) – they did respond! They referred me to the SCJC! Meanwhile the OAG is busy indicting and prosecuting Carlos Medrano and his family in the very court we are speaking of, the 439th over three votes. Carlos Medrano was a sitting Justice of the Peace in Dallas County, he is a Mexican and a Democrat. All the while this Republican court is engaged in the criminal activity as described. Salem Massachusetts 1692 comes to mind. <br /><br />Yes, this ongoing, intentional denial of the truth in the face of hard evidence is Obstruction of Justice and Official Oppression by the State. <br /><br />Main stream media has been notified. The biggest story out of Rockwall is the disputed height of the flagpole at the new courthouse. Wow, flag flap, what a hot issue! However, it is symbolic. Outside, Rockwall thumbs it's nose at the US flag and inside Rockwall thumbs its nose at the US Constitution.<br /><br />I shall not stand by while the State rapes my liberty and extorts my freedom on documented lies.<br /><br />David Swingle - dcswingle@gmail.com<br />The case is fully detailed below with complete references proving my points:<br /><br />Third notification:<br />https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ViKfjYoNvP1mXv1PnbrIzbh2lm_zI-J5lHhnVrqBW1c/edit#<br /><br />Fifth notification:<br />https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xRO6gy07Ng5KCqFTa00zDBSdpat1n7KTgy4t5yedA8A/edit#Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com