DA oppo, snitch scenarios, improving visitation, and a welcome homecoming

Here are a few odds and ends which merit Grits readers attention:

Accusing Gary Cobb
Former Court of Criminal Appeals Judge and current Austin defense attorney Charlie Baird really doesn't want Gary Cobb to be the next Travis County District Attorney, a spot which will be effectively decided in the March 1st Democratic primary. Baird is treasurer of a PAC called Citizens for an Ethical Travis County which has put up this attack site dumping opposition research on the Democratic candidate and accusing him of "misconduct." Strong accusations, and Baird is a credible messenger, particularly among Travis County Democrats. But it's pretty late in the game to be releasing such allegations without a paid attack vehicle. A lot of folks consider Cobb the front runner in the four-way race.

Vanita's Homecoming
Vanita Gupta is not a Texan but after her involvement in the Tulia drug sting cases, as far as Grits is concerned, she remains a beloved adoptee and a personal favorite. I'm looking forward to seeing my long-time friend, who is now director of the USDOJ Civil Rights Division, when she speaks at UT-Austin's Barbara Jordan forum today. See the Statesman's preview of the event. I miss Vanita, we haven't spoken since she became a big shot.

Compensating Alfred Brown
I'll be interested to see if the Comptroller gives compensation to Alfred Dwayne Brown. Based on how they've decided cases in the past where exoneration did not result in an actual-innocence finding, it'll be a judgment call. They've given some similarly situated exonerees compensation and denied others. If they say "no," I'd expect Brown to file a civil rights lawsuit.

Waco drug cop(s) may have lied about informants
A 26-year veteran Waco drug enforcement detective has been suspended after it was revealed he allegedly "lied about his use of confidential informants to obtain arrest and search warrants," and soon thereafter his commander, a 36-year veteran and the department's first female assistant chief, was also suspended.

Reality TV footage gets alleged 'snitch' shot
Speaking of informants, a Dallas man has sued the production company of the TV show, The First 48, after they aired footage of him talking to police detectives that wound up getting him shot as an alleged "snitch." This isn't the first time the show has caused problems in Dallas.

Toward pro-family visitation policies
Check out an absolutely excellent column on problems with prison and jail visitation policies from our pal Doug Smith, who called for "frequent and meaningful contact with their loved ones in environments that allow children to be children, yet only one state has a child-friendly visitation area. Less than ten states have overnight policies, and few of these policies are geared toward overnight stays with children. Few state prison systems include family contact when developing rehabilitative programs.  How do we expect incarcerated men and women to become fully productive members of communities within the very families that will support them upon release?"

Prosecuting fish-related crime in Palau
As many Grits readers are familiar with the Attorney General of Palau (who is now back on the job after a brief, unanticipated hiatus), I should point out this fascinating piece from the New York Times Magazine which references him, though not by name, in the context of the island nation's battle to combat illegal overfishing in waters designated for conservation.

Suit over reality TV filming warrantless SWAT raid will go forward

A federal judge has concluded that portions of a lawsuit may go forward over allowing reality TV cameras to film a botched 2011 SWAT raid in Montgomery County. The video was released as part of the reality show "Texas Takedown."

The officers allegedly fudged the search warrant affidavit: "After searching the residence and allegedly finding marijuana plants, the officers wrote a misleading affidavit to get a search warrant, which arrived about 12:30 a.m. the next morning." The suit alleges that DA Brett Ligon and his first assistant advised officers by phone to enter the home without a warrant. If true, maybe that needs to be the subject of a state bar grievance.