Tag Archives: grand jury

The Paxton prosecutors’ personal dispute

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to leave this here. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton never would have been sent to prison if his fraud case had gone to trial, the prosecutors now say. In the week since Paxton, a Republican, cut a … Continue reading →

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Woman arrested on abortion charge sues Starr County DA

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good for her. When a Texas woman was arrested and jailed for self-inducing an abortion in 2022, her name and mugshot were quickly broadcast around the world. Three days later, the Starr County prosecutor dropped the charges and was later … Continue reading →

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More on the Paxton deal

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story goes into some detail about how we ended up with the deferred adjudication deal that brought an abrupt end to the Ken Paxton securities fraud trial. Special prosecutors assigned to the case said years-long procedural delays made … Continue reading →

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Paxton gets his deal

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will have his felony securities fraud charges dismissed in exchange for doing 100 hours of community service and meeting other requirements, according to a last-minute deal announced Tuesday. The agreement requires Paxton, 61, to … Continue reading →

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Paxton could be getting a plea deal

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to say. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is nearing a resolution to the 9-year-old securities fraud charges that have dogged his tenure as the state’s top attorney through a special agreement with prosecutors, the American-Statesman has … Continue reading →

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Starr County DA disciplined for that self-induced abortion murder charge from 2022

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something. Not much, but something. A Texas prosecutor has been disciplined for allowing murder charges to be filed against a woman who self-managed an abortion in a case that sparked national outrage. Starr County District Attorney Gocha Ramirez agreed … Continue reading →

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Skeet Jones indicted and suspended

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Have you been waiting for a Skeet Jones update? Well, you’re in luck. State regulators have suspended without pay the top elected official of Texas’s least-populated county after a grand jury indicted him for cattle rustling. Judge Skeet Jones, patriarch … Continue reading →

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Hervis Rogers again cleared of voting charge

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

What the hell, man? District Attorney Kim Ogg’s prosecutors quietly reviewed a voter fraud allegation against Hervis Rogers — the Houston parolee who waited six hours to vote in the February 2020 presidential primary — nearly a year after illegal … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Uvalde DA to present mass shooting case to grand jury

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, I know, what took so long? The Uvalde County prosecutor said she’ll present a case stemming from the Robb Elementary School massacre to a grand jury by the end of this year. The Texas Department of Public Safety has … Continue reading →

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Grand jury empaneled in Paxton case

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. Federal prosecutors have seated a grand jury in San Antonio and called witnesses close to suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to testify, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told the American-Statesman. The purpose of the … Continue reading →

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Travis Scott and the Apple contract

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Gotta say, this doesn’t look great. Houston police investigating the 2021 Astroworld concert disaster determined that a contract between Travis Scott and Apple required him to finish his set in order to receive a $4.5 million payment, according to a … Continue reading →

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HPD releases its official report on the AstroWorld tragedy

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Read it and see for yourself. They looked like rag dolls, Reece Wheeler thought. One by one, the Astroworld Festival coordinator watched from the command center as unconscious Travis Scott fans’ were crowd-surfed out of the mosh pit and dumped … Continue reading →

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Grand jury no-bills Travis Scott

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

No criminal charges will be filed over the deaths at the 2021 AstroWorld concert. A grand jury declined on Thursday to criminally indict rapper Travis Scott and five others in the 2021 Astroworld concert deaths, capping a nearly two-year police … Continue reading →

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Charges against Judge Jordan dropped

Posted on July 3, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

That was quick. Just four days after being indicted and arrested, Harris County misdemeanor court Judge Darrell Jordan saw an official oppression charge against him dropped. Fort Bend County prosecutors on Friday announced they were dropping the misdemeanor charge against … Continue reading →

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More on Jordan and Dolcefino

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Dolcefino speaks. Former TV reporter Wayne Dolcefino has called for the resignation of Harris County misdemeanor Judge Darrell Jordan, alleging a personal vendetta led the jurist to wrongly hold him in contempt of court in 2020. Dolcefino’s demand came after … Continue reading →

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Jordan and Dolcefino

Posted on June 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have questions about this. Darrell William Jordan, a Harris County misdemeanor court judge, on Monday was arrested and charged with of official oppression, according to court records. Jordan is accused of using his office to unlawfully arrest and detain … Continue reading →

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Oh yeah, Hotze knew all about the Aguirre attack

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Who could have ever guessed that a lifelong lying lair was lying to us? Two days before a private investigator looking into a voter fraud conspiracy theory smashed into an air conditioning repairman’s truck and pulled a gun on him, far-right activist Steven … Continue reading →

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Hotze gets bail

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I’d feel much safer if this guy had been locked up. Far-right activist Steven Hotze on Thursday made his first court appearance since being indicted on criminal charges after funding a private investigation into … Continue reading →

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Hotze indicted for his bogus “voter fraud investigation”

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Lock him up. Steven Hotze, the far-right agitator who funded a private investigation into voter fraud that ended with a private investigator pointing a gun at an innocent air conditioning repairman, has been indicted for his role in the episode. … Continue reading →

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More on Lizelle Herrera

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Listen to the advocates. They’re seeing this clearly. A 26-year-old woman was arrested and jailed in South Texas last week over a self-induced abortion just months after the state banned most abortions and weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court could … Continue reading →

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Grand jury indicts three Hidalgo aides

Posted on April 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not great. Three Harris County staffers at the center of a mounting investigation into a since-canceled vaccine outreach contract have been indicted with misuse of official information and tampering, according to district clerk records. Aaron Dunn, Wallis Nader and Alex … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The “self-induced abortion” saga

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was quite the journey. Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez said Sunday he has filed a motion to dismiss a murder charge against a woman for performing a “self-induced abortion.” Ramirez said the Starr County Sheriff’s Department “did … Continue reading →

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“Due diligence”

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just gonna leave this right here. The Browns said they did due diligence before agreeing to give Deshaun Watson a $230 million contract and complete a trade with the Texans. Watson is facing 22 civil suits for sexual harassment … Continue reading →

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Deshaun Watson traded to Cleveland

Posted on March 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

He’s someone else’s problem now. The Texans have traded Deshaun Watson to the Browns. The quarterback waived his no-trade clause for Cleveland after initially eliminating the franchise, a person with knowledge of the negotiation said, but Watson reversed his decision … Continue reading →

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No charges against Deshaun Watson

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good for him, I guess. A Harris County grand jury on Friday declined to indict Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, choosing not to criminally charge him in nine alleged instances of sexual assault or harassment during various private massage appointments, according … Continue reading →

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More on the Paxton bribery investigation

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s good to have rich friends. Attorney General Ken Paxton says the man who shelled out the most money to help him combat securities fraud charges is a “family friend,” but a review of campaign finance records show his main … Continue reading →

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Paxton being investigated for bribery

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds sexy, but don’t get too excited just yet. Attorney General Ken Paxton is being investigated under bribery and corrupt-influence laws for accepting a six-figure gift from a CEO whose company was under investigation by the state for fraud, the district attorney leading the probe confirmed Thursday. … Continue reading →

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Dukes fails to get charges tossed

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Too bad for her. A Travis County state district judge denied a motion by state Rep. Dawnna Dukes to dismiss four felony counts against her for tampering with public records. Dukes’ attorneys on March 8 asked Judge Brad Urrutia to … Continue reading →

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Paxton case gets moved out of Collin County

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s upcoming trials will be moved out of Collin County, the judge presiding over his criminal fraud case decided Thursday. The ruling is a major victory for the prosecutors, who have for months argued … Continue reading →

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Steve Stockman gets busted

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, lookie here. Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, has been charged with violating federal election law. Stockman conspired with former congressional employees to funnel money intended for a charity to his campaign, according to a sworn statement from an … Continue reading →

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Dukes indicted

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Boom. A grand jury has indicted state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, on abuse-of-office charges, the Travis County District Attorney’s office said Wednesday. She could face up to 28 years in jail and fines of up to $138,000. The first indictment … Continue reading →

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Dawnna Dukes case to go before grand jury

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. Travis County prosecutors and Texas Rangers will present evidence to a grand jury that state Rep. Dawnna Dukes abused the power of her office, Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore told the American-Statesman. Among possible charges: abuse of official … Continue reading →

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Collin County Commissioners Court are a bunch of jerks

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Unbelievable. In an attempt to lay the legal groundwork to quit funding Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s prosecution, Collin County is refusing to pay a longtime local attorney for his work defending indigent clients. On Monday, the Commissioners Court voted … Continue reading →

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Off to trial for Paxton

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

No more appeals, so a trial is in the works. Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are no longer asking to have a state securities fraud case against him dismissed, moving him closer to a trial on the criminal … Continue reading →

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