Prosecutors aren’t done investigating Harris County Criminal Court Judge Don Jackson, who was indicted this week on charges of official oppression.
Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, said investigators in the public integrity division want to know whether there are other people who have any knowledge of similar behavior in Jackson’s court.
It seems likely to me that if this charge is true that there are other incidents like it. I suppose it’s possible that a 17-year veteran of the bench, who had a good reputation among the attorneys who argued before him, would become sufficiently obsessed with a defendant to offer her a deal in return for sexual favors, but it strikes me as more probable that such behavior is part of a pattern. That’s assuming the charge is true – Judge Jackson is very much innocent until proven guilty, and we have no idea what his defense will be. But if others come forward with similar stories to tell, it shouldn’t be too big a surprise. Mark Bennett and Miya Shay have more.
There are some who wonder if Don Jackson managed to get on the wrong side of someone at the district attorney’s office and merely became the bone to throw at the mad dogs once they announced they dismissed the charges for the second time in the Medina case.
If anyone thinks Don Jackson is an exception to a rule, they haven’t been around the courthouse so to speak. Some of the judges we have on our benches don’t exactly live “exemplary” lives once they take off their robes. And in some cases, particularly when they take off their robes and expect someone else to as well.
The Justice Department needs to finally come in with a big broom and start sweeping everyone out. Who cares about prosecution. Just get rid of them. And that includes some Democrats on the benches as well at this point. Doesn’t take long does it?