Mayor Parker has recommended nine people be appointed by Council to the governing board for the proposed Houston Forensic Science Local Government Corporation (LGC).
Rep. Scott Hochberg
“The people I have selected have varied backgrounds in science, law enforcement, public policy, business and defense of the accused,” said Mayor Parker. “Their perspective will be invaluable as we proceed forward toward my goal of a crime lab that is truly independent from law enforcement, prosecutors and political influence. I said we would get this done during my second term in office and we remain on track to meet that timeline.”
The mayor is recommending the following for the board of director’s:
- The Honorable Scott Hochberg, Texas House of Representatives, District 137
(The mayor is recommending Representative Hochberg for chair of the board.)- Enrique V. Barrera, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Rice University
- Willie E. B. Blackmon, retired, Judge Advocate, United State Air Force
- Nicole B. Ca′sarez, Professor, Communication Department, University of St. Thomas
- Donna Fujimoto Cole, Founder, Cole Chemical and Distributing, Inc.
- Art Contreras, retired United States Marshal, Southern District of Texas
- Marcia Johnson, Professor, Thurgood Marshall School of Law
- Catherine Lamboley, retired, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Shell Oil Company
- Sandra Guerra Thompson, Professor, University of Houston Law Center
Once created, the Houston Forensic Science Center LGC will oversee operation of an independent center providing the city and area communities with accurate and timely analysis of forensic evidence and related services.
You pretty much can’t go wrong with Hochberg. He’s a great choice for this. Everyone else is a lawyer, scientist, or law enforcement type, which should be satisfactory to Council. I think they’ll do a good job and I look forward to them getting started.
Art Contreras should have been disclosed as being a retired HPD officer/Assistant Chief who was one of those in charge of the failures of the first crime lab. While he did move on to be a US Marshall for a spell, his career was much more tied to HPD than anything else (and any attempt to minimize this fact should be viewed as misleading at best).
The mayor should stop the practice of appointing her personal friends to JOB positions as well as board positions,it concerns me that she either thinks no one is watching or she just doesnt care.I dont care if past administrations did it-the parker administration is on thin ice to retain a final term,if she doesnt stop show boating with personal friend appoinments to boards and city job positions,there is no way she will win a final mayor’s term.
joshua ben bullard
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