Tag Archives: District Attorney

More on the jailed rape victim

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron pens a harsh editorial. Although a spokesman for the district attorney’s office has admitted this miscarriage of justice should never have happened, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson defends the prosecutor involved in the case. She says the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

July finance reports for county candidates

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Most of the interesting race in Harris County this year are the countywide races. Here’s a look at how the candidates in these races have been doing at fundraising. District Attorney Friends of Devon Anderson PAC Kim Ogg Name Raised … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on July finance reports for county candidates

Harris County DA drops charges against video fraudsters

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Disappointing, to say the least. Criminal charges against the anti-abortion activists behind undercover recordings of a Houston Planned Parenthood facility were dismissed Tuesday. David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, the videographers who infiltrated Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, had been charged with … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Falkenberg talks to DA Anderson about jailed rape victim

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Worth reading, as you would expect. I’m going to quote from the conclusion: [Assistant DA Nick] Socias appeared to have diligently tried to help, but he seemed to be trying alone. Anderson’s office said she wasn’t informed about the situation … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Falkenberg talks to DA Anderson about jailed rape victim

Roadside drug tests

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. A Houston police officer pulled Barry Demings over as he headed to work in Beaumont and plucked a spot of white powder off the floorboard of Demings’ year-old Ford Explorer. Demings had just … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why would you even think to put a rape victim in jail?

Posted on July 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I am outraged. The 25-year-old rape victim, frightened and long-suffering from mental illness, agreed in December to testify against the Houston man who brutally assaulted her in 2013. She hoped to put him behind bars for life. But that decision … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

We’re outsourcing inmates again

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We never learn. Harris County, in the latest move to keep its swelling jail population in check, is pursuing an agreement with neighboring Fort Bend County to send inmates to the suburb’s jail. A Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman called … Continue reading →

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

Lone Star Project requests investigation of severance packages

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today, Lone Star Project Director Matt Angle sent letters to the Texas Rangers, the State Auditor and the Travis County District Attorney requesting formal investigations into a series of questionable payments made by Attorney General Ken Paxton, … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lone Star Project requests investigation of severance packages

Video fraudsters to go to trial

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

All righty then. David Robert Daleiden, 27, and his colleague, Sandra Susan Merritt, 63, both of California, have rejected a plea deal that would have effectively put an end to the criminal charges against them, their lawyers confirmed Friday. “I … Continue reading →

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

Harris County takes a step towards jail reform

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County commissioners voted Tuesday to back a sweeping plan to reform the criminal justice system, a week after the Harris County Jail began shipping inmates to other counties to avoid reaching capacity. Commissioners voted to accept a $2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County takes a step towards jail reform

Rangers investigating Rep. Dawnna Dukes

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Busy days for them. The Texas Rangers have joined a Travis County District Attorney office criminal probe into state Rep. Dawnna Dukes’ use of staff, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed. “At the request of the Travis County District … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rangers investigating Rep. Dawnna Dukes

Weekend scandal news roundup

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If anything comes from the Texas Rangers investigation into his questionable expenditures, Ag Commissioner Sid Miller would be prosecuted in Travis County. If embattled Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is prosecuted for misusing government funds, his trial would be in … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s a conspiracy!

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, noes! Planned Parenthood is in cahoots with the Harris County DA! Run for your lives! The anti-abortion activist accused of falsifying records to secretly videotape Planned Parenthood officials in Houston is accusing the Harris County district attorney’s office of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s a conspiracy!

Criminal complaint filed over Uptown land acquisition

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

All righty then. A consultant who represents property owners in the Galleria area has filed a criminal complaint with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, alleging the Uptown Development Authority and related entities broke state open meetings and disclosure laws … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Criminal complaint filed over Uptown land acquisition

Case against Rick Perry officially dismissed

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

So there you have it. The criminal case against former Gov. Rick Perry was officially dismissed on Wednesday, weeks after Texas’ highest criminal court ordered that it be dropped. Judge Bert Richardson, who presided over the case in Travis County … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Lives Matter takes an interest in the Harris County DA race

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This will be worth watching. Inspired by voters in Chicago and Cleveland who booted top prosecutors last week with candidates who pledged more accountability in police shootings, Houston-area Black Lives Matter activists have started a #ByeDevon social media campaign to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s not easy going green

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And by “going green” I mean legalizing pot, at least in Texas. Advocacy groups and lawmakers say marijuana policy reform in Texas could be the fiscally responsible thing to do in light of the state’s decreasing oil and gas revenues. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2016 primaries: Harris County

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Though this will be the first entry published in the morning, it was the last one I wrote last night, and I’m super tired. So, I’m going to make this brief. Harris County Dem results – Harris County GOP results … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The effect of the law that was supposed to cripple the Public Integrity Unit

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Never tempt the weauxf gods. Or the Senate Republicans. Nearly a year after Texas Republicans cheered the passage of a law to strip the Travis County Public Integrity Unit’s power to investigate elected officials and state employees, the unit’s director … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The effect of the law that was supposed to cripple the Public Integrity Unit

Endorsement watch: Opting for Ogg

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes their choice in the Democratic primary for District Attorney. Democratic voters face a choice between two strong candidates for Harris County district attorney. But while Morris Overstreet can look back and reflect on a distinguished career, Kim … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More questions about body cameras and video accessibility

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Still sorting it all out. Months after statewide body camera legislation took effect and the Houston Police Department outlined its policies regarding the devices, local criminal justice watchdogs worry that some video from high-profile incidents may never see the light … Continue reading →

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

Video fraudsters offered probation

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

First the one, on Wednesday. A California woman charged last week for her role in the production of undercover videos at a Houston Planned Parenthood clinic will be offered probation, a Harris County prosecutor said in court. Sandra Susan Merritt, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How the tables got turned on the video fraudsters

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A must read. Planned Parenthood’s legal strategy was in some ways similar to how corporations facing major white-collar criminal investigations often cooperate closely with prosecutors to try to influence the outcome. From the start, Planned Parenthood and its Houston lawyer … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Every investigation on Planned Parenthood has cleared them

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Think Progress: After a months-long investigation, a Texas grand jury decided not to indict Planned Parenthood on Monday — providing more confirmation that there’s no solid evidence to support the accusations against the national women’s health organization. This trend … Continue reading →

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

Grand jury indicts Planned Parenthood video fraudsters

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sweet. A Harris County grand jury investigating allegations that a Planned Parenthood clinic in Houston illegally sold the tissue of aborted fetuses has cleared the organization of wrongdoing and instead indicted two anti-abortion activists behind the undercover videos that sparked … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

County finally takes jail overcrowding seriously

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see what this actually becomes. Chasing $4 million in grant money, Harris County officials on Thursday announced reforms in the criminal justice system to unclog dockets, lower jail population and address racial and ethnic disparities. And because the changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Kim Ogg

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As I said before, there are two strong candidates who merit consideration for your vote for the Democratic nomination for District Attorney. Kim Ogg was our nominee for DA in 2014, having vanquished the annoying perennial candidate that is cluttering … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Interview with Morris Overstreet

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And just like that, we’re on to the 2016 primary elections. I know it feels like we’ve just barely finished with 2015 – the filing deadline for the 2016 primaries was two days after the 2015 runoff. Believe me, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

2016 Election page is up

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here it is. A few notes: – This is for races that will appear on the Harris County ballot only. Our ballot is big enough, with enough contested primary races, that I didn’t have the time or the energy to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

John Bradley does John Bradley things

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Grits for Breakfast: Former Williamson County District Attorney and Texas Forensic Science Commission Chairman John Bradley – who left Texas to become Attorney General of the island nation of Palau after facing national disapprobation, losing reelection, and struggling to … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world, Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on John Bradley does John Bradley things

Republican filing deadline highlights

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As a followup to this, here’s a look at who filed for what in the Republican primary here in Harris County. Set your phasers to “snark” and come on in with me. Congress There are nine Congressional districts partially or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Would you like to sit in armed or unarmed?

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Houstonia: Imagine it’s a Saturday afternoon. You stop into Whataburger to pick up lunch with your kids in tow, the only thing on your mind remembering which kid doesn’t want ketchup on his burger, which kid only wants ketchup … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Anderson updates pot prosecution policy

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Small amounts of marijuana now mean a citation, not a ride to jail, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said Thursday. The county’s top prosecutor outlined changes to a pilot plan for low-level offenders she implemented last year, one … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anderson updates pot prosecution policy

Morris Overstreet to run for DA

Posted on November 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I know we’re all still recovering from Tuesday, but the 2016 filing season is almost upon us, and the Democratic race for Harris County DA just became a contested race. Former appeals court judge Morris Overstreet announced Thursday that he … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments