Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas Eve to All

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas Eve to everybody down at the CJC.

As per tradition, I have begun the morning by the Ceremonial Firing of Myself. I know it is a late start, but if anyone wants to do the 12 Days of Lykos for 2010, feel free. You can seek inspiration from past lists here and here.

Or, you could just enjoy the day with friends and family, which is what I'm planning on doing.

Whatever you choose to do, I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season.

Merry Christmas,

Murray

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas my friend! Watch out for drug cartels over the holiday, and let us know how the hunt for internet goes in College Station...

Anonymous said...

on the first day of Christmas the wicked wench gave to me, a jack and cigarette drenched wet kiss on my ass.

Anonymous said...

Just once, why can't a house fall on her...

Anonymous said...

I asked Santa for an announced candidate but I must not have been as good as I thought.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, Santa brought us four bags of coal for Christmas in 2008
:-(

TWILIGHT ZONED said...

On the Twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me.......

12 baffled jurors;

11 ADAs fleeing to the Feds;

10 old blue hairs wondering why Pat won't try a case;

9 dead children asking, "what's a DIVERT?"

8 NOT guilty murder trials in as many days;

7 brightly colored neon signs on top of the former CJC building which read: Office of Queen Pat

6 attentive secret Santas to care for poor Michelle;

5 g-o-l-d-e-n chairs for the sixth floor;

4 new Perrier water coolers;

3 Blind rats named Jimmy, Hannah and Roger;

2 crack rocks for Patsy's pipe;

and a case of Jack for the troll to throw back.

Judge Pat Supporter said...

Judge Pat's Top 12 accomplishments as DA:

1. Pat's "Do the Right Thing" is now in place in Harris County schools and is receiving rave reviews.
2. Pat's Victim's Rights Program assigns a live person instead of voicemail to handle sensitive issues.
3. Pat has personally uncovered and successfully prosecuted corruption within the District Attorney's office.
4. Pat created a Child Endangerment Division and was the first in the nation to personally prosecute a case involving an adult male and an 11 year old girl involved through video gameing.
5. Pat created an Animal Cruelty Unit to keep Michael Vick rings out of Harris County.
6. Pat single handidly created a database to collect valuable information on international gang activity operating in Harris County.
7. Pat is working with the mayor's office to create an independent crime lab.
8. Pat is dedicated to setting free the many innocent people wrongfully convicted by "win at all costs" prosecutors in Harris County.
9. Pat is committed to rid Harris County of all the illegals.
10. Pat created the DIVERT program to rehabilitate substance abusers before they hurt themselves or others.
11. Pat introduced legislation to prohibit the DPS from selling the personal information of Harris County citizens.
12. Pat's Puppy Program shows a kinder more gentle approach to fighting crime.

Criminals are victims too and there is more to a DA's office than trial preparation and the successful prosecution of criminals.

Murray Newman said...

Judge Pat Supporter,

Your comments are welcome here, as all are comments, but some of your assertions or either gross mischaracterizations or just plain wrong. I feel obligated to correct them.

1. The "Do the Right Thing" program may be getting rave reviews, but while she is going off to give meaningless soundbytes, defendants are remaining in custody because overworked ADAs can't get their "To Dos" done.

2. Victim Witness was around long before Lykos ever was, despite her claims for credit, and it was never an automated system. Amy Smith and others showed their dedication to victims of violent crime long before Lykos decided it would be politically fashionable to do so.

3. Pat has personally uncovered and prosecuted corruption within the Office? Like what? Eloise? That investigation was in place before Lykos AND a special prosecutor handled it.

4. Pat created a Child Endangerment Divison? I suppose so. But all that means is that she changed the name from Child Abuse as it has been called for decades. Are you really so naive to believe it didn't exist before Lykos?

5. Belinda Smith was already prosecuting crimes against animals before Lykos took over. Lykos just pronounced it was a division. She didn't "create" anything, so I guess Michael Vick' rings are being prosecuted under old rules.

6. Pat single handedly created a data base? That's impressive. I hadn't heard about that. Considering how she has never sent out an e-mail makes me a little skeptical about that, though.

7. Pat is working with the mayor's office on an independent crime lab? Good. She should. All the candidates in the 2008 election had spoken up in favor of doing so. Glad she followed up.

8. Pat is dedicated to setting free the wrongfully convicted by "win at all cost" prosecutor. Yes, she certainly is, by taking credit for the work of Alicia Devoy and Baldwin Chin and the work they were doing before she took office. If you are interested in the wrongfully convicted, however, Kelly Siegler helped free a wrongfully convicted man off of Death Row. Texas Monthly is all over it. I'm sure Pat is jealous.

9. Pat is committed to rid Harris County of all the illegals. I'm sure that plays well with the hard-core Republicans, but some of us see more important "criminals" that are worthy of office resources.

10. DIVERT is an illegal program, in my opinion. Perhaps her instituting makes her an "illegal". Maybe she should rid the county of herself under #9.

11. Don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about prohibiting DPS from selling personal info. I'd be interested to hear more details. I'm not disputing you. I just haven't heard about it.

12. Pat's Puppy Program? Give me a freaking break. If she needed a neutered, mindless creature that thinks she hung the Moon to follow her around the office, she already has several of them on her Executive Leadership Team.

And finally, "there is more to a DA's office than trial preparation and the successful prosecution of criminals"? I'm glad you think so, because Pat sure as hell isn't doing THAT part.

Anonymous said...

To: Judge Pat Supporter-

Roger, have you been accessing this Blog on your County computer again?

You naughty boy...

As usual, you have your facts wrong. Besides, nothing positive she does can off-set the incredible damage she has wrought with HCDA. If there is one place where Politics has no business being, it is in a District Attorney's Office. Unfortunately for the Office and the citizens of Harris County, Pat Lykos is solely a Politician. She will never be a prosecutor and never makes a decision unless she filters it through her political agenda.

Anonymous said...

Judge Pat Supporter,

Do you have any idea just how counterproductive "accomplishment" #9 -- "Judge Pat is committed to rid Harris County of all the illegals" -- is to the pursuit of justice in Harris County. Virtually every day prosecutors in the office must deal with illegal aliens who are the victims of crimes ranging from Theft of Service to Aggravated Assault. Because they are absolutely terrified of what might happen to them from people who want to "rid" them from Harris County they will not help in prosecutions. So criminals go free. Is this really what "Judge Pat" wants?

Or perhaps you should just admit that you were mistaken and have no idea as to what you are talking about.

I encourage you to respond.

jigmeister said...

Merry Christmas Murray and all my old friends at the HCDA. Last year was pretty tough, I hope next year is a better one.

Anonymous said...

How does the DA "rid the county of illegals" when that is a federal problem? By denying them probation? --Yeah, right. Murray is correct: That may play well with some voters, but folks with experience at the courthouse know better. Nothing Lie-kos has done has had the slightest effect on illegal immigrants, of which Harris County still has an abundance.

Anonymous said...

Pat knows what the voters want and the cry baby prosecutors need to just shut up and do their jobs or look for other employment.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 10:35 a.m.-

You are absolutely right about Lykos knowing what to say to voters.

Unfortunately, the voters are unaware of what Lykos is actually giving them. There are very few 'crybaby prosecutors'. You are so mistaken if you think the majority the prosecutors are anything but dedicated public servants. They are the remaining ones who have to work everyday under an oppressive, demeaning, and inept politician posing as a prosecutor.

PS: I am NOT a prosecutor nor do I work there. Unlike you, I am, however, informed.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:57 a/k/a not a prosecutor but well informed,

Let me add that one of the main differences between Chuck and Pat is that Pat won't tolerate arrogance from her troops and wants them to put in a full days work for a full days pay. The good old days of bad ass ADAs drinking beer and gossiping all afternoon are over since Pat took office. Care to discuss that issue? Didn't think so.

Murray Newman said...

Anon 11:06 a.m.,

So, let me get this straight, the biggest contribution that Pat Lykos has made (as opposed to Chuck) is stopping afternoon drinking amongst ADAs? And you threw down the gauntlet that none of us would want to discuss it?

Give me a break.

It is true that there were plenty of us that would grab cocktails in the afternoon. But your insinuation that we were somehow cheating the county out of money is a load of crap -- as is your perception of Pat Lykos.

Most of us were way past capacity on our allotted comp time hours after getting to work on a daily basis at 6:30 or 7:00 every morning, and putting in a good eight hours every weekend (at a minimum). We dealt with rapes, murders, and other unspeakable crimes to children. Did we drink beer? Damn right we did.

That's what people who work as hard as ADAs and deal with subject matter as terrible ADAs are entitled to do. If you had any real leaders at that Office, as opposed to minions who do nothing more than take attendance at 5:00 p.m., you might actually start rebuilding that place into a formidable office.

So, you can ask yourself if you are a victim of crime, would you rather have the prosecutor on your case who has tried tons of hard cases and needs a beer at the end of the day, or the dweeb who sat politely at their desk until 5:00 p.m. every day.

You really need to get a life.

Anonymous said...

I have to say - there are also plenty of us who don't drink on the way home (or INSTEAD of going home) - we just do our jobs and go home - to our families and friends and just lead regular boring lives.

We do homework with our kids, cut the grass, read, pay bills, go to the grocery store, cook supper - and hundreds of other regular, mundane activities.

Personally - I hate all of this drama. I - and people like me - just want to do our jobs. Please.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:06, have you talked to Lykos, Chow, Leitner, Bridgewater, Greenwood and certain other Lykos promotions? These people were not interested in how things had been done, why things were done a certain way, they just came with the idea that however it was done prior to Lykos, it was wrong. That my friend is arrogance.

As to ADA's drinking in the afternoon, there were a very small number of regularly engaged in this activity and it was done off the clock since those folks had more than enough comp time to take off. The vast majority of ADAs were at their desk working until late at night.

When I worked there, most ADAs were dedicated to the job and sacrificed much to do their jobs well. The majority of gossip was how to handle a certain case or defense attorney or judge. Now all I hear is how ADAs are looking for jobs and want to leave the HCDAs office.

Episode Seven: The Voters Awaken - A One Act -Sci-Fi Play

SCENE:  The Death Star orbits over Downtown Houston. [INTERIOR] The Imperial Council Chambers. EMPRESS OGG sits at the head of a long table ...