Per the Houston Chronicle's Brian Rogers, Pat Lykos did, in fact, testify before the Grand Jury today.
Probably a good move on her part.
My reports do indicate that she came to the Grand Jury down the back stairwell, rather than walk in the front door like other witnesses must do. I wonder if she realizes that skulking around like that makes her look more suspicious than a registered sex offender hanging around a playground with a bucket of candy.
44 comments:
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8508719
Ted Oberg's report. Gotta get some new footage, starting to look like she only has one ugly suit.
I was wondering how many witches suits are stored in Suite 600?
Murray,there have been many alleged cover-ups and bad decisions by all people who have served in Harris County as D A. Ask some of the people who have been around a while about Ash Robinson and some other River Oaks people.Check your history about search warrants on District Court Judge by DA trying to embarass Judge.Ask about Sam Hoover.You are a smart lawyer and good journalist.Please be objective.You could have a second career as journalist Who is first D A to provide offense reports? Historian NO LONGER IN LAW Business
Pat's opponent last time said she would provide offense reports. Mike Anderson says he will provide offense reports.
Therefore, offense reports are a non-issue. All other issues indicate that Pat Lykos needs to go.
To Anonymous January 17, 2012 8:11 PM
Dear "Historian,"
How many "people who have served in Harris County as DA" have been investigated by two separate Grand Juries, simultaneously?
Just curious. Thanks in advance.
-Mark
I've always wondered why the Sam Hoover story was never made into a movie. Truly stranger than fiction.
The Chronicle printed Lykos' statement she has no comment because she respects the grand jury secrecy. If she respects the secrecy why did her minions order copies of the testimony of the first witnesses who testified. If she really respects the secrecy of the grand jury she should fire the persons who ordered copies of the testimony or did they order the testimony at her direction.
wonder if this is the first time Patsy actually listened to and took advice from another human being. clearly her lawyer talked some sense into her, at least temporarily
MIKE ANDERSON FUNDRAISER TONIGHT!
Check his website for details at andersonda.com
Holy crap, Murray! First you issue an utterly speculative post about all the reasons Lykos might be too chickenshit to testify, which in every supposition was utterly and profoundly off-base. Then after reality defied your every prediction you issue no recantation, even after all your "what is she afraid of?" bluster, and interpret her choice of which door she entered as looking "more suspicious than a registered sex offender hanging around a playground with a bucket of candy."
Detach a little, please, it's just too much to bear. You sometimes have credible critiques of Lykos, but it's become supremely difficult and often not worth the cost-benefit trade-off to peel back the layers of personal animosity to find anything valuable in your posts about the DA's office. As a non-DA alum reader and as a writer, I can tell you your non-Lykos posts are far superior to your rants on this topic, and my own readership tends to rise and fall in inverse proportion with your obsession over "Patsy" and crew.
I love ya bro, but take a deep breath ... find some perspective.
Scott,
Early on in the 185th Grand Jury investigation, Leitner made a point of noting that it was okay for the D.A.'s office to divulge that Amanda Culbertson and Brent Mayr had testified before the Grand Jury because they had come in through the front door and that made it public record in his opinion. So, yeah, I guess I take a little bit of issue that the D.A.'s Office feels that they can "out" lay witnesses, but has the benefit of coming up and down the back hallway for the specific purpose of avoiding the attention. Plus, I think it looks shady and that is terrible for the reputation of the Office.
As far as the post being speculative, I think I was pretty clear in outlining the fact that it wasn't certain what Lykos was going to do. The point of the post was to list the political and legal ramifications of what would happen if she filed a Motion to Quash. LIke last year, when I predicted that there would be a continuance on the contempt hearings. It was just my analysis of what was going on.
The perspective that I have is one forged by what I see every day, and that perspective towards Lykos is a negative one that she's earned in my opinion. I understand if people disagree with me, but it is still a perspective on a blog. You have to admit you have your own perspective on Grits, as well.
Love ya too, brother. I'm going to be in Austin the first weekend of February. Let me know if you are up for a beer. We can try to round up Michael, too.
It's one thing for a lackey (RP) to plead the 5th, but for an elected DA who has a primary opponent in a couple of months to plead the 5th, that would have been stooopid...A more likely scenario... her answer in front of the GJ to every query" "I don't recall"!
7:46-
I wouldn't be surprised if this blog had some influence on Lykos deciding to testify vs take the 5th before the 185th.
It's hard for any of us who realize how badly damaged the DA's Office is by Lykos not to be critical of her. Everyday she is there, she chips away at the morale, the credibility, and the ability of her employees to do their jobs.
As another commenter put it, someone apparently persuaded her to testify. She agreed because she's a master at spinning facts and blaming someone else. If she got in a pinch, she will have suffered from temporary amnesia.
Just did a Lexis news search that goes back to 1977 and there are no stories about a sitting DA in Harris County testifying before a grand jury....did find some stories that sent me down memory lane--that Holmes sure was quoteable! Anyhoo....it's a huge deal that she was in there answering questions. I think readers of the Chron and other media outlets need some historical perspective to demonstrate that this is a big deal. If readers and viewers and listeners think otherwise, she's winning the PR race.
Anon 12:43,
How about checking Lexis or BMW for the last time a sitting DA was called to testify in Federal Court about his pesonal failure to comply with a Federal Court Order, perjury, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, misappropriaton of government assets for personal gain and had the Texas Attorney General's Office not only begin an investigation into his criminal behavior but also initiate the process to have him removed from office if he didn't resign.
Bad as Lykos might be her behavior has yet to surpass the Rosenthal threshold of acceptable abuse.
Just Sayin'
Lykos passed Rosenthal years ago.
So how long until another court starts investigating the hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursement requests? Even if it turns out legal, it's very suspicious. It also leaves her with two positions: she is either corruptly siphoning funds, or wildly mismanaging her fiscal responsibilities.
Quick question. As I understand, Lykos was not legally precluded from revealing her personal testimony in front of the Grand Jury to the media (and therefore the public). That correct in Texas? Thanks.
anon 2:21
You are correct...she can talk all day
@11:49 just checked - lykos total expenses = $201,480.88 from 01 Jan 2010 to 31 Dec 2011 (assuming she has submitted all of her 2011 out of pocket expenses that need to be reimbursed!)
"Lykos passed Rosenthal years ago.
"So how long until another court starts investigating the hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursement requests? Even if it turns out legal, it's very suspicious..."
@January 18, 2012 1:49 PM
Really?
We don't need to ask, "even if it turns out legal" with your boy Chuckie now do we?
Problem with the Harris County ADAs is that they don't take kindly to having their cowboy arrogance kept in check by a grown up whether it's Pat Lykos or another adult.
I dont think there are many that think Chuck shouldn't have been indicted.
anon 4:19 They don't take kindly to a grown-up who cannot do what they do, has never done what they do, treats them as tho they have no special skill or knowledge, has no regard for victims or her colleagues, and is a self-centered bitch on top of that.
And if memory serves, and it does, Rosenthal was charged with nothing. But was deservedly convicted of serious moral crimes in the court of public opinion.
Sancho is earning his "grown up" entertainment from Lykos. I look forward to seeing his or her name as part of her "entertainment expense once her actual reports are released
Bla, Bla, Bla
Here it is again, another Monday or Wednesday night for us regular prosecutors. These nights are getting to be a bit like Christmas Eve. Maybe Santa will come tomorrow and bring us some indictments! This job is getting so bleak and hopeless, but it's a bit easier getting up on Tuesdays and Thursdays knowing this could be the day. And so, I bring you the prosecutor's bedtime prayer:
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish may, I wish I might
See the grand jury indict!
Of course, this nightly ritual is different for some folks. Here's Rachel Palmer's bedtime prayer:
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray my job I'll get to keep.
Since under oath I can no longer fake,
I pray the 5th I'll be allowed to take.
Sweet dreams, fellow ADAs, here's hoping Santa is coming very, very soon.
I agree with Grits Murray. There are plenty of serious issues to discuss and the talk of skulking around on stairways mitigates your sometimes relevant postings. Let's say childish. You're an intelligent guy, don't stoop to silly things.
Today, Lykos was invited by the Childrens' Assessment Center (read: by Lykos flunky Denise Oncken) to speak. While in mid-speech, a photographer took a picture of her. She stopped her speech and demanded that the photographer take another photo to make sure she looked good and then continued with her speech. Seriously, at an event that's supposed to be about abused children and Lykos is worried about the way she looks!! By the way Patsy, you don't have a "good side" so don't worry about camera angle.
1)Pat Lykos is a very ugly really old hag and Mike Anderson is an adorable distinguished frail old man
2)Pat Lykos never did what we do Mike Anderson is one of us
3)Pat Lykos is not nice Mike Anderson is a teddy bear.
4)Pat Lykos is a politician Mike Anderson is a prosecutor
OMG let me puke.
The ADAs are acting more like the Wall Steet protesters than prosecutors. These little chickenshits who think Judge Pat is an embarrassment need to get out more (cop bars don't count).
Do you think they asked her why the HCDAO almost never investigates allegation of public corruption by Harris County elected officials?
Why does it take a local investigative reporter to expose corruption by Constables? Yet even then, only the FBI will investigate Harris County officials.
There ARE some seriously BIG issues that need to be questioned in the criminal justice community.
Murray, when--pray tell--are you going to start talking about the judicial races? 3 very important races that the voters must know about: Vinas v. Summerlin; Guiney v. Shadwick; and McGee v. Barr. Voters need to know that Summerlin is a political pawn and about Barr's finger, but most of all, they must know what a pretender Shadwick is. She, like Lykos, has NEVER tried a criminal case and until Lykos brought her over to the CJC, she had NEVER done criminal work. After 2 failed beginings once Shadwick arrived at the DA's Office as one of Patsy's overpaid political favors (she lasted in FCLD for about a week and in Crimes Against Children for about 2 weeks) she was sent up to the "hiding place" for Lykos pets--the appellate division. There, she has claimed to have become a "legal scholar". Really, how many briefs has Shadwick cranked out since she began campaining??? Think that might have something to do with employee evaluations being postponed until after the primary!?!? But not to worry, Shadwick has left a trail...check out the circumstances of her "departure" as a City of Houston (appointed--not elected) municipal judge. And check out the circumstances of her "departure" as an Associate (appointed--not elected) judge in the family law center. Indeed, check out the bar polling results from "Judge" Shadwick's time as an associate judge in the family law center--the lawyers (and their clients) gave her miserable grades for the cruel and miserable treatment she gave them from the bench. Also, her various "departures" as an appointed (not elected) "judge" for both the City and in the family law courts should be chronicled in old Chronicle articles. This earst-while political darling from Pasa-get-down-dena (who now claims to be from River Oaks) would be a nightmare on the criminal bench. Not to mention Kristen Guiney is super-qualified and by far the better candidate. If Shadwick (aka--Mark Bennett's "Christmas in July") wins, everyone in the CJC will loose and everyone in Harris
County will suffer from this "legal scholar's" lack of experience and lack of judicial temperment.
--Just sayin'
Just Sayin,
I've been holding off on any of the races because (thank to all this redistricting mess) the fields aren't 100% certain to be closed.
I agree with your assessments about Shadwick and will definitely be writing about that in the near future. I just have to find the time.
Is there a Reasonable Doubt tonight?
Have you guys seen the Shadwick for Judge website?
On another note, Lowery and Holtze support Mike Anderson and Woodfill and Polland support Pat Lykos.
Anon 8:39,
and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is supporting Hugo Chavez--what is your fucking point that Mike Anderson has sunk to the depths of Pat Lykos and traded integrity for politics?
How a candidate campaigns is a reflection on how he will perform in office and a district attorney should never sacrifice his integrity under the misguided premise that the end justifies the means.
What is that? Why that is the sound of silence from the "Crew That Couldn't Report Straight" and Mike Anderson's attempt to prosecute himself into office after Lykos testified without fear or delay. Now the Crew That Couldn't Report Straight is left to comment on how she entered the courtroom...
Anon 10:17 a.m.,
There hasn't been much to say after Lykos' testimony because she hid out like a burglar both before and after her appearance. The Grand Jury meets in secret, so there is nothing to report. If you think we aren't reporting accurately, why don't you throw out what we got wrong, exactly?
Hey Don, oh I'm sorry Anon 10:17, when was at the last time Lykos entered a courtroom? I don't mean for parties or swearing in ceremonies, I mean as an attorney, as the chief law enforcement representative in Harris County. That's what I thought. If you have ever appeared in her courtroom like I have, you would know she is not a trial attorney. She requires talking points and no deviation from a script and a trial attorney does not have that luxury.
RP may have started a trend - an AUSA in Arizona is taking the FIF after being subpoenaed before House Oversight Cmte. to testify on the Fast & Furious Op.
At least none of the FIF takers in Arizona gave their own press conference. I think it is odd that Anon 10:17 hasn't figured out had Lykos entered the front door, the press would have stayed focused on her. Instead, they re-ran RP's idiotic statements.
Any opinions as to where this leaves our primaries??
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/20/supreme-court-throws-out-judge-drawn-texas-electoral-maps/?test=latestnews
Murray you just keep on posting just as you have. At least you have the guts to say what needs to be said.
We heard today Lloyd Oliver is going to switch and run for D A in Republican primary.Is this possible?
That whole stopping her presentation to tell the photographer to take another picture and "get her good side" is all schtick. I've seen her do it no less that 6 times at different functions. I am sure she does it EVERY time there is a photo taken while she is speaking. That is all she is tired schtick.She is really something else.
Hows that no crack-pipe policy working?
ANOTHER "crack head" (this time a 19 time loser) was arrested for Murder today.
But hey, maybe Lykos can tell the family of the murder victim its OKAY...because...you know...she's making room in the jail for the REALLY bad guys...
I wonder how many more victims there will be before she's voted out of office. People need to WAKE UP
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