tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post1874843858049960615..comments2024-03-09T19:08:04.758-06:00Comments on Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center: News Stories in my AbsenceMurray Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662196272138109874noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-21187295621142010602012-01-29T18:58:32.422-06:002012-01-29T18:58:32.422-06:00Thanks for letting me know about " Red, White...Thanks for letting me know about " Red, White and Blue" I think I'm becoming a fan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-54841531831648209782012-01-29T13:24:36.699-06:002012-01-29T13:24:36.699-06:00There are times when a client who is guilty as sin...There are times when a client who is guilty as sin and even admits it has to have the case dismissed because there was no reasonable suspicion for the stop. When video's disappear or are "corrupted" on a 1:30 am arrest and the defendant is ignorant of the dismissal implication,yes I will believe my client over the officers facts for the stop. These missing videos are all too frequent to be actual malfunction. What color is that sky you referred to?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-12475593789694241942012-01-29T11:47:43.495-06:002012-01-29T11:47:43.495-06:00"defendent is vehementlly contesting the offi..."defendent is vehementlly contesting the officer's account."<br /><br />So when the guy has dope in his pocket or the drunk is a .25 and the guy swears that it's not his pants or he only had two beers he must be telling the truth?? Just say the officer lied and it must be true?? <br /><br />What color is the sky in your world???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-59628719713002593442012-01-29T11:33:18.774-06:002012-01-29T11:33:18.774-06:00Anony 12:52
........replaced with, Beetle "L...Anony 12:52<br /><br />........replaced with, Beetle "Leitner" Bailey, Frank "Vollman" Burns, John "Chow" Winger, Will "Bridgewater" Stockdale, Henry "Morrison" Limpet, ........Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-29692230377155186552012-01-29T02:52:17.780-06:002012-01-29T02:52:17.780-06:00Excellent point: "Bodies vs. Years of Experi...Excellent point: "Bodies vs. Years of Experience". Anyone got the time to do THIS breakdown? I know Bert always had ALL the management Tree sheets from the battle of San Jacinto. Under P.L. management school of statistical analysis, the Normal attrition rate for "soldiers" in WWII due to “normal rate of attrition” might read: We lost a mere 10 “employee servicemen” but took in 10. Upon further research, the names of the 10 lost due to this “normal rate of Attrition are: George Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Omar Bradley, George S. Patton, Jr., Mark W. Clark, Chester W. Nimitz, William Halsey, Jr., Henry Arnold & Jimmy Doolittle. All Normal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-52551862543258822272012-01-28T10:06:15.282-06:002012-01-28T10:06:15.282-06:00Prosecutor Turnover - Scratching below the Surface...Prosecutor Turnover - Scratching below the Surface<br /><br />http://www.patlykos.com/articles/harris-county-district-attorneys-office-prosecutor-turnover-statistics-1985-2011/<br /><br />Here are some numbers from election website. This is a metaphor for this administration - Surface, no depth. Content, no context. Lovely wood veneer, sawdust underneath.<br /><br />If you simply look at the numbers (and I don't know if they are correct), you might say - "Well, that looks like the normal rate of attrition."<br /><br />However - WHO do these numbers represent? Donna Goode, Joe Owmby, Bert Graham, Vic Wisner, Bill Delmore ...experienced prosecutors and administrators, people who are respected all over the State. <br /><br />We didn't just lose "numbers." The loss of these experienced prosecutors will have an impact on criminal justice in Harris County for years to come. Not only are these people NOT working on cases, they are NOT training new prosecutors. They are NOT working on policy issues.<br /><br />You can't lose a Bill Delmore and replace him with a 25 year old baby prosecutor fresh out of law school and call that a 1 to 1 ratio.<br /><br />We lost Bill Delmore (described as having almost 30 years of experience) to the Montgomery County DA's Office - from their website:<br /><br />Delmore has authored more than 600 appellate briefs, and represented the State in numerous capital murder cases in which the death penalty was imposed. He has represented the State (and his fellow prosecutors) in several Texas courts of appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.<br /><br />- Quiet, but not SilencedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-43230509094668997012012-01-28T03:18:27.922-06:002012-01-28T03:18:27.922-06:00To Anonymous January 27, 2012 7:54 PM
Excellent q...To Anonymous January 27, 2012 7:54 PM<br /><br />Excellent questions. Especially the second one. I was thinking the same thing. <br /><br />In the Ted Oberg story Lykos stated, "What we're saying is don't drive drunk. No more victims." <br /><br />Then she gave HPD about half a million bucks for new intoxilyzer equipment, so they can arrest more DWIs.<br /><br />Yet, on the sly she's running this DIVERT progam (which may or may not be legal) that puts Drunk Drivers back out on the street with NO conviction. (Of course that's IF they have the money...and where does that money go???)<br /><br />So, she gave HPD half a milion dollars to arrest more DWIs, which she will then release with NO CONVICTION. Huh???<br /><br />Ted? Are you listening? Great questions here...Mark W. Stephensnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-1531279148942265162012-01-27T22:00:17.891-06:002012-01-27T22:00:17.891-06:007:54-
Lykos has reached a state of desperation. S...7:54-<br />Lykos has reached a state of desperation. She knows she's going to lose the election and is frantically doing everything she can. Using County money for political gain is nothing new to her.<br />1. hiring suck-up unqualified supporters when she took office<br />2. hiring a whole staff of media-types to write glowing articles and get the Chronicle to handle her with kid gloves.<br />3. hiring unqualified Investigator to photograph her and drive her around<br />4. buy said photographer thousands of dollars worth of photography equipment for her primary use<br />5. new wood floors and expanded office so her secretary has to sit out in a hallway<br />6. remodel whole room to use for press releases and then hide from KTRK<br />7. gift HPD with $475,000 for Breath Testing Equipment after telling HPD they shouldn't be in the business.<br /><br />I'm sure there's lots more...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-2339852451706582212012-01-27T20:07:39.621-06:002012-01-27T20:07:39.621-06:00I prosecute for a city that has video in every pat...I prosecute for a city that has video in every patrol car and on every motorcycle. It is a great tool. It's always running and records 30 second pre-event when either overheads turned on, certain speed reached, collision, or officer hits record button. My videos are accessible on a website within days. Nobody wants a trial anymore after they see their "I <br />stopped" defense is an obvious lie. It certainly shows probable cause in most cases. Of course there are always glitches where it <br />wasn't working and the wireless mics arent foolproof, but The system has saved us countless hours of court time and officer <br />overtime just by avoiding trials. We have a population of almost 200,000 so it's a significant sized police force.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-59451704215178199092012-01-27T19:54:20.731-06:002012-01-27T19:54:20.731-06:00Two questions ---
1. Why can't HPD take the i...Two questions ---<br />1. Why can't HPD take the intoxilyzers out of the BAT vans and use them instead of buying new ones?<br />2. If Lykos is so serious about getting drunks off the street, why is she DIVERTing their prosecution? Paying $450,000 to get them arrested but then letting them go with no conviction just doesn't make sense to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-68161122354564074872012-01-27T14:38:12.773-06:002012-01-27T14:38:12.773-06:00Good question, 12:35,
But I think an insanity defe...Good question, 12:35,<br />But I think an insanity defense will be forthcoming.Murray Newmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00662196272138109874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-63157949646380558222012-01-27T14:35:41.556-06:002012-01-27T14:35:41.556-06:00So who is the homicide detective being investigate...So who is the homicide detective being investigated for bigamy? Two spouses ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-55656162954841890262012-01-27T10:39:16.007-06:002012-01-27T10:39:16.007-06:00I attended a Republican candidate forum last night...I attended a Republican candidate forum last night at Raveneaux Country Club put on by 4 Republican Women's Clubs. There was a packed house there to hear dozens of candidates for all different offices speak for 2 minutes each. I thought it would be Pat Lykos territory, but I was wrong.<br /><br />When Pat spoke, there was was polite applause. However, when Mike spoke, he got the loudest and longest applause and cheering of the whole night.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-40378688959375668332012-01-27T09:41:59.112-06:002012-01-27T09:41:59.112-06:00Video can be set on a continuous loop from 30 seco...Video can be set on a continuous loop from 30 seconds to many minutes, so probable cause for stops should almost always be captured. When glitches occur it has always been in my experience when the officers own story contains contradictions and the defendent is vehementlly contesting the officer's account. I have had to many glitches for malfunction to be believable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-34622725601032704582012-01-27T08:17:58.721-06:002012-01-27T08:17:58.721-06:00Does anyone really know what the mental health div...Does anyone really know what the mental health division actually does? From what I can tell, there are only a couple of people in there and I have no idea what they are supposed to be doing. Also - there is the Elder Abuse Division (1 person). <br /><br />I'm NOT blaming the people in those divisions - just asking WHAT do they do - it sounds GREAT - the DAO has a "mental health" and "elder abuse" division - but with a combined staff of THREE - for 2 HUGE issues? Is the DAO serious, or are these just for show? <br /><br />Also - The $500 K is fine to help HPD - but, I wish someone would just take a walk around the office and see the old computers and printers. Wouldn't $500 K buy us some much-needed BASIC equipment too?<br /><br />NOT to mention the fact that most of us have not had any type of raise in almost 4 years. <br /><br />When we see money being given away like that and people hired for PR, it makes us question what the goals are - and whether we (the worker bees) or our day-to-day work is of any value.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-57522496205968514432012-01-27T07:21:39.368-06:002012-01-27T07:21:39.368-06:00Money!
Why doesn't she use money to help the...Money! <br />Why doesn't she use money to help the office replace broken down equipment. You have 15 to 20 people using 1 printer because the printers on desks don't work. The computers are so old, it takes forever to get things done. <br />Computers taking so long could be because she has so much spyware on them to keep an eye on us. But they are very old and need replacing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-46132053664542125222012-01-26T22:17:21.911-06:002012-01-26T22:17:21.911-06:00What is interesting is how - like sheep - the medi...What is interesting is how - like sheep - the media even showed up and gave the story the time it did. But even worse is how only ONE reporter asked a question about oh, let’s see, the unprecedented TWO G.J. investigations still pending, prosecutor took the 5th and gets "promoted to appellate" and here she is giving a half million dollars to the very agency she has repeatedly trashed leading up to this moment and now the change of heart. And the timing; Just think how many variations of questions could have been asked on this extremely weird press conference - of which - the very reason involved DWI detection equipment. DISINGENUOUS!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-53438243765261763602012-01-26T21:37:47.832-06:002012-01-26T21:37:47.832-06:00Anon 11:22, law enforcement in this geographic are...Anon 11:22, law enforcement in this geographic area have had a better reputation than most other large departments. If you are judging by the headlines alone, and not the judicial scrutiny of the feds, you may come to a different conclusion but neither of the major departments has been run by the feds; unlike many departments under federal oversight such as NYC, LA, and others.<br /><br />I support cameras in their cars too but their main limitation is that they activate after the probably cause in most instances and do not generally help prevent or prove those few cases of excessive force since the cameras do not track the officers. Then, if any technical glitches occur, the usual hater crowd yells "cover up", the belief that there is no winning when it comes to the anti-police zealots seemingly true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-75972885187850958982012-01-26T21:04:41.067-06:002012-01-26T21:04:41.067-06:00Jim is apparently running around telling anybody w...Jim is apparently running around telling anybody who will listen that Lykos doesn't yell at her people and that she treats them with kindness and respect. I'm a prosecutor. Unfortunately, I've had to listen to Lykos talk to ADAs and staff. She may not yell, but she talks down to us (mainly because she has NO clue how to prosecute a case or what we do every day), belittles us in front of each other, drips with sarcasm, and shoots down ideas like fish in a barrell. Also, I have heard Jim talk about--and many others have to--the many times that after a meeting with an ADA (for whatever reason/issue) that after the ADA leaves the room, Lykos will willy-nilly (but in all seriousness) turn to Jim and instruct him to fire the ADA. Jim--according to Jim--then has to spend all sorts of time convincing Lykos not to fire the ADA and explaining to her that she just can't haul off and fire people all the time for no good reason--especially since she'd never even met them before, knew nothing about them, and knew even less about what sort of job the particular ADA did--she just didn't like what they had to say.<br /><br />In the old days, the elected DA and some of their higher ups did yell from time to time, and sometimes, we yelled right back. But most times, we didn't get fired for it. Instead, justice was better served for the passionate pursuit of doing the right thing--even if we didn't always agree about how to go about it. "Damn fool results" were often avoided because of spirited conversations among prosecutors from the elected down.<br /><br />One of the very few things that Jim has done well since he's joined on as Patsy's pawn, is to save the hides of some good folks in the face of a tyrant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-84125967987379572982012-01-26T20:48:24.547-06:002012-01-26T20:48:24.547-06:00LYPOCRACY:
1. Prior to HPD and other law enforce...LYPOCRACY:<br /><br />1. Prior to HPD and other law enforcement agencies announcing their no-confidence vote and telling her that they were not going to endorse her, Liekos meets with them and pathetically pleads, "please don't ruin my day."<br /><br />2. After HPD and other law enforcement agencies endorse Mike Anderson, Liekos says on "Red, White and Puppet Polland" that it would be "unethical and a conflict of interest" for her to accept such endorsements.<br /><br />3. During the BAT van investigation, Liekos takes cheap shots at HPD and declares that they shouldn't be doing intox testing/analysis.<br /><br />4. After BAT van investigation is completed--with cameras flashing--Liekos hands HPD almost $500K for more intox equipment for HPD to do intox testing/analysis. As an aside, the money that Liekos gave HPD during her dog and pony show press conference was not Liekos' money to give. That money was earned by the blood, sweat, tears, and lives risked of law enforcement officers all over the county who confiscated assets of crooks and felons. And NEVER--that I can recall--has an elected DA in Harris County (not the likes of Carol Vance, Johnny Holmes or even Chuck) called a press conference to give law enforcement asset forfiture funds. Honorable people like Vance and Holmes gave the money quietly because the money wasn't "thier" money and they didn't earn it to give. They simply gave it back to the law enforecment agencies who's hard work earned it in the first place. Pat Liekos ought to be ashamed of herself for taking ANY credit for the distrubution of those funds and she ought to be even more ashamed of herself for calling a press conference to do it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-10679019867571424272012-01-26T18:39:11.902-06:002012-01-26T18:39:11.902-06:00Please join Mike tonight at the Raveneaux Country ...Please join Mike tonight at the Raveneaux Country Club for the Greater Northwest Houston Candidate Forum. The meet and greet is from 6:30 to 7:00 and the program is from 7:00 to 9:00. This is a great opportunity to hear from all Republican candidates on the primary ballot. Please come support Mike!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-17655671841197376702012-01-26T18:35:09.842-06:002012-01-26T18:35:09.842-06:00Just answered my own question.
YES, it was PAT LY...Just answered my own question.<br /><br />YES, it was PAT LYKOS who "smeared" HPD.<br /><br />Here's a link to another ABC story (below) wherein Lykos demands that DPS take over DWI testing from the Houston Police Department because...<br /> <br />"she's done trusting HPD to tell her the truth about DWI testing" and "she doesn't trust the Houston Police Department." <br /><br />Yep. That would be a SMEAR.<br /> <br /> <br />http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news%2Fin_focus&id=8403864Mark W. Stephensnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-38004358305959358022012-01-26T18:27:04.640-06:002012-01-26T18:27:04.640-06:00Wow that clip of Leitner on ch 13 was impressive, ...Wow that clip of Leitner on ch 13 was impressive, is "ability to talk out of both sides of my mouth while being filmed" on his resume? I think I see why PL would put him as 2nd in command.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-50397317914899380462012-01-26T18:15:45.886-06:002012-01-26T18:15:45.886-06:00If this wasn't strictly a politcal move, why d...If this wasn't strictly a politcal move, why didn't Lykos do this two years ago when she found out there were BAT Van problems?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-69616659678104635712012-01-26T17:10:04.500-06:002012-01-26T17:10:04.500-06:00Lykos was quoted in the Ted Oberg story as saying:...Lykos was quoted in the Ted Oberg story as saying:<br /><br />"I will certainly acknowledge there are special interests who have demagogued this issue, who have smeared the Houston Police Department and our office"<br /><br />Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...but...wasn't it LYKOS who smeared the Houston Police Department???Mark W. Stephensnoreply@blogger.com