EV in person starting today and through the 29th at hundreds of locations around the state. Mary Benton has all the information you need for Harris County. And the Texas Progressive Alliance is fired up and ready to vote as it brings you this week's blog roundup.
Off the Kuff has interviews with Linda Chavez-Thompson and Barbara Radnofsky.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks breathing benzene, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants is bad. Why doesn't the TCEQ agree?
The Texas Cloverleaf posts on Blog Action Day about clean water in the Barnett shale.
WCNews at Eye On Williamson points our that there a still many unanswered questions regarding Gov. Perry and a special favor for a mega donor, The drip, drip, drip continues for Perry's mega-donor problem.
The King Street Patriot extremists are breaking the law again in Harris County. A lot more voter suppression and intimidation is in store from these thugs. Brains and Eggs has the details, including the link to the video of TeaBaggin' Jim Murphy (he's going to lose to Kristi Thibaut again) doing the honors.
Neil at Texas Liberal can't imagine that the people of Houston might wish to get rid of red light cameras. Our roads in Houston are already filled with drunks and crazies. Why would we want to make things even worse by making it easier to run red lights and get away with it? Neil urges folks in Houston to vote Yes on Prop. 3 and help keep our streets somewhat less bloody than they might otherwise become.
Intrepid Intern Ali Rawaf and Campaign Finance Curmudgeon Andy Wilson team up at TexasVox to remind you that early voting starts today, Monday, Oct 18, by giving you the sobering truth of who exactly is financing our Congressional midterm campaigns and what special favors they will want if you let their chosen candidates get into office. This is the first in a series -- keep an eye on TexasVox in the next two weeks for more in-depth looks at who's financing the Texas Governor's race, races for Ag Commissioner and Railroad Commissioner, and the Third Court of Appeals-- and maybe others.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Medina arson grand jurors want to speak out
Four grand jurors are seeking the Harris County district attorney's protection so that they can go public with evidence they heard when they decided to indict a Texas Supreme Court Justice and his wife on arson charges.
The lawsuit, filed in criminal court after hours Friday, seeks Pat Lykos' protection from prosecution if four of the 12 jurors go public with evidence heard in the 2008 case against David and Francisca Medina. The arson charges were later dismissed.
It's a last-ditch legal effort by the grand jurors, who have previously filed lawsuits in civil and appellate court. The appellate court didn't have jurisdiction over criminal law requiring secrecy of grand jury testimony and evidence, said attorney Jeffrey Dorrell, one of the grand jurors who filed the lawsuit.
Background articles from the Chron:
Indictments tossed against Texas Supreme Court justice, wife (1/18/08)
Judge blisters Harris County DA over Medina case -- says Rosenthal's error nullified the grand jury's work (1/23/08)
DA (Lykos) drops fire charges against justice's wife (8/28/09)
Grand juror not happy Medina case dismissed -- says jury should have heard about the fire at home of justice and his wife, who could have been indicted (8/29/09)
Some of the grand jurors who heard the case have been fighting to speak openly about evidence since (former district attorney Chuck) Rosenthal dismissed the indictments in January 2008, creating a storm of controversy.
The four grand jurors who filed the suit in criminal court — Dan Hall, Steven Howell, Jeffrey Dorrell and foreman Robert Ryan — claim disclosing evidence in the case is their defense against defamatory attacks made by David Medina's attorney.
"Plaintiffs seek a declaration that they have both the right and the privilege to disclose evidence showing they were not a 'runaway grand jury' when they indicted Texas Supreme Court Justice David M. Medina for evidence tampering," the suit reads.
Grand juror Dorrell sees criminal court as the last hope to speak openly about evidence without fear of being prosecuted.
If they aren't granted that protection, Dorrell said, he hasn't ruled out facing consequences that could potentially include a 30-day jail sentence.
"I'd have to think about it, but I'd consider it," he said.
The comments on this article might be the best part. Two examples:
Geesh, let’s get the truth about these hypocrite repubs out. It’s not like they were executed for an arson they didn’t commit.
... and ...
I like Pat, but, she is sure looking like a one term DA. In fact she will most probably cause us to have a Democrat DA next election.
Barbara Billingsley 1915 - 2010
Barbara Billingsley, who gained supermom status for her gentle portrayal of June Cleaver, the warm, supportive mother of a pair of precocious boys in "Leave it to Beaver," died Saturday. She was 94.
Billingsley, who had suffered from a rheumatoid disease, died at her home in Santa Monica, said family spokeswoman Judy Twersky.
When the show debuted in 1957, Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver, was 9, and Tony Dow, who portrayed Wally, was 12. Billingsley's character, the perfect stay-at-home 1950s mom, was always there to gently but firmly nurture both through the ups and downs of childhood.
I grew up a "Beaver" watcher, but what I will always remember Billingsley for is this:
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