DA Looks Into Eversole's Campaign Fund Use

The Harris County District Attorney's Office has launched an investigation into whether Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole misused thousands of dollars in campaign contributions for his own benefit, District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal said Wednesday.

The inquiry will focus, in part, on collector-quality guns and a Florida vacation Eversole bought at charity auctions.

The probe was prompted by stories about Eversole's work habits and campaign spending aired by KTRK (Channel 13) in recent weeks. A story by KTRK reporter Wayne Dolcefino questioned whether Eversole benefited from auction items purchased with campaign contributions.

Eversole defended the charity purchases during an interview with the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday, although he has refused to discuss the accusations with Dolcefino.

Texas Oilman Sentenced in 'Oil for Food' Case

Texas oilman Oscar Wyatt Jr. was sentenced Tuesday to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiring to violate the rules of the U.N. oil-for-food program.

Wyatt, 83, of Houston pleaded guilty last month and agreed to be sentenced to 18 to 24 months in prison. He also agreed to forfeit $11 million, conceding that he approved a $200,000 illegal payment directly to an Iraqi bank account in December 2001.

New Law Requires Teachers to be Fingerprinted

Under a new state law, veteran Texas teachers will be required to get fingerprinted.

Additionally, if it is discovered that they lied about past criminal activity, they would be fired. Is this a bad idea?

While some may argue that they should not be held responsible for something they did while they were teenagers, others would argue that we should not have convicted felons teaching our children.

'Baby Grace' Has Been Identified

Riley Ann Sawyers, the 2-year-old girl missing from Spring is Baby Grace, the girl found dead in a plastic storage bin in West Galveston Bay nearly a month ago, Galveston County Sheriff¹s office officials said Sunday.

Chief Deputy Freddy Poor said that while investigators were sure enough about the match to inform the child’s next of kin, only DNA testing, which still was pending, could provide a positive match.

Meanwhile, the child’s mother and stepfather are being held in the Galveston County Jail charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence, according to jail clerks.

Astronauts Find Damage on Space Station

According to the Houston Chronicle, spacewalking astronauts uncovered new signs of damage within a crucial rotational mechanism of the solar power system aboard the international space station early today.

Dan Tani and Peggy Whitson made the discovery after they re-routed external cooling system lines to prepare the orbital outpost for the arrival of the European Columbus science laboratory module in December.

The troubled rotational mechanism is one of two circular joints on opposite sides of the station that enable outstretched solar panels to track the sun as the outpost circles the Earth. Constant tracking permits the most efficient generation of electrical power for the station's life support systems and scientific research.

Study Says Houston Ranks in Middle for Relocation

Houston cracked the Top 20 of cities believed most desirable for relocation, according to a recent study by the Human Capital Institute.

The Bayou City is ranked No. 19 out of more than 30 cities in the United States. Austin was named the sixth-most-desirable city for relocation, while Dallas came in just above Houston at No. 17.

FAA Selects Houston to Test Unmanned Aircraft

Houston is one of two cities chosen by the Federal Aviation Administration to test whether unmanned aircraft can be used safely in an urban environment, authorities said.

During the testing period, expected to run at least until next June, HPD and the Miami-Dade Police Department will help the FAA establish national flight guidelines, such as how the small aircraft can be deployed and what training is needed to operate them.

DNA Samples May Bring Clues to Baby Grace's Identity

Investigators have requested DNA samples from the families of eight missing children, one of them from Spring, who fit the description of Baby Grace, a 2- to 3-year-old girl whose body was found in a plastic box on a sandbar in West Galveston Bay.

After receiving about 350 leads, investigators chose the eight cases from among 110 cases of missing children who matched the girl's description, Galveston County sheriff's spokesman Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo said Wednesday.

The eight cases are from all over the United States, he said.

Authorities requested a DNA sample from the father and mother of the Spring girl, Tuttoilmondo said. The father lives in Ohio and the mother lives in Spring, he said.

DNA results from Baby Grace are expected late this week or early next week. Tuttoilmondo did not know whether the DNA samples from the Spring girl's father had been received. He said it takes two to three weeks to obtain DNA results once the samples arrive at the lab.
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If anyone has any information, concerning the identity of this little girl, please contact your local authorities.

DNA Tested in 'Baby Grace' Investigation

Galveston County investigators have poured over the thousands of tips they have received in the case of Baby Grace, the girl whose body was found in a plastic storage case on a small island near Galveston last month.

But Galveston county detectives know little more about the child they've named Baby Grace.

Just knowing who the girl is would be a major key to solving the case.

“That’s all we’re looking for if you can (identify) this little girl tell us who she is,” said FBI special agent John Kinard. The FBI is assisting the Galveston County Sherriff’s office in the investigation.

On Tuesday, the FBI offered a $20,000 reward for help in confirming the dead girl’s ty.

Three weeks into this investigation, from the time a lone fisherman discovered the box off a remote area in Galveston's West Bay, detectives said they've received thousands of phone calls and nearly 300 solid leads, 100 of which have been specific to a missing girl said the sheriff's office.

Two of those leads have resulted in the submission of DNA samples from two different sets of parents living outside of Galveston who claim the child is theirs.

But it will be weeks before they make a comparison to Baby Grace’s DNA

“Unfortunately this is not as fast as we see on ‘CSI.’ These tests do take time,” said Galveston County Sheriff Office Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo

Detectives tell us they have taken each lead seriously, including a report from an Ohio man who says the mother of his daughter took her to the Galveston area.

A source tells 11 News that man called detectives 12 days ago and that for now, it’s a lead that's no more credible than any other is.

Community Activists Are Demanding Charges Against Vigilante

Houston community activists are demanding charges against a man who shot and killed two burglary suspects in Pasadena.

On Monday, they held a protest in front of Joe Horn’s home on Timberline.

“Mr. Horn did not have to kill those men,” said Quanell X. “We believe that Mr. Horn became judge jury and executioner at the same time.”

Horn’s actions were recorded during his call to 911.

Horn claims the men he shot and killed had busted into his next door neighbor’s house.

The shots he took followed repeated warnings from the dispatcher not to go outside.

“Had this black man been on the phone the same way, he would be under the jail and not see the light of day,” said Quanell X.
Pasadena resident reportedly shoots suspected thieves

Robert Hammons lives in the area. “I think they’re the ones turning this into a racial matter, it’s not racist.”

Another neighbor said the shooting had nothing to do with race and that Horn was only trying to protect his family, which he considers to be this entire neighborhood.

But Horn’s actions have ignited a criminal investigation, and could cost him his freedom.
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Yes, I do believe that his actions were that of a vigilante. If any of my readers disagree, please do so respectfully. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Top News Stories as Reported by 11 News

Texans top Saints, 23-10

Andre Johnson was back, Mario Williams was solid and the Houston Texans got the win. Reggie Bush? An afterthought. After scoring 17 points before halftime, the Texans stayed on top of the Saints, 23-10.

Everett discharged from hospital

Injured Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett was discharged from Memorial Hermann/TIRR Sunday. Everett has been receiving treatment since he sustained a critical injury in the Bill’s season opener Sept. 9.

Sugar Land: Safe City, USA

Sugar Land ranked fifth among America's safest cities in controversial new survey that pegs Detroit as the most dangerous place to call home.

Breaking the cycle of child abuse

Parents whose kids have been taken away by CPS meet at the ESCAPE Family Resource Center to learn how to break the cycle of abuse with their kids by showing less anger and more love.

HPD officer killed in gun-cleaning accident

Authorities believe an off-duty Houston police officer was killed Sunday in a gun- cleaning accident at his home.

Dad fulfills fallen Galveston soldier's last wish

A pair of flags has helped the father of a Galveston soldier killed in Iraq fulfill his son's final wish. U.S. Army Pfc. Nathan Given was killed Dec. 27, 2006, by a roadside bomb blast in Baghdad.

Conroe firefighters save Santa

Firefighters in Conroe are hoping to be on Santa's 'nice' list after rescuing the big guy in the red suit Saturday. The jolly elf's beard got stuck in his repelling device as he made his way down the front of an 80-foot sign.

Copper thieves cut phone lines for cash

Many Verizon customers in Huffman have been having trouble with their service, because a stretch of phone lines along FM 2100 has been cut down four times over the past month.

Boy found after HPD issues Amber Alert

Houston Police issued an Amber Alert Sunday after a 4-year-old boy went missing.

Temple's Lawyer Subpoena Chronicle's Reader

Attorneys for a former high school football coach convicted in the shooting death of his pregnant wife want the Houston Chronicle to identify a reader who posted a comment about the case on the newspaper’s Web site.

The thread, posted in the “reader comments” section, suggests that the juror spoke about the deliberations while the trial was still ongoing.

David Mark Temple’s attorneys issued a subpoena Friday calling for the Chronicle to appear in court Monday, with registration information the reader may have given the newspaper.

The comment was posted around 9 a.m. Thursday, about seven hours before a jury found David Mark Temple, 39, guilty of shooting Belinda Tracie Temple in January 1999. Belinda Temple, a special education teacher at Katy High School, was eight months pregnant.

In the posting, the reader, who goes by the screen name “REFster,” wrote: “Psst ... My boss is on the jury. Thinks they’ll have a verdict this afternoon.”

After another reader asked REFster if he knew how his boss would vote on the verdict, REFster replied: “He is playing it very close to the vest. I’m sorry to say at this point, I got nada.”

The last comment by REFster was posted about 6 p.m. Thursday.

About 2,000 comments were posted about the Temple case.

Jurors are not allowed to talk about a case outside the jury room while a trial is underway, and are instructed not to discuss the case with their spouses, family members or friends. They are also ordered to avoid any media reports. Jury deliberations are also supposed to remain confidential until a trial has ended.

Jurors in the Temple trial are scheduled to begin hearing testimony in the punishment phase of the case on Monday.

Defense attorney Dick DeGuerin said he did not know what he would ask the court to do about possible jury misconduct. The jury could be polled on whether they had violated the court’s instructions, DeGuerin said.

Prosecutor Kelly Siegler declined to comment Friday.

The Chronicle’s management said they had not decided how to

respond to the subpoena.

Gag Order Lifted in Benton Case

An appeals court lifted on Friday a gag order that prevented attorneys for a teenage girl accused of fatally stabbing a gang member from commenting on some aspects of her case, including plea negotiations and the potential outcome of her retrial in January.

The unanimous decision by the Fourteenth Court of Appeals means Ashley Paige Benton and her attorneys are free to talk publicly about such matters — including whether they believe prosecutors can secure a conviction — without fear of sanctions by a judge.

Councilmember calls for HPD Crime Lab investigation

Houston city leaders are reacting to the latest findings of troubles within the Houston Police Department’s crime lab.

Problems that could innocent people behind bars.

It is Mike DeGeurin’s job to defend.

"The bottom line is as a public we do not want a possibly innocent person to be convicted wrongfully,” said the famed defense attorney.

Now he has some new ammunition when he has a client accused of a crime in Houston. A document created by HPD Crime Lab Managers showing what they call "Issues with DNA.”

There have been 12 issues since the lab began taking cases in June of 2006.

Crime Lab timeline

Nov. 2005
New DNA section opens
2006
March 2
Accreditation denied
March 3
New Outside Proficiency Test
FBI Audit Finds issues
May 23
First Contamination Issue (Test Case)
June 19
DNA Lab Accredited and Casework begins
Nov. 29
Second Contamination Issue
Dec. 4
Third Contamination Issue
2007
Jan. 29
Fourth Contamination Issue
Aug. 3
Cheating on Proficiency Test Alleged
Aug. 22
Evidence Tampering Alleged
Aug. 24
“30 Day Squad” Internal Investigation Launched
Aug. 27
Lab Temporary Reorganization
Sept. 11
HPD Internal “Issues” timeline distributed to employees
Sept. 12
DNA section closed for deep cleaning
Sept. 21
Employee told Internal Investigation Report sent to Chief Hurtt
Oct. 4
Crime lab Whistleblower J. Phillips resigns
Oct. 5
J. Phillips asked to stay on paid leave
HPD announces investigation launched
Nov. 1
J. Phillips Comes Forward
HPD says Investigation “Ongoing”
Nov. 2
J. Phillips gives more details of troubles
Nov. 12
“Insider” speaks
Nov. 13
11 News discloses DNA Issues document
Nov. 14
11 News reports FBI Audit Details

There were six issues within two weeks in August and September.

It’s a timeline obtained only by 11 News. A timeline that had DeGeurin’s interest peaked.

"This can have a huge impact on an individual case,” he said.

That's why so many people are questioning why very few people, if anyone outside the department, were told about the issues.

And of the shutdown of the DNA lab for cleaning on Sept. 12.

City Councilmember Ada Edwards sits on the city’s public safety committee.

"All I know is what I've seen on TV and that's what bothers me,” said City Councilmember Ada Edwards, who sits on the city’s public safety committee. "It doesn't bother me it angers me."

It appears that the district attorney's office didn't know either.

Even though it is something, they are going to see over and over again in cases now making their way through the courts.

“Any defense lawyer who has a case in Harris County that involves scientific evidence, it is now presumed to be bad science,” said 11 News legal expert Gerald Treece.

Potentially hundreds of cases.

"The gleam in my eye is, here is proof. It is not just a supposition on my part that they make mistakes,” said DeGeurin. “Here is proof that they do.”

Now plenty of people are asking for a full accounting. Asking for all the details.

"I brought it up yesterday at council. (I) asked the mayor for a full briefing either through the public safety committee and or through his mayor’s report,” said Edwards.

The details do exist.

But HPD has yet to release them.

The lab is required under its accreditation to keep detailed records on all problems.

"There is no reason this should be kept secret,” said DeGeurin. “There is no reason it should be explained or spun. Just we’ve got a problem.

“Deal with it.”

Electric Companies Pay Off Lobbyists

Have you ever wondered why Texas' residents electricity bill is so how? Well, read the following:

The electricity industry paid for 343 lobbyists -- almost two for every lawmaker.

CenterPoint Energy paid for 16 lobbyists, spending somewhere between $645,000 and $1.3 million.

American Electric Power, which provides electricity to parts of south and west Texas, had seven lobbyists. It paid between $725,000 and $1 million.

The Association of Electric Companies in Texas paid for 21 lobbyists, spending between $460,000 and $975,000.

The total lobbying tab for all of the electricity industry was somewhere between $10 million and $20 million.

Where does that leave you? Critics say it can cut the consumer almost completely out of the legislative process. They say the industry gets much of what it wants, despite complaints by customers.

Nooses Hung At Baytown Refinery

Exxon Mobil confirmed some disturbing news Tuesday: On separate occasions in the past three days, a noose has been found hanging from scaffolding at the Baytown refinery.

But what they don’t know is who was behind the acts, or why they did it.

“Anytime I hear of any incident like this I’m surprised, concerned, upset by it,” Dena Marks of the Anti-Defamation League said. “It is a symbol of hatred and a symbol of racism.”

But the Anti-Defamation League says companies and corporations should be concerned and upset as well – for legal reasons.

Just last month, four contract workers were fired from their jobs at FMC Technologies in Houston after two different incidents of nooses being hung on the job.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently settled cases with companies in Alabama and Pennsylvania to the tune of a million dollars for nooses found at plants there.

And Conroe saw a million-dollar suit last year after coworkers physically choked Charles Hickman with a noose in a company bathroom.

“They need to be concerned about it because it’s a sign of intimidation and racism, and nobody wants that in their workplace,” Marks said.

Exxon Mobile released a statement on the incidents late Tuesday afternoon.

“These actions are completely unacceptable, and we are investigating this matter. These actions violate Exxon Mobil’s Harassment in the Workplace Policy which prohibits any form of harassment in the company workplace. The objective of this policy is to provide a work environment that fosters mutual employee respect and working relationships free of harassment. Harassment will not be tolerated, and Exxon Mobil is taking prompt action to address this matter,” the statement read.

Todd Hoeffner Claims He Is A Victim of Fraud

Although Todd Hoeffner was indicted in June on charges of bribery and wire fraud, he claims that he was not a perpetrator but a victim. According to yesterday's news story, the government alleges he used kickbacks to persuade two employees of The Hartford insurance company to settle hundreds of his silicosis cases, and indicted all three of them. The 14-count indictment accurately reflected the payments, Hoeffner acknowledges, but not the context in which they were made.

In a 37-page civil court filing known as a "cross-claim," Hoeffner insists that he was the target of an extortion plot in which routine settlements were held hostage by a claims manager and her boyfriend, who were looking for a nest egg to fund a comfortable post-divorce life together.

Adding to the intrigue is the identity of her boyfriend: the head of the company's claims handling division that dealt with silica cases. Hoeffner accuses the two of working together to force him to pay up or risk getting nothing.

Crowne Plaza Reduced to Rubble

The Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Medical Center was reduced to rubble in a matter of seconds Sunday.

It was a part of a plan to make way for development in the area.

By the year 2011, the site will be home to Texas Children’s Hospital Maternity Center.

It will be a 15-floor, 720,000-square foot space that will host an estimated 5,000 births a year.

Wife of Executed Killer Moves Lawsuit

A lawsuit filed against a judge who prevented a convicted killer from making a last-minute appeal by not extending office hours has been withdrawn from one court and moved to another, an attorney for the inmate’s widow said Saturday.

The original lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Houston, accusing Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller of violating Michael Richard’s rights by preventing his attorneys from filing an appeal hours before his execution.

A notice of dismissal filed Thursday offered no explanation, but on Saturday civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen said that he wanted the lawsuit moved to Austin because that’s where Keller’s court is.

Lawsuit Against Judge Sharon Keller Dropped

The widow of an executed killer has dropped the lawsuit against a criminal appeals judge.

A day after filing, Marsha Richard withdrew the suit, which accused Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller of causing the inmate's Sept. 25 lethal injection. The lawsuit said Keller violated Michael Richard's due process rights when she ordered the court clerk's office to close promptly at 5 p.m. on Sept. 25 before his lawyers could file an appeal.

Galleria Rape Victim Awarded Millions

A jury decided Thursday that The Galleria and its security company must pay a rape victim more than $3.5 million, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Jurors determined that the shopping center did not do enough to protect the woman from the attack in the summer of 2003.

Although it wasn't a unanimous decision, the jury found that the victim should be paid damages for mental and physical pain and anguish.

Judge Sued Over Death Sentence Appeal

The wife of a man executed in September sued a judge who prevented his state appeal from being filed by not extending the office hours of Texas' highest criminal court on the day he died.

The federal lawsuit by Marsha Richard against Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, filed Wednesday in Houston, accuses Keller of violating the rights of Michael Richard by preventing his attorneys from filing an appeal hours before his execution.

Keller refused to allow the court to stay open past 5 p.m. on Sept. 25, even though attorneys for Richard had called and asked for extra time to file their appeal.

Defense Portrays Temple as Well Liked

DAVID TEMPLE

The defense began calling witnesses Tuesday in the murder trial of former Alief ISD football coach David Temple.

In all, 14 witnesses took the stand for the defense in a bid to portray the accused as a loving husband, not a killer who got rid of his pregnant wife to be with another woman.

Temple’s wife, Heather, was the third witness of the day.

Heather Scott Temple had already taken the stand as a witness for the prosecution a few weeks ago in testimony that revealed lurid details about her adulterous relationship with Temple in the weeks prior to Belinda Temple’s death.

Fireworks erupted between defense attorney Dick DeGuerin and prosecutor Kelly Sigler over the hundreds of text messages exchanged by David and Heather.

Belinda Temple was eight months pregnant when she was fatally shot in the head at the couple’s Katy home about eight years ago.

Prosecutors are relying on mostly circumstantial evidence to prove that David Temple killed Belinda to be with Heather.

The defense planned to continue calling witnesses Wednesday. It was unclear if David Temple would be among them.

Houston Doctor Helps Oprah With School Crises

When Oprah Winfrey first heard reports that students were being abused at her $47 million school for disadvantaged girls in South Africa, she wept.

Then the media mogul and philanthropist pulled herself together and called Dr. Bruce Perry, a child psychiatrist who lives and works in Houston.

Perry, a renowned researcher in the field of childhood trauma, accompanied Winfrey to South Africa shortly after she learned of the problems at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls near Johannesburg. Winfrey spoke of Perry's help at a dramatic Monday morning news conference in which she acknowledged that former dormitory matron Tiny Virginia Makopo had been dismissed amid allegations of abuse, assault and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts.

Did CareFlite Overcharge the Feds?

A government audit finds CareFlite overcharged the federal government nearly $2 million to evacuate sick or injured people during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

An audit by the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services questioned some $2 million of the $5.7 million the medical transport service billed.

The audit said there were times Grand Prairie-based CareFlite used its own aircraft to transport evacuees when it could have looked for less expensive transportation.

However, CareFlite and the Health and Human Services Department defended the costs, saying the contract didn’t require CareFlite to seek subcontractors with lower rates.

Subcontractors were used when CareFlite’s own fleet wasn’t available or when patients were located outside the 1,000-mile range of aircraft in use.

The audit recommended CareFlite refund more than $68,000 of the cost required to transport 11 patients.

It also suggested the Health and Human Services Department work with CareFlite to determine how much can be allowed of the $1.97 million billed without seeking subcontractors.

But Martin J. Brown, Health and Human Services deputy assistant secretary for acquisition management and policy, indicated the agency saw no reason to challenge the charges.
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This reminds me of a situation in New Orleans where Slimy Mac-P, a political operative and former restaurateur had his hands in the City's cookie jar.

Jackson-Lee formally request Kent Probe

A member of the House Judiciary Committee this week made a formal request that the committee begin an investigation into sexual-harassment allegations against U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of Galveston.

Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, wrote a letter Wednesday to Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., asking that an “investigative file” be opened into the Kent affair.

Jackson-Lee also asked that members of the public be allowed to make allegations against Kent to the committee “as they pertain to this case.”

“The chairman is looking at this very seriously and will work with Rep. Jackson-Lee and others on this matter,” a statement from the Judiciary Committee staff said.

Kent was reprimanded in September by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals after The Daily News reported that an employee of the court, Cathy McBroom, complained that he had sexually harassed her by touching her in ways she didn’t want.

Billions at Stake in Tuesday's Election

Billions of dollars will be at stake when Texas voters head to the polls on Tuesday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The election could impact everything from your home and your health to how you get around the state.

Putting a cap on property appraisal hikes has been the holy grail of Texas Republicans for years. If Proposition 3 passes, they'll finally have it. And Democrats said they are all right with it, too.


"This would mean in any given year, your appraisal value can't go up more than 10 percent, so you don't get really stung with horrendous unexpected increases in taxes," said Gerry Birnberg, with the Harris County Democratic Party.

"Its a first step in the right direction. But ultimately that cap needs to be brought down from 10 percent to 3 percent or lower," said Jared Woodfill, with the Harris County Republican Party.

Republicans oppose two other high profile proposals.

Proposition 12, which would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to sell up to $5 billion in bonds for road projects.

Local Democrats said they believe that's a good alternative to the Trans Texas Corridor, the statewide network of toll roads TxDOT wants to build it despite strong opposition.

"If there's $5 billion available for highway improvement project through issuing bonds, it means we don't have to raise that $5 billion through toll roads," Birnberg said.

But what concerns Republicans is that there's nothing in the proposal that says TxDOT can't spend the money for toll roads.

"Republican voters are skeptical. They're skeptical about what's going to happen to the money. They're skeptical about what's going to happen with respect to toll roads, and so I think there's a real hesitancy to give TxDOT an additional $5 billion," Woodfill said.

And there's a big divide over Proposition 15, which would authorize up to $3 billion in bonds to pay for cancer research.

Democrats said that could be a boon for Houston and the Texas Medical Center.

"That would be a core industry for Houston and for Texas. That would be something Texans could be so in favor of and so proud of," Birnberg said.

Republicans don't have a problem with funding cancer research. They just don't want to borrow money to do it.

"If this is the way we want to spend it, let's take the money out of our own account. Let's not borrow it and place the debt on future generations," Woodfill said.

The polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Inmates Want Houston's Crime Lab Evidence Reviewed

More than 150 inmates whose convictions may be based on faulty Houston crime lab evidence have asked that their cases be reviewed, a judge said Thursday.

Since Oct. 22, Judge Mary Bacon, a retired state district judge overseeing the review of 180 convictions with flawed blood-typing evidence, has conducted hearings with all inmates currently incarcerated in those cases. Of 160 inmates contacted at various Texas prisons via video conferences, all but four agreed to have their cases reviewed.

The hearings are the first step in a plan that Harris County's 22 criminal state district judges developed last month to review cases with problematic blood-typing evidence from the Houston Police Department's crime lab.

Police Seek Info in Death of Girl Found in Box

A little girl whose body was found in a container Tuesday had one or more skull fractures, according to preliminary autopsy results.

The grisly discovery was made by a fisherman over the weekend during Harbor Walk’s first tournament in West Galveston Bay. More than 75 boats lined the marina for the event.

Some of the participants were believed to have fished in the proximity of the body, so detectives are hoping to hear from as many of them as possible. They want to know if anyone saw anything suspicious around the island where the container was found.

The container is described as a Sterilite brand model 1842. It is royal blue with a black handle.

Authorities say the child's body was found a few miles west/southwest of the Galveston Causeway.

Investigators say it contained the decomposing remains of a little girl, believed to be between 3 and 5 years old.

She had long, blonde hair, was about 33 inches tall and weighed about 25 pounds.

The child was wearing a size 2T pullover top—possibly pink and a matching pink skirt with the Cherokee label. The child was wearing size 8-1/2 size white tennis shoes with purple trim, velcro closures and small lights on the heel.

The body was taken to the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s where an autopsy was performed.

Detectives hope the autopsy will help lead to the child’s identity and cause of death.

They are treating the case as a homicide and checking records to see if any children have been reported missing from the area.

“Investigators are certainly looking at that angle—past Amber Alerts, missing children, things of that nature from this general area,” said Maj. Ray Tuttoilmundo with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Department.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers or the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office at 409-766-2222 or 866-248-8477.