brapics067.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics067.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics083.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics083.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics072.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics072.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics081.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

brapics081.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Inmate Steals Police Truck

Dumb criminals will try anything in order to escape from justice:

An East Texas inmate made a brief getaway after jumping behind the wheel of the police pickup truck that was transporting him. Authorities say David Lee Sprague was in the backseat of a Van Zandt County vehicle today when the detective who was driving stepped out of the truck to talk with someone.

That’s all the time Sprague apparently needed to hop into the front seat and speed away. Authorities caught up with the vehicle a short time later and returned Sprague to custody. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports that the truck was equipped with multiple weapons, including an assault rifle.

Missing Rice Student May Have Wanted To Disappear

Matthew J. Wilson may not want to be found:

The abandoned car of a Rice University student who went missing in December has been found in California, cluttered with books and notes on how to assume a new identity.
The material was discovered mid-June in the car on a residential street in Berkeley, Calif., registered to Matthew J. Wilson, a 21-year-old computer science major from Haworth, Okla.

Other items in the car included a book on how to live cheaply in nearby San Francisco, a can of beans, rice and instant noodle soup. Frankel said he wasn’t going to speculate on what the items mean, but the car is no longer considered evidence.

Joe Horn Testifies Before Grand Jury

Do you think Mr. Horn will face criminal charges?

Horn maintains that he shot the men – two illegal immigrants police believe were part of an organized home burglary ring – in self defense.

But an autopsy report on the men indicated that they were shot in the back.



What if the burglars would have killed someone during their burglaries? Perhaps Mr. Horn saved a few lives.

Teen Mom Charged With Capital Murder In Infant's Death

How could anyone be so cruel and evil?

A 14-year-old Baytown girl has been charged with capital murder in the death of an infant found in a junior high bathroom toilet on April 2.

The teenaged mom was arrested at 8 a.m. Thursday. Baytown police say she showed no emotion and did not resist arrest. The eighth grader is being held in a Houston area juvenile detention center.

Mother Of Slain Children To Testify

Attention has now turned to the mother of the children murdered on Father's Day:

Jerilynn St. Cyr has been issued a subpoena to testify before a Harris County grand jury. While not a suspect in her kids’ murders, law enforcement sources said her various statements to police about Randy Jr. and Denim’s disappearances were “inconsistent” and they are seeking to get her comments on the record.

Father Of Slain Children Denies Committing Crime

Child murderer, Randy Sylvester, is in denial:

One day after leading authorities to the charred bodies of his two children, 27-year-old Randy Sylvester said Sunday night they were killed because he owed someone money.

He says he wasn't the one to kill the siblings, who were remembered Sunday night in an emotional vigil at the southeast Houston railroad tracks where they were found.

According to Sylvester, someone else killed his children yet he knew where their bodies were dumped.

Let's Give Thanks To The Innocence Project

Thanks to the Innocence Project, another innocent man has been cleared:

The Innocence Project on Friday asked a Texas court to toss out the convictions that sent an innocent man to prison for 25 years and keeps him on probation today.

DNA testing last year showed Steven Phillips was innocent of a 1982 sexual assault and burglary. In January, additional testing found that DNA evidence from the rape matched another man, Sidney Alvin Goodyear, who died in prison about a dozen years ago.

Phillips, who is on parole and lives in a halfway house as part of his probation, still has an extensive criminal record because he pleaded guilty to nine related sex crimes over fear that he would receive a life sentence if convicted, his lawyer said. Prosecutors now believe those sex crimes were also committed by Goodyear.

Father Of Missing Children Remains Primary Suspect

Let's hope they get to the truth soon:

As scores of volunteer searchers continued looking today for two Pasadena children who vanished on Sunday, police said they are searching for a wooden trunk and a suitcase that had been seen in the apartment of the youngsters' father.

Corbett said witnesses told police they saw Sylvester carrying the suitcase from the area of his apartment to his car Sunday afternoon at the Sandridge Apartment Homes, 4025 Burke. They said the wooden trunk that was in his apartment as late as noon Sunday was not there about 4:30 p.m.

No Amber Alert Issued For Missing Children

In order for an amber alert to be issued, there must be a reasonable belief that an abduction has occurred. No amber alert was issued in this case, you figure out the rest:

Investigators are continuing their search today, with help from the FBI, for two children who were last seen at a Pasadena apartment complex two days ago.

Police and others persisted through the night in the search for the 7-year-old boy and his 3-year-old sister, but no new leads were uncovered, a Pasadena police spokesman said.

The children's mother pleaded Monday for their return as police scoured the area around the Sandridge Apartment Homes, 4025 Burke Road, with search dogs and helicopters.

He Regrets His Decision

If he could do it all over again:

Joe Horn, the Pasadena man who shot and killed two burglars after they emerged from his neighbor's home last year, regrets that decision.

A Harris County grand jury has begun hearing evidence as it considers whether the 61-year-old retired grandfather should be indicted and face criminal charges, or be no-billed and have the case dismissed.

Student Arrested In Murder For Hire Plot

When a relationship ends, get over it:

A 17-year-old Pasadena student has been arrested and charged with plotting to have a 15-year-old classmate killed. Pasadena police arrested the Sam Rayburn High School student Wednesday after he met with a law enforcement officer posing as a hitman.

Police said Thomas Moses Ramirez wanted the girl dead because he believed she was instrumental in his breakup with a former girlfriend. The investigation revealed that Ramirez wanted the intended victim to be shot, stabbed or strangled in exchange for $150 and a small amount of drugs.

Houston Firefighter Charged With Sexual Assault

There is a sick pervert in the Houston fire department.

A Houston firefighter was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a child after a routine traffic stop by Friendswood police early Wednesday. Sean E. Caruthers, 38, was pulled over at 1:36 a.m. in the 2600 block of South Friendswood Drive, police said.

Investigators said Caruthers had no proof of financial responsibility and was detained while officers interviewed a passenger in the car, a 14-year-old boy. The boy told officers he had been sexually assaulted by an older man. Caruthers was then taken into custody.

Police learned Caruthers and the boy had become acquainted on the Internet and had subsequently met in person several times. Investigators said Caruthers, who joined the Houston Fire Department in 1999, and the teen had been involved in at least four incidents of sexual activity.

Harris County Killer Gets Stay Of Execution

Boo hoo hoo; his death drug cocktail may be a little too strong. Do they expect us to shed any tears for this killer?

Two last-minute appeals filed today halted Texas' first planned execution after a nine-month hiatus.

The Court of Criminal Appeals granted the stay after attorneys for the Texas Defender Service took up Derrick Juan Sonnier's case in the last few days. The length of the stay has not been determined.

The 40-year-old was sentenced to die for the 1991 stabbing deaths of Melody Flowers, 27, and her 2-year-old son, Patrick.

The Texas Defender Service submitted an appeal arguing that the state recently made changes to its three-drug cocktail protocol. The changes have not been reviewed by any court. The second appeal also contends the lethal injection protocol violates the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. That contention has not been addressed by Texas courts after a Kentucky decision.

Polygamy Sect To Get Kids Back

Mothers to bear the brunt when no restrictions are placed on fathers:


A judge today ordered the immediate return of the more than 400 children taken from a polygamist sect's ranch, bringing a sudden end to one of the largest custody cases in U.S. history.

The order requires the parents to stay in Texas, to attend parenting classes and to allow the children to be examined as part of any ongoing child abuse investigation. But it does not put restrictions on the children's fathers, require that polygamy is renounced or that parents live away from the Yearning For Zion Ranch.

DNA Sample Taken From Sect Leader Warren Jeffs

Can the sample be used to find out how many of the children, that are in state custody, are Warren Jeffs? It would be ashame for the state to release those kids without knowing how many children he fathered by underaged girls.

Texas investigators collected DNA samples from jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, accusing him of sexual assault of a child stemming from so-called "spiritual" marriages with girls as young as 12 years old.

The samples were taken as part of an investigation into whether Jeffs sexually assaulted four girls at the Yearning For Zion Ranch in west Texas in January 2004 and July 2006. Placed on the FBI's most-wanted list in May 2006, he was arrested outside Las Vegas that August.

Sheriff Tommy Thomas Should Resign

How much more should we have to tolerate?

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office was slapped with a big civil rights lawsuit on Thursday. The five plaintiffs include the Ibarra brothers, a local business owner and a judge.

Business owner Loyd Henderson is one of the plaintiffs. His company’s own security camera captured an exchange between him and a Harris County sheriff’s deputy. The video shows Henderson behind the counter, reaching for his license when – without warning – the deputy grabs Henderson and shoves him against the counter and then onto the ground before handcuffing him.

Illegal Immigrants Are Welcome

We need help with dealing with illegal immigrants. The question is, will we get it?

A federal judge has denied a Dallas suburb's request to have its latest rule banning home and apartment rentals to illegal immigrants declared constitutional.

The decision issued Wednesday focused on a Farmers Branch ordinance that would require prospective tenants to get a rental license from the city. Farmers Branch would ask the federal government for the applicant's legal status before approving the rental license. It was set to take effect 15 days after a ruling on a similar ordinance currently being contested in court.

What's in a title: Newborn Sect Child

State to retain custody of newborn sect child

By now everyone knows when they see the word "sect", it is more news about the polygamy compound that was raided by federal authorities. Newborn now becomes the latest headline:

The state will retain custody of a newborn born to members of a West Texas polygamous sect, attorneys for two sides in the biggest custody battle in state history agreed today.

The baby, Richard Daniel Jessop, who was born on May 12, more than a month after authorities raided the ranch outside Eldorado where his parents lived, will remain in state protective custody along with his two older siblings. Their mother, Louisa Bradshaw Jessop, 22, will be permitted to live with her children, under state supervision, at a soon-to-be-chosen residence.

Outrage Over Quintero Sentence

We all should be expressing public outrage over Juan Leonardo Quintero not receiving a death sentence for killing officer Rodney Johnson. I am glad that one of the jury members has decided to speak out:

A juror who advocated executing Juan Leonardo Quintero for murdering a Houston policeman blasted her fellow jurors who sentenced the Mexican national to life without parole.

In an emotional telephone interview today, Cypress secretary Cindy Bradford, 44, called for a change in state law that requires only 10 jurors to agree to a life-without-parole sentence.

We should be ashamed of ourselves for sitting quietly by while this brutal, vicious cop killer's life is spared.

Polygamist Sect Kids May Soon Go Home

Thou hath no right to take the children may be the words the polygamist sect members could be singing right now:

A Texas appeals court ruled today that a San Angelo judge exceeded her discretion when she ordered the state to take custody of children from a polygamist sect.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the decision means the children will be returned right away to the custody of their parents, followers of a breakaway Mormon sect called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Maybe one day the criminal justice system will recognize that we all should be concerned with children's mental/emotional safety as well.

Joe Horn Case Goes Before Grand Jury

The case of Joe Horn has been a touchy subject for most Texans who believe that Joe Horn was well within his right to shoot two burglars who were burglarizing his neighbor's home. There are also others who believe that Mr. Horn overstepped his boundaries when he shot and killed the burglars. This controversy may once and for all be resolved:

Grand jurors next month will hear the case of a Pasadena man accused of fatally shooting two burglary suspects as they ran near his property.

Investigators have said Joe Horn admitted to killing Diego Ortiz and Hernando Riascos Torres after he reported seeing them break into a neighbor's home. Both were shot in the back with a 12-gauge shotgun, Pasadena police said.

Police Officer's Killer Gets Life

My mouth is still open as I write this because this is definitely a case where the death penalty should have been imposed:

Jurors decided Tuesday that Juan Leonardo Quintero should spend the rest of his life in prison, rather than go to death row, for Johnson's 2006 murder.

The decision came in the second day of deliberations for the jury, which convicted Quintero of capital murder on May 8 in the court of state District Judge Joan Campbell.


Somebody should have wiped the smile off the killer's face when the verdict was read.

Harris County Sheriff's Office Dirty Deed Under Scrutiny

Why were these innocent men put under surveillance? Well, some lawmakers are asking that question:

State Sen. Rodney Ellis and other lawmakers today said they have asked the Texas attorney general to investigate the Harris County Sheriff's Office's surveillance of two brothers who successfully sued the county and the Sheriff's Office.

Ellis, D-Houston, said the recent disclosure that sheriff's deputies were assigned to watch Erik and Sean Ibarra amounts to Gestapo tactics.

The Ibarra brothers filed a federal lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office and Harris County in 2004, alleging their civil rights were violated when deputies stormed their home, seized their film and arrested them after one of the brothers photographed a drug raid at a neighbor's home.

Although they were not charged with a crime, could it be that the sheriff's office was trying to frame them for a crime?

What Is A Sister-Wife To Do?

That may be the question the attorneys don't want answered:

Attorneys for ''disputed" minor girls taken from a West Texas ranch owned by fundamentalist Mormons say their clients have been taken from state foster homes to undergo videotaped law enforcement interviews without legal counsel.

They were asked to identify their children's father and to name their ''sister'' wives.

Who is your baby daddy will probably lead to other disputes.

Houston Doctor Admits To Murder Plot

This criminal is getting off lightly:

A former Houston physician serving a decade in federal prison for bilking millions from insurance companies admitted Thursday that he plotted to kill the lawyer who prosecuted the case.

Ira Klein is charged with orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot against his sixth wife and retaliating against the FBI agent and federal prosecutor who handled his health fraud criminal case.

Klein, 62, pleaded guilty Thursday to threatening to kill Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Louis. Under a plea deal, the doctor is required to serve 30 months in federal prison, though 18 of those will be rolled into his current term.

His intended victims are probably still suffering from emotional distress.

Polygamist Adult Fooled CPS

Some polygamist adults may be playing games with child protective services by pretending to be teens instead of adults.

Texas Child Protective Services conceded Tuesday that a pregnant teen taken from a polygamists' ranch in West Texas was an adult when she gave birth in San Marcos last month, casting some doubt on the statistics released by the agency that more than 20 underage girls were pregnant or had given birth.

The teenager, 18-year-old Pamela Jeffs, gave birth to a boy on April 29. CPS officials said she was one of 27 girls in a "disputed" minor category who once told CPS they were adults but later indicated they were under 18.

All 27 girls were among 463 children taken from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Yearning For Zion Ranch near Eldorado on April 4 and 5 after the state insisted all were either sexually or physically abused or at risk of abuse. Three weeks later, the children were scattered to foster care facilities throughout the state.

And now some are claiming to be have been adults all along.

I guess their rationale is: If you want a scandal, we will give you one and the joke will be on you.

Getting Away With Murder

This story is unbelievable. Can anyone tell me what the jury was thinking?

Former Houston firefighter Barry Crawford was convicted of murder after shooting a wrecker driver in 1998. Steven Ray Hardin was trying to tow Crawford's vehicle when he was gunned down.
A jury gave Crawford probation and 1,000 hours of community service.

Under Crawford’s probation requirements, he’s supposed to carry a picture of the man he killed in his wallet. He is also required to carry a sign, five times a year, that says “ I murdered a citizen in Humble."

Serving Up More Than Food

Restaurant vows to keep patrons happy by serving up a little sex on the side:

A Houston restaurant operator was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Monday for his role in a sex trafficking ring that lured women and girls here from Central America and Mexico and forced them into prostitution.

Walter Alexander Corea pleaded guilty in 2006 to one count of servitude-trafficking conspiracy and one count of smuggling conspiracy in connection with what officials believe to be one of the nation's largest smuggling operations.

As she sentenced him, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore said that she was imposing the maximum amount of time allowable under federal law for the convictions.

The restaurant was probably just a front for the sex trafficking.

Kelly Siegler Resigns

Good news for Harris County. Kelly Siegler has resigned from the district attorney's office. Now we can go about the business of finding truth in justice.

CIA Operative's Widow To Sue

Did rogue cops kill this man?

Houston attorney Randall Kallinen has been retained by Roland Carnaby’s widow. He said he expects to file a lawsuit against the Houston Police Department for engaging in that high-speed chase even though Carnaby posed no threat and had no criminal record. He alleges too that the officers involved in the fatal shooting had a checkered record.

Was Roland Carnaby A CIA Operative?

Look at who is claiming he was not a CIA operative:

His family claims he was a long time CIA contractor. Certificates and distinctions from what appear to be service all over the globe to prove it. HPD said he did have what appear to be federal credentials of some kind.

"There are credentials in the car that we have seized,” said HPD Capt. Steve Jett. “That was the indication that he worked for the CIA. They look authentic, but you can do a lot of things with a computer." To that end, Houston police said a CIA official would be meeting with investigators to review the identification as well as assist HPD with the case.

Officially, the FBI and CIA say that Carnaby was not an officer. A spokesman for the intelligence agency went as far as to make it a point that while the agency doesn’t normally confirm or deny a person’s employment with the CIA, “he was never a CIA officer.”

Can you really believe what the CIA is claiming? They definitely used this man for something.

Nursing Home Rates Lower In Houston

If you are looking for the cheapest nursing home for your loved one, then Houston may wind up being your first choice:

According to a survey released Tuesday by Genworth Financial Inc., Houston has been able to side-step the rising cost of nursing-home care over the past five years.

The Richmond, Va.-based financial security company's Cost of Care Survey found that the cost of nursing-home care in Houston today is down 1 percent compared with 2004. San Antonio, the most expensive city in Texas for this type of care, saw an increase of 34 percent, while in Austin costs have increased 20 percent and in Dallas they are up 14 percent.

Costs in the rest of Texas rose 24 percent over the five years, higher than the national average of 17 percent. When it comes to the cost of one year in a private nursing home, however, Texas is doing better than the nation as a whole.

Make sue you check out other things such as who owns the company; hint legals or illegals.

Student Stabbed By Assault Victim's Father

Father decides to take law into his own hands:

According to district spokesperson Regina Curry, around 8:30 this morning, a student of Wunsche High School was on campus with her parents. The parents wanted to speak to a school administrator about the alleged sexual assault of their daughter by another Wunsche student that happened over the weekend, at an off-campus location.

While the parents were waiting, they saw another student who they say was a witness to the attack. The father of the student who was assaulted stabbed the young man who was a witness. The student was stabbed three times, and taken to a hospital in The Woodlands.

Another case of vigilante justice in the state of Texas.

Hazing Misdemeanors, Uh

This activity seems a bit serious to be called misdemeanors:

Four former University of Texas fraternity leaders were charged with cultivating a dangerous culture of hazing that included shocking pledges with cattle prods, beating them and making them drink large amounts of alcohol.

Pledges were repeatedly shocked with the electric cattle prods, beaten with bamboo sticks and at least once kicked "field goal style" by the fraternity president. They also were made to drink large amounts of alcohol and perform manual labor.

What would have happened if one of those students died?

Beloved Doe Case Finally Solved

A heart wrenching case that has had police investigators baffled for the last five years has finally been solved.

The boy, dubbed " Beloved Doe," was believed to be between the ages of 3 and 6 and of Hispanic descent. Police say his mother, Ma Dana Martinez, 30, caused the boy's death.

She's now charged with felony murder—injury to a child by omission. Investigators say it was a call from the child’s father to police that led to Martinez’ arrest.

May his mother rot in hell.

Children from polygamy sect to reside in group homes

Some of the 437 children from a polygamist compound in arid West Texas soon may be bound for group homes in green, tree-shaded locations in Harris, Montgomery and Brazoria counties.

Buses carrying the first 114 children left San Angelo on Tuesday after state District Judge Barbara Walther issued a placement order telling officials to make every attempt to place sibling groups together.

The order listed facilities from the Panhandle to Southeast Texas, including Kidz Harbor in Brazoria County, Boys and Girls Country near Hockley, and Arrow Child and Family Ministries in Montgomery County.

Exec. with connections get light sentence for drug possession

A stripper dies in your home from a drug overdose--your ex-wife is married to the President's brother---wow, this sounds like the makings for a new reality show.

Robert Pace Andrews, 52, was placed on two years’ deferred adjudication on Monday. That means he will not have a conviction on his record if he successfully complies with the terms of his probation.

Andrews pleaded guilty to possession of less than a gram of cocaine. According to the terms of the plea agreement reached with prosecutors, he must pay a $2,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service, submit to drug and alcohol counseling and undergo random urinalysis.

Gotta love it!!!

Texas and the "me speak no english" problem

Have you ever walked into a store, in Houston, and was greeted by an employee who did not speak English? Well, the following may shed some light:

"We have a disease in Texas — our students do not know how to write and speak English well," Garner said. "We need to treat the disease aggressively.

"The skills need to build upon each other as the student progresses from one grade level to the next. Learning the basics of the English language will provide students with a strong foundation upon which to write sophisticated papers and upon which to base clear communication," she said.

The integration of grammar with writing has been taught in Texas for the past 15 years without much success, Garner said, citing statistics showing half of Texas college freshmen are in need of remedial education, compared to only 28 percent nationally. Teachers, parents and employers are appalled by the lack of speaking and writing skills, she said.

Now this is really pathetic.

Polygamy Compound Call May Have Been Hoax

Could the call concerning abuse at the Eldorado polygamy compound been a hoax? Well, there is a strong possibility.

Rozita Swinton, a 33-year-old black woman, was charged with falsely reporting abuse to authorities in connection with a separate incident in Colorado Springs two months ago. Texas authorities say Swinton is a person of interest in their search for the girl whose call prompted them to raid the Yearning for Zion Ranch.

Even if the call was a hoax, the religious sect should still be investigated.

Houston Opens Books To Online Scrutiny

This is such a good idea.

This week, purchasing officials unveiled a new Web site that allows anyone to easily get detailed information about city contracts and one-time purchases.

The online catalog is among several searchable features on the city's homepage, including restaurant inspections and campaign-finance records.

The digital disclosure follows a trend of governments using technology to open their books to Web visitors. Transparency advocates say that can save agencies money by automating requests for information from the public.

This will help eliminate fraud and waste. More cities should follow Houston's example.

Harris County Gearing Up For Executions

Feeling they have the green light to proceed, Harris County prosecutors pledged Wednesday to move forward in seeking execution dates for six local killers.

Among Harris County killers likely headed to the death house are Charles Douglas Raby, 38, who in October 1992 repeatedly stabbed 72-year-old Edna Mae Franklin, then cut her throat, after his rape attempt failed. Also facing execution is Jose Ernesto Medillin, 33, who in June 1993 kidnapped, raped and strangled Elizabeth Pena, 16, and Jennifer Ertman, 15, when they stumbled into a gang initiation rite at T.C. Jester Park.

After hearing the news, Gov. Rick Perry gave a hallelujah shout out to Texas' brand of justice.

Houston's Illegal Immigrant Problem

Never a dull day in Houston when it comes to illegal immigrants. If they are not crowding apartment complexes with 50 people living in one bedroom units they are working in businesses that support illegals. This latest news story comes as no surprise:

Federal agents are at a large Shipley Do-Nuts facility on Houston's north side, where they have arrested almost 30 workers suspected of being illegal immigrants.

Agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed a search warrant about 5 a.m. at the Shipley manufacturing process center in the 5200 block of North Main.

Harris County sheriff's deputies are assisting in the raid, which took place after a caravan of about 50 federal and county vehicles drove to the center.

Houstonians should also be concerned about their personal documents since identity theft runs rampant among illegals. I hear it over and over again. Enough is enough.

State Rep. Borris Miles Makes Headlines Again

What Is Wrong With Borris Miles?

State Rep. Borris Miles was indicted Monday on two counts of deadly conduct stemming from complaints he brandished a pistol and made threats at a pair of parties last December.

Miles, D-Houston, is expected to turn himself in this week, prosecutor Paul Doyle said. Bail has been set at $2,000. If convicted, each count of the Class A misdemeanor carries a punishment range of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Maybe he needs psychological help.

Sect Mothers Want Governor To Intervene

The mothers of children removed from a West Texas polygamist sect's ranch after an abuse allegation are appealing to Gov. Rick Perry for help.

In a letter sect members say was mailed to Perry on Saturday, the mothers from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claim some of their children have become sick and even required hospitalization.

Kelly Siegler's Backers Weigh Other Options

Ethical employees have no reason to run:

The takeover of their office by an outsider at the end of the year has some Harris County prosecutors weighing their options and considering other jobs including taking appointments as defense attorneys.

Both candidates have said the District Attorney's office is in need of a major shake-up, but said Thursday that no one has been "targeted" for termination.

However, some prosecutors who actively worked on Assistant District Attorney Kelly Siegler's failed campaign worry that their jobs putting criminals behind bars are in jeopardy because they backed the wrong candidate.

Any new incumbent would want to keep the best. It is only those who possibly feel they can't measure up have a need to escape.

Old Farts Abusing Young Girls

Straight from the Chron:

Authorities suspect that adult men belonging to a West Texas polygamist sect used beds inside their temple to have sex with underage girls, court records released Wednesday indicate.

Investigators who conducted an initial raid last week of the desert compound known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado found beds inside the temple. On one unmade bed, they discovered a long strand of hair they believe belonged to a female, the records stated.

The allegations were released in an affidavit that detailed the suspected sexual abuse of underage girls at the compound belonging to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Kidnapper Of 7 Year Old Charged

They caught the scumbag:

Kenneth Stewart was charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child in the abduction of a 7-year-old from a school bust stop in northeast Harris County.

One more sicko off the street.

Senator's Stalker Indicted

A Weatherford man has been indicted for allegedly stalking U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. A Dallas County grand jury indicted 57-year-old Michael Ralph Kleysteuber, who remained jailed Tuesday on $5 million bond.

A warrant says Kleysteuber was arrested March 21 outside the Dallas home of Hutchison and her husband, Ray. Kleysteuber was indicted Monday on a charge of felony stalking, a third-degree felony. If convicted, Kleysteuber faces up to 10 years in prison.

Charter Schools Owe Texas $26 Million

Will the state of Texas collect from these deadbeat schools?

The Texas Education Agency, which oversees public education in the state, is working to recover $17 million of the $26 million from nearly half of the charters now operating in Texas. TEA records show that 20 schools went out of business before the state could recover its money, leaving taxpayers holding a $9 million bag of debt.

These charters collected state funds either by inflating the number of students in their classrooms or by making accounting mistakes.

If they collected state funds by inflating student numbers, then they should face criminal charges. If it was the result of an accounting mistake, they should face civil charges. Either way, the state should not be left holding the bag.

Houston Touts Its Own Horn

Discovery Green, the 12-acre, $122 million park that opens April 13, represents Houston's changing self-image as its leaders embrace the green qualities that so often impress visitors arriving by air for the first time.

Visitors can sprawl in the grass for a concert, race model boats or splash in an interactive fountain. Runners can try out the jogging path while more sedate visitors can read a magazine in a small library or have a drink at The Grove restaurant.

The park is attracting development that's bringing energy to east downtown. And the city's $41 million investment in Discovery Green, coupled with twice that sum in private funding, has set a standard for parks that will influence public officials and donors for generations, park advocates say.

Toll Road Cameras Upgraded To Help Catch Criminals

Harris County Toll Road Authority cameras are now on the lookout for more than just those drivers who blow through EZ Tag lanes without paying. County authorities promise new, upgraded cameras can help catch murderers and other violent criminals.

The cameras have the capability to search their databases and issue alerts to county dispatchers when a wanted criminal crosses their lenses.

The system, which has been operating for about a month, has proved so promising that the Houston Police Department wants a piece of the action. Harris County leaders next week will consider an agreement that would include the HPD in the county system at no cost.

Yolanda Adams Surrenders Files To IRS

Houston gospel singer Yolanda Adams has turned her financial records over to Internal Revenue Service investigators, prompting the government to withdraw its request for a judge to intervene.

The IRS requested details about a pair of million-dollar mortgage loan applications and sought more information about the singer's endorsements and royalties as well as music companies and foundations with which she is affiliated.

The Meaning Of 'Honest Services'

What does 'honest services' really mean? That is the question convicted Enron CEO, Jeff Skilling would like answered.

Prosecutors used the honest services theory to convict Skilling of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. While an instruction to the jury linked only 12 counts of securities fraud to that conspiracy count, Petrocelli argued that all 19 counts on which he was convicted — including a count of insider trading and five counts of lying to auditors — should be thrown out because the theory taints everything.

Do you think Jeff Skilling's conviction should be overturned?

Jeff Skilling Could Win His Appeal

Yes, it is true. Jeff Skilling of the Enron debacle, could wind up being a free man. His conviction could be thrown out based on the so called "honest services" theory:

An appeals panel rejected the "honest services" theory prosecutors used in gaining convictions against participants in Enron's sale of three barge-mounted power plants, which the government alleged was a disguised loan.

The 2-1 ruling said that the "honest services" issue didn't apply because the defendants didn't steal, embezzle or otherwise take money or property, and their actions were aligned with corporate goals.

It will be interesting to see how this all play out in court.

Supreme Court Rejects Killers' Appeals

President Bush tried to intervene but it got him nowhere. The following was the only just decision that could have been made:

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the appeals of seven Mexican-born prisoners condemned to die in Texas, including two who had committed murders in Houston in the 1990s.

The action followed a high court ruling last week in which the justices rebuffed President Bush for directing the state of Texas to abide by a world court ruling and rehear the case of another Mexican on death row.

The prisoner, Jose Medellin, had been convicted of the 1993 rape-murders of two Houston teenagers — Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16 — who had stumbled upon a gang initiation.

Mexico, which opposes the death penalty, sued the United States in the International Court of Justice in the Hague on behalf of some 50 Mexican citizens, including Medellin, on death rows in the United States.

The Mexicans said American officials violated the 1963 Vienna Convention when they failed to allow the citizens of another country access to its representatives after arrest. The world court agreed.

But in a 6-3 ruling on March 25, the Supreme Court said the president overstepped his bounds when he ordered states in a memo to abide by the world court's ruling. The U.S. court said a president must consult Congress before issuing an order based on a treaty.

May they rot in hell for what they did.

Who Has More Delegates?

Barack Obama emerged with a majority of the state's at-large presidential nominating delegates and possibly a majority of all Texas delegates.

But Hillary Rodham Clinton's supporters vowed Sunday to continue the fight for Texas delegates all the way to this summer's state party convention, promising to cut his lead in delegates.

The actual number of delegates awarded to Obama and Clinton will not be official until the state party convention meets June 5-7 in Austin. The results of Saturday's regional conventions were still being tallied Sunday, but Obama was winning about 58 percent of the delegates to the state convention.

Chuck Rosenthal Found In Contempt Of Court

It seems that ole Chucky Boy got off lightly.

A federal judge on Friday ordered former Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal to pay $18,900 in sanctions after finding him in contempt of court for deleting more than 2,500 e-mails that had been subpoenaed for a federal civil rights lawsuit.

Additionally, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt determined Scott Durfee, general counsel for the district attorney's office, was jointly responsible for paying $5,000 of that, finding Durfee failed to appropriately advise Rosenthal on how to comply with the subpoena.

Both Rosenthal and Durfee have until April 30 to pay their respective fines.

Some people didn't get off so easily when he was DA.

Chuck Rosenthal's Ex-secretary Quits

Kerry Stevens decides to do IT HER WAY:


Chuck Rosenthal's former secretary has resigned rather than report to the new job to which she was assigned by his replacement.

Kerry Stevens, who became widely known as the object of Rosenthal's desire following the release of hundreds of his private e-mails, told the district attorney's office that she was retiring effective Monday. She has been on authorized leave since she was informed she would be reassigned to the grand jury division.

Why leave her fate in someone else's hands?????

Priscilla Slade Takes Plea Deal

Priscilla Slade will not be facing prison after all. She will avoid a prison sentence if she pays back $127,672.18.

In addition to repaying the money, Slade will also be given 10 years of deferred adjudication in exchange for the "no contest" plea. That means the finding of guilt will not be on her record if she completes probation. If she violates probation, the conviction would be put on her record and she could be sentenced to up to life in prison.

It seems that Priscilla was able to work out a very sweet deal for herself considering the amount of money she was accused of stealing.

Sickle Cell Association Theft

Some crimes are just sickening:

A former executive director for the Sickle Cell Association of the Texas Gulf Coast was formally sentenced Tuesday after being convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from the nonprofit agency.

Kenneth Garrett Beatty, 42, was placed on 10 years' probation and ordered to serve six months in the Harris County Jail. A jury in state District Judge Susan Brown's court convicted Beatty last week of a lesser offense of third-degree felony theft, rejecting the original charge — theft of more than $200,000 — which could have landed Beatty in prison for life.

A second defendant charged in the case, Willie Carlean Cruse, 49, of Crosby, who previously served as the agency's financial director, has already pleaded guilty to theft of more than $200,000 and will be sentenced by Brown next month.

How low can one stoop?

Was He Insane?

A jury will resume deliberations Tuesday on whether Joshua Royce Mauldin was insane when he placed his infant daughter in a microwave oven.

The eight-woman, four-man jury deliberated for 3½ hours Monday after hearing closing arguments. Mauldin is accused of placing his daughter in the oven in what the defense says was a fit of insanity.

The prosecution told jurors that Mauldin put his daughter in the microwave because the infant was the only thing connecting him to a wife he wanted to leave.

Hooray For Texas

WASHINGTON — Texas corralled $2.2 billion in special projects from the federal government this year, including $294,000 for a Houston zoo program and $22 million for an Army gymnasium near El Paso.

DA Fights Autopsy Release

Harris County prosecutors are trying to block the release of Diego Ortiz' autopsy.

Ortiz and Hernando Torres were shot and killed, after Joe Horn says he saw them break into a neighbor's house.

Pasadena police have said both men were shot in the back. Their autopsies were sent to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

But county officials don't want it made public, saying it's part of a pending criminal investigation. So far, no charges have been filed against Mr. Horn.

Nooses On The Loose

Another sick and twisted individual found the need to create a noose:

A Houston Fire Department cadet was dismissed from the academy after being accused of making and displaying a noose during a training class last month, authorities said.

The cadet, whose identity was not released, made the noose and then tied it around a Gatorade bottle during a class in February, said HFD Executive Assistant Chief Rick Flanagan.

It is too bad that people like this suffer from such low self esteem that they try to encourage hatred.

Houston Murder Conviction Tossed

The state Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday tossed out the sentence of a Houston man convicted of murder and drug dealing six years ago, saying he had ineffective legal assistance.

Aaron James Hall, 32, was convicted of murder in 2002 and sentenced to 65 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Eric Alvarez, 25, during what prosecutors said was a drug deal gone bad.

He also was convicted of conspiracy to deliver more than 400 grams of cocaine and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

But the appeals court agreed with the trial court that his attorney allowed information about his juvenile record to be used to enhance his possible sentences when it should not have been permitted. The appeals court said new sentences are needed for both convictions.

Boxer Indicted In Red Cross Theft Scheme

Harris County prosecutors on Tuesday issued an indictment in a second case involving money funneled from the Red Cross to youth enrichment camps in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The indictment charges Houstonian and former world champion boxer Reggie Johnson with theft, accusing him of receiving more than $120,000 in grant money for boxing camps that were scheduled for last summer but never materialized.

Deputy Constable Indicted And Fired After Child Sexual Assault

A Precinct 4 deputy constable has been fired after a Harris County grand jury indicted him on a sexual assault charge, authorities said.

Michael Serges, 38, was indicted on March 5 and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14. After the indictment, Serges was immediately terminated from the Precinct 4 Constable's Office, said Assistant Chief Deputy Larry Shiflet.

'Smart' Drugs Target Tumors

A smart drug is a drug developed in Houston that uses a turtle-shell-like shield to deliver the medication past the body's defenses. In the second stage, particles are released that allow the drug to bust inside the tumor.

Drugs capable of killing cancer cells are common. The trick lies in delivering the right drug to the cancer and keeping it intact. Typically, a cancer drug comes almost immediately under attack once it plunges into the bloodstream. Sensing invaders, tiny proteins descend upon particles of the drug to destroy them. Those that survive for long soon run into cells called macrophages — Greek for "big eaters" — that feast upon foreign intruders.

There are no traffic signs or magic beacons in the body's 60,000 miles of blood vessels to direct any particles that evade these defenders toward the nearest tumor.

Any drug that reaches a cancerous growth must swim against the blood flow to the edge of the tumor, where a lining of cells acts like bouncers to keep invaders out. If able to sneak past the lining, the drug must still identify the harmful cells within a tumor and somehow invade their nuclei before finally delivering a blow for good health.

Scientists have worked for decades to develop drugs for a host of diseases that can bypass these biological barriers through a variety of tricks.

Texas Delegates Still Looming

They called the Democratic primaries and caucuses the "Texas two-step," but it is more like a long waltz as Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton continue the fight for the state's presidential nominating delegates.

While Clinton won the March 4 primary, Obama gained a projected 37-30 lead in delegates allocated by the precinct caucuses held later that evening. Holding that lead will depend on whether Obama or Clinton can get supporters to turn out again March 29 for about 260 regional conventions around Texas.

Jeff Skilling Cries Foul

Former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling says federal prosecutors should lose their biggest catch in the scandal that felled the company because they hid crucial evidence that would have helped him during his trial two years ago.

In an appeals court filing made public Friday, Skilling's lead lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, alleged that the government shored up its case by hiding statements from former finance chief Andrew Fastow that would have bolstered Skilling's defense.

Prosecutors are required by law to give defense lawyers evidence or information deemed favorable to the defendant.

Petrocelli alleges in the filing that more than 400 pages of notes taken by FBI agents during numerous interviews with Fastow show that some of his initial statements to authorities were not as damning as those in his testimony during Skilling's 2006 trial.

Fighting Crime In SW Houston

The Department of Justice has awarded the City of Houston a $1 million dollar grant to fight crime in Southwest Houston. The name of the program makes you think: Weed and Seed Program; sort of like a play on words.

The grant will be doled out over the next five years with half going toward police activities — primarily overtime pay for officers. The rest will fund programs to assist area residents, like job training and child care, officials said.

Southwest Grounds 38 Jets

Southwest Airlines grounded 38 jets Wednesday after finding what it called an "ambiguity" in their inspection maintenance records.

The Dallas-based carrier, which runs about 80 percent of the traffic out of Houston's Hobby Airport, also indicated more interruptions could be coming if the need arises during its own investigation into plane inspections.

The airline this week suspended three workers after getting hit with a record $10.2 million proposed fine by the Federal Aviation Administration because of inadequate inspections for fuselage cracks. It also hired an outside investigator.

Riot Breaks Out At Federal Detention Center

A riot broke out on the sixth floor of the federal detention center in downtown Houston Tuesday night. As many as 80 federal inmates were involved in a riot at the federal detention facility in downtown Houston.

The detention center, which houses both male and female federal inmates, is located at 1200 Texas, just blocks from Minute Maid Park. It is an administrative facility housing pretrial and holdover inmates.

Should Wiggins Have To Testify In Priscilla Slade's Trial?

A judge Monday postponed ruling on whether ousted TSU President Priscilla Slade's former CFO Quintin Wiggins will have to testify in her upcoming retrial for allegedly spending more than $500,000 to finance her lifestyle.

State District Judge Brock Thomas granted prosecutors' request to compel Bruce Wilson, TSU's former vice president of purchasing, to testify.

Attorneys for Wiggins argued he shouldn't have to testify while he appeals his May conviction for his role in the spending scandal that rocked the university.

Priest Loses Animal Slaughter Ban Lawsuit

A federal judge on Monday ruled against a Santeria priest who challenged an animal slaughter ban on the grounds it interfered with his right to perform religious sacrifices at his Euless home. Jose Merced said he may appeal the ruling.

At the end of the one-day trial, U.S. District Judge John McBryde said Euless was protecting the public's health by banning animal slaughtering in the city limits but that Merced could do the rituals elsewhere.

Plane Crashes In East Texas

The pilot of a single-engine plane is dead after crashing in a pasture behind an elementary school in East Texas.

Another passenger aboard the Cessna 172 was seriously injured Saturday after the crash that destroyed the plane, said Roland Herwig, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Benzene Levels Increases In Houston

Mayor Bill White challenged the area's chemical industry to reduce its emissions of toxic chemicals such as benzene four months ago and promised punitive measures if it failed to do so.

Since then, levels of the carcinogen benzene in the Houston region's air haven't fallen or even remained flat; they've gone up, the city says.

According to data collected by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and analyzed by the city of Houston, 13 air monitors that track benzene south and east of downtown, from Lake Jackson to Wallisville, saw increases in the amount of time that benzene concentrations exceeded healthy levels.

Justice Department Investigates Harris County Jail

The Harris County Jail is under investigation by the Department of Justice civil rights division. In a letter sent to Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Friday, the department said the probe would determine whether the jail is operating under unlawful conditions.

If the Justice investigation finds violations, federal officials will suggest ways to improve jail conditions. If those recommendations are not met, federal law allows the attorney general to sue the county.

Large Fine Possible for Southwest Airlines

The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it will seek a record $10.2 million fine against Southwest Airlines for flying 46 jets without doing required fuselage inspections.

The Dallas-based airline, which carries more than 80 percent of the passengers who move through Houston's Hobby Airport, found cracks on six of those planes once the overdue inspections were conducted, the FAA said.

IRS Investigates Yolanda Adams

Houston gospel singer and radio host Yolanda Adams is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.

The agency has asked a federal judge to force the entertainer to turn over documents after she failed to show up for an appointment last month to explain her financial affairs. The agency is trying to determine her tax liability and how to collect on the debt.

New Chief of Staff at Texas Youth Commission

Alphonso Royal, a senior policy adviser in Gov. Rick Perry's office has been named chief of staff of the troubled Texas Youth Commission, officials said.

A scandal involving the TYC erupted last year when two West Texas State School administrators were accused of sexually assaulting imprisoned male youth, and state-level commission officials were accused of weakly addressing the allegations.

Candidates Counting On Texas Turnout

Texans probably will vote in record numbers today in the state's first presidential primary election that matters since 1988.

Texas' March primary usually comes after the Democratic and Republican nominees have been sewn up. This year, Democrat Barack Obama is counting on a Texas victory to widen his lead over Hillary Rodham Clinton and perhaps force her out of the race. Clinton is betting that winning the second-largest U.S. state will spur a comeback.

Burglar Back In New Orleans

A burglar, who committed crimes in Houston, is back in New Orleans. After the burglar committed his crimes, he fled to Federal Way, Washington. After embarking on a reign of terror in Washington State, the burglar has now return to New Orleans.

Please be on the lookout for this burglar because he is also a sociopath.

Houston Exec Faces Drug Charges

A Houston oil industry executive, who achieved fleeting notoriety for his part in a paternity dispute involving one of President Bush's brothers, has been charged with drug possession after a young woman died from an overdose of cocaine she ingested at his Galleria-area townhome.

Robert Pace Andrews, 52, is charged with possession of a controlled substance, a state jail felony offense. He is in Beijing on business and has not yet been arrested, according to his lawyer. Andrews faces up to two years in jail if convicted.

Clara Harris Still Owes Defense Attorney

Jurors on Friday found that defense attorney George Parnham did not overcharge or abuse the attorney-client privilege during the well-publicized 2003 murder case of Clara Harris.

Harris, the Friendswood dentist who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for running over her husband, still owes Parnham $70,250 for expenses arising from the murder trial, the jury decided. She also must pay $389,443 for Parnham's legal representation during a civil trial.

Texas Praised for Prison Reform

Long known for its tough-on-crime image, Texas on Thursday was hailed nationally for a package of reforms designed to curb its wildly growing prison population. But even as lawmakers were lauded for innovative programs for drug and alcohol abusers, Texas pushed past California to become the nation's leader in putting people behind bars.

Texas, said the new Pew Center on the States report, had 171,790 prisoners on Jan. 1 — down 326 inmates from Dec. 31, 2006. California, which long had led the nation in inmates, reduced its prison rolls by 4,068 during that period.

Nationwide, the study found one in every 100 adults is locked up in state and federal prisons or local jails. Of the states with the largest prison systems — those with 50,000 or more inmates — Texas, California, New York and Michigan reduced their offender populations in the past year.

Houston Police Searching For Serial Rapist

The Houston Police Department's Sex Crimes unit are looking for a serial rapist who has committed at least four sexual assaults on Houston’s southwest side. The assaults began Sept. 27, 2007.

The suspect is described as a black male with a medium to dark complexion. They believe he is 24-30 years old and 150-180 pounds. He has a slender build.

Police say during the attacks he wore a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. In one case, he wore a blue shirt, dark sweatpants and a beanie cap.

Poll Results

The following are the results of a recent poll here in Houston:

Among self-described white voters, Clinton holds an 11-point lead, 49 to 38 percent. She is also ahead among Hispanics, 63 to 30 percent. Among African Americans, Obama holds a commanding lead: 72 to 17 percent.

On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain is well ahead of former Governor Mike Huckabee, 59 to 29 percent. However, Huckabee and McCain are nearly tied among Texans who describe themselves as evangelical Christians, with McCain pulling ahead slightly – 47 to 42 percent.

L.A. Firms to get share of Houston Dynamos

Two Los Angeles firms anxious to focus on business opportunities in the Hispanic market have agreed to purchase 50 percent of the Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer team from its parent company, Anschutz Entertainment Group.

Sources close to the deal confirmed Monday that private equity firm Brener International Group LLC and Golden Boy Promotions Inc., headed by professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya, will each pick up 25 percent of the team.

Former Dallas DA Arranged for JFK Files to be given to Filmmakers

DALLAS — Longtime Dallas District Attorney Henry Wade agreed to give filmmakers exclusive access to legal documents connected to the assassination of President Kennedy, including some kept from the public for another four decades.

The Dallas Morning News reported in Sunday editions that new details about Wade's involvement in a movie venture about the JFK assassination and the trial of Jack Ruby were contained in long-hidden files.

Current Dallas County DA Craig Watkins announced discovery of the files at a news conference last Monday.

TSU Wants To Change School's Image

Texas Southern University's new president wants to end the school's long-standing practice of accepting all applicants, no matter their academic background, saying the policy contributes to its alarmingly low graduation rate.

President John Rudley said the change is necessary to remake the state's largest historically black university, which has been on the ropes recently because of management missteps, sliding enrollment and bad press.

Optimism Increases For Obama In Texas

Democrat Barack Obama's first foray into South Texas on Friday showed signs that rival Hillary Rodham Clinton may win the region's popular vote but that he may break even with her in securing delegates for the presidential nomination.

While Obama's noontime crowd of about 3,000 at the University of Texas-Pan American was mostly made up of students who showed little enthusiasm, Obama drew about 6,000 supporters to the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi.

Another troubling sign for Clinton's South Texas hopes is that one of her main South Texas supporters, state Rep. Aaron Peña of Edinburg, appeared backstage at Obama's Pan American event and told a local news organization that Clinton would win the popular vote but Obama was strong in the fight for delegates.

Nai Xin Xue Sighted In Houston

The first confirmed sighting of fugitive Nai Xin Xue has him in Houston, Texas - 2500 kilometres away from where he disappeared into Los Angeles' Chinatown.

US Marshals are now in Houston hunting Xue, who has been on the run since September 13, after allegedly killed An An Liu in Auckland and dumping their child Qian Xun Xue - nicknamed Pumpkin - in Melbourne on his way to the United States.

Brothers' Suit against Harris County To Proceed

A federal jury is being summoned back to court this morning to hear opening statements in a civil lawsuit filed by two brothers who claim that Harris County sheriff's deputies stormed their home without probable cause and wrongfully arrested them.

The lawsuit, filed by Sean Carlos Ibarra, 37, and Erik Adam Ibarra, 28, exposed embarrassing but unrelated e-mails sent and received by former Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal, who resigned Friday.

The Ibarras are suing Sheriff Tommy Thomas, four deputies involved in their arrests and Harris County, alleging their civil rights were violated when the deputies arrested them and destroyed film in their camera after one of them photographed an officer at a drug raid taking place at their next-door neighbor's house.

Schoolteacher faces sexual assault charges

A male teacher at a north Houston Christian academy is charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student, and Houston police say the man was known for touching, hugging, kissing and even laying his head in female students' laps.

Christopher Evans, 26, a former New Heights Christian Academy teacher, faces two counts of sexual assault and one of indecency with a child. New Heights Principal Richard Walters, who is Evans' father-in-law, said he did not know Evans had been arrested and already posted $90,000 in bonds on the charges Monday. Walters acknowledged, however, turning over school records relating to Evans to police.

Where Is Leeloo?

Someone broke into Melissa Matsu's home and stole her poodle, Leeloo. As an animal lover myself, I know how Mrs. Matsu feel. If anyone knows where Leeloo is, please make sure the poodle is returned to her family. The family reside in Sugarland, Texas.


Leeloo weighs 11 pounds and she's about 18 months old. She is spayed, a mix of white and off-white and not professionally groomed. She was wearing a pink collar with tags and has a microchip. If you know anything about the case, please e-mail: MelissaMatsu@gmail.com.

New Offender Law Groups Teens With Adults

Texas officials may soon begin ignoring a new federal sex offender law that would require some juveniles as young as 14 to register on a national Web site.

A federal community notification act approved by Congress and signed by President Bush is so sweeping, it's raising concern among even those who traditionally have pushed for greater public sex offender disclosure.

Scores of prosecutors, victims' rights advocates and normally get-tough lawmakers say provisions of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 are Draconian and costly and may end up harming the victims they're supposed to protect.

Houston Chronicle Endorses Obama, McCain

The Houston Chronicle has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as its choice for the Democratic presidential candidate, citing his "message of inclusion and cooperation." The newspaper in the nation's fourth largest city also endorsed Arizona Sen. John McCain for the Republican nomination.

In its endorsement, the Chronicle said there was not much to separate Obama and his opponent, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, as both have similar views on such issues as ending the war in Iraq by withdrawing combat troops and pressing efforts to providing all Americans with health insurance.

"However, there is a decisive difference. Obama vows to reach out to independents and Republicans with a message of inclusion and cooperation," the Chronicle said. "He offers a historic opportunity to elevate national political dialogue to a higher ground. Those who insist on vitriol and obstructionism would be marginalized."

The newspaper said Obama is "best-qualified by life experience, skill and temperament to be the standard bearer for his party."

Chuck Rosenthal Resigns

Chuck Rosenthal stepped down as Harris County district attorney Friday after six weeks of mounting pressure and intense scrutiny brought by the exposure of embarrassing e-mails that prompted calls for his resignation from all but his closest allies.

His announcement came just hours after his political enemy, attorney Lloyd Kelley, filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Rosenthal from office on the grounds of official misconduct, incompetency or intoxication.

Houstonian claims he is JFK's Lovechild

A Houston businessman now living in Canada claims he's President John F. Kennedy's love child — and he wants the Kennedy clan to help him prove it.

Jack Worthington, 46, who bears a striking resemblance to the assassinated leader, has appealed to the Kennedys to provide DNA from the former president or from males directly related to JFK's father, Joe Kennedy.

Houston sex toy sellers hail court victory

Houston's adult bookstore backers Wednesday hailed a federal court's decision to overturn a 35-year-old state law that banned promotion or sale of sex toys. But the decision won't go into effect until the court issues its mandate in early March — long after the industry's lucrative pre-Valentine's Day season.

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law violates the privacy protections of the 14th Amendment.

Study Reveals health risks living near Refineries

New research just completed says people living near big chemical refineries in the Houston area could in fact be facing a higher risk of stress-related illnesses. At the University of Texas in Galveston, researchers have just completed work on a one-of-kind study.

They were able to compare the health of Texas City residents before and after the 2005 explosion. Before the explosion, researchers already had begun work to study the stress of living next to refineries. They’d surveyed 550 residents about their ailments and had taken samples of their blood. Then came the big explosion, so they redid everything. The new round of in-depth interviews showed people complained of far more stress-related ailments after the explosion.

And blood samples indicated that people who simply lived within about a mile of the plant had correspondingly higher levels of the chemical cortisol, which the body releases when stressed-out.

Results Roundup

Bois d'Arc Energy and PROS Holdings both reported fourth-quarter and annual results Monday.

* Bois d'Arc Energy Inc. reported net income of $28.1 million, or 42 cents a share, on revenue of $100.2 million for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2007, compared with net income of $11.9 million, or 18 cents a share, on revenue of $66.3 million for the same quarter in 2006.

The Houston-based independent oil and gas exploration and production company (NYSE: BDE) attributed the increase in profit to production growth and improved oil and gas prices.

For the year, net income was $78.7 million, or $1.17 a share, on revenue of $355.5 million, compared with net income of $55 million, or 84 cents a share, on revenue of $254.7 million in 2006.

* PROS Holdings Inc. reported net income of $3.5 million, or 13 cents a share, on record revenue of $17.8 million for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, compared with net income of $2.3 million, or 11 cents a share, on revenue of $13.2 million in the same quarter last year.

For the year, net income for the Houston-based provider of pricing and revenue optimization science and software (NYSE: PRO) was $10.5 million, or 45 cents a share, on revenue of $62.1 million, compared with net income of $7 million, or 32 cents a share, on revenue of $46 million in 2006.

Air Force officer Accused of crimes at Texas Base

An Air Force colonel is accused of rape, forcing himself on or sexually harassing two other women, stealing about $10,000 and other crimes — all while he was a training commander at Sheppard Air Force Base.

Col. Samuel Lofton III was to appear Monday at an Article 32 hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury, to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the case to a court-martial.

Doubt Is Cast On McNamee's Story

A lawyer for Roger Clemens said Saturday the pitcher can prove he didn't attend a June 1998 party at Jose Canseco's home described by Brian McNamee in the Mitchell Report.

According to McNamee, Clemens first raised the subject of steroids not long after McNamee saw Canseco and Clemens meeting during the party.

Clemens' side has turned over evidence to congressional investigators, including an affidavit from Canseco, to support that the pitcher wasn't present at Canseco's home that day, the attorney, Rusty Hardin, said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press.

Hardin said video footage from telecasts of baseball games around the time of the party also were given to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In the telecasts, Hardin said, TV announcers can be heard discussing Canseco's party and noting that Clemens wasn't there.

Are Brian McNamee Allegations True?

Brian McNamee told congressional investigators he injected Roger Clemens’ wife with human growth hormone as she prepared for a Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition photo session five years ago, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

McNamee testified during his Capitol Hill deposition on Thursday that he injected Debbie Clemens at her husband’s direction, the News said on its Web site, citing an unidentified Washington source.

The pitcher was in Washington to meet with congressmen for a second straight day, but his lawyer didn't waste any time responding.

Chuck Rosenthal's Legal Bills

Have you ever wondered who was paying DA's Chuck Rosenthal's legal bills for his contempt charges? Well, wonder no more; it's you.

District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal has hired former U.S. Attorney Ron Woods to represent him while the Texas attorney general investigates whether Rosenthal broke the law by using his county computer for political campaigning.

County taxpayers, meanwhile, are paying for other lawyers to defend Rosenthal from an effort to have him held in criminal contempt for deleting e-mail that had been subpoenaed for a civil lawsuit.

Woods' confirmation that he is now working for Rosenthal comes almost a week after attorneys for the county's top prosecutor halted a contempt hearing in which Rosenthal admitted making erroneous statements in a sworn affidavit about deleting several hundred e-mails.

What do you think about the taxpayers paying for Chuck Rosenthal's defense?

Kroger Offers Low Cost Generics

The grocery store chain Kroger has decided to offer low cost prescription drugs to its customers:

Kroger rolled out a program on Wednesday across the Southwest, including its 102 area stores with pharmacies, offering 30-day supplies of 300 generic medicines for $4. Generic versions of oral contraceptives Ortho Cyclen and Ortho Tri Cyclen, as well as one fertility drug, will cost $9.

Now Kroger will be more like Wal-mart and others in this highly competitive field of offering the lowest cost on prescription drugs.

Houston Agency Administer Housing Assistance

A small, Houston-based agency with 25 employees has been chosen to administer housing assistance for about 11,000 families around the country who were displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Harris County Housing Authority will pay rent and provide social services to about 6,000 families in the Houston area, 4,000 in New Orleans and neighboring St. Bernard Parish and about 1,000 more families in 37 states, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials said Tuesday.

This represents more than one-third of the roughly 30,000 families enrolled nationally in HUD's Disaster Housing Assistance Program, or DHAP.

The HUD program, which began Dec. 1, will require participating families to make gradually escalating payments toward their rent starting in March until the program ends in March 2009. It will provide case management and counseling services to help evacuees find jobs and take other steps to rebuild their lives.

Siegler Wants Chuck Rosenthal To Resign

Kelly Siegler, an assistant prosecutor, has joined the go Chuck go bandwagon. Although she hopes to replace Chuck Rosenthal, she has recognized that he is bad for the district attorney's office. Here are some recent statements she made about old "Chucky Boy":

Rosenthal “has made a lot of serious mistakes. Everybody here knows that; everybody in my office knows that,”. It's sad. It's tragic. And it's time for Chuck to resign.

“He's also my friend. He's not a bad man. He needs to go.”

“But do you really think that Chuck Rosenthal is me?” she asked. “And if you could only know how many conversations I have had with him to try to get him to do things differently or to listen. The problem is, Chuck quit listening to all of us a long time ago.”

Perhaps the only thing Chuck Rosenthal would hear is being found guilty for tampering with evidence and perjury. Sometimes it takes a tough strong message of impending prison time to get someone like him to listen.

Let's Pray For Texas Investigators Who Will Question The 'Baby Killer'

Every time I hear or read about this story, it just makes me sick to my stomach. I cannot fathom the psyche of an individual who would kill their own infant son. My prayers are with those Texas investigators who will question Travis Mullis in Philadelphia. After all, they re human, and it will be such a daunting task to talk to this man:

Mullis, 21, known as “T.J.,” surrendered to Philadelphia police Friday, telling them he placed the 3-month-old baby on the ground and then stomped on his head three or four times until he felt the skull collapsing, Trevino said.

Mullis has been charged with capital murder in Galveston and his bond has been set at $1 million. He also has a felony charge out of nearby Brazoria County of enticing a child. Alvin police are investigating an allegation that Mullis took an 8-year-old girl from her bed in January, took her to a school or park and asked her to remove her pants.

I hope no one else was involved with this horrendous murder and my prayers go out to this precious child's family. May he rest in peace.

Texas Illegal Immigrant Problem

There is a huge number of illegal immigrants in the state of Texas. This large influx is due to tougher laws to curb illegal immigration in Oklahoma and Arizona.

The Oklahoma statute, which took effect in November, makes it a crime to transport, harbor or hire illegal immigrants. Effective Jan. 1, the Arizona law suspends the business license of employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers. On a second offense, the license is revoked.

If Texas enacted tougher laws, I am sure they would see illegal immigrants fleeing Texas.

Chuck Rosenthal Admits To Deleting Email Messages

The embattled Harris County district attorney admitted before a federal judge here Friday that in violation of two subpoenas and a court order, he deleted as many as 3,500 e-mail messages sought in a civil rights lawsuit. He said he thought the messages were available on backup files.

Appearing at a contempt hearing in Federal District Court, the district attorney, Charles A. Rosenthal Jr., appeared to open himself to possible perjury charges by acknowledging that in earlier sworn testimony he had provided false information about how he deleted some messages. He called his earlier testimony “an error.”

What Will Happen To Chuck Rosenthal?

Harris County District Attorney, Chuck Rosenthal could be fined or jailed if U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt finds him in contempt of court. He did not testify Thursday but was expected to take the stand when the hearing resumed Friday. He declined to comment as he left the courtroom.

An attorney handling a civil rights lawsuit against the Harris County Sheriff's Department had requested all the e-mails Rosenthal sent and received between July and mid-October.

Rosenthal has handed over more than 1,500 e-mails that remained on his computer or were recovered. Hoyt released a batch of them in early January, including messages that contained pornographic, racist and political messages. Love notes between the married prosecutor and his secretary also were mistakenly released and then resealed.

EPA Recognizes Houston As A 'Green Power Partner'

The City of Houston, which was recognized earlier this week as a top local government purchasing green power, has also been named as a top green power purchaser among national entities. The Environmental Protection Agency ranked the Bayou City at No. 12 out of 25 on the National Top 25 list of green power partners for using wind power for 20 percent of its purchased-electricity needs.

"Texas leads the nation in wind power production, and Dallas and Houston are leading the way in showing other cities how green power can help protect the environment," said EPA Regional Administrator Richard Greene. "By shifting to wind and other renewable power sources, cities can cut greenhouse gas emissions and change the way we generate energy."

Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and biogas, as well as low-impact hydropower.

Dead Infant Found In Galveston

Police began a nationwide search for the father of a 3-month-old baby boy who matches the description of a body found Tuesday near a child's car seat on the side of a road.

Galveston police want to question Travis Mullis, 21, after an Alvin woman viewed a photo and identified the child as hers, Detective Jeremy Schwartz said.

The discovery comes three months to the day after a fisherman found the remains of "Baby Grace," washed ashore inside a blue plastic box in West Galveston Bay.

Deadbeat Dads Arrested

I was so elated yesterday when I heard that deadbeat dads were being arrested for not paying child support. Perhaps this excerpt says it best:

State and county officials say they’re not going to stand for parents who don’t pay up. “People should take responsibility and take care of their kids,” Constable Victor Trevino said. Trevino said his office has teamed up with the Texas Attorney General to crack down on the 140 parents in his precinct who aren’t paying child support.

“Either they will be left in jail for up to six months, or they can pay a cash bond and the money they pay will go for past child support. It will be sent to the parents and children,” Dalia Perez with the AG’s office said. The constables went after parents who owe anywhere from $5,000 - $76,000 Monday, and they say they’re not done.

Well it is a good thing that one convicted felon does not reside here in Houston anymore. Stan "Pampy" Barre, III is a convicted felon and former Houston resident who knows that if he set foot back in Houston, he may face criminal charges.

Former Houston Mayor Dies

Houston’s former mayor Louie Welch has died. Welch, who served as mayor from 1964-1973, passed away at his Harris County home Sunday morning. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer in October.

Welch Middle School is named after the former mayor. After he left office, Welch maintained an active role in city affairs, serving as chairman of the Houston Chamber of Commerce for 12 years.

He is survived by his wife, nine children and 21 grandchildren.

Cases Against Baytown Rapist Dismissed

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office will not go forward with any more cases against the man known as the Baytown Serial Rapist. Nearly two weeks ago, a jury convicted Keith Hill, 20, of sexually assaulting a Baytown teen.

He was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Hill stands accused of raping four other boys, but after talking with their families, prosecutors decided to dismiss those cases … at least for now. Hill has given notice of appeal and hired a new lawyer since his conviction.

Politically Connected Men Charged In Bribery Scheme

When I first heard about this story, it was like reliving the City of New Orleans' nightmare all over again. Well, New Orleans' nightmare goes like this: Politically connected businessman, Stan "Pampy" Barre admits to bribing New Orleans Council President, Oliver Thomas, in order to hold on to parking contracts he held under former New Orleans' Mayor Marc Morial's administration. Now we have these two wheeler dealers taking a page out of Stan "Pampy" Barre's notebook:

Federal agents arrested two of Houston's most politically connected developers in a bribery scandal. Until last month, one of them was the head of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, the group in charge of redeveloping the Astrodome. However, on Friday, Michael Surface and his business partner Andrew Schatte went before a federal judge.

He and Schatte were indicted on three counts of conspiracy and wire fraud. Surface is also accused of making false statements to authorities. The charges allege that the two coordinated payments to a city of Houston employee, including trips, football tickets and thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for the awarding of the contract to build the Houston Emergency Center and a downtown fire station.


Pure greed and a desperate need for power always lead to ones demise. I hope it was worth it gentlemen..or whatever you may call yourselves.
.

Ministers Want Harris County Sheriff To Resign

Remember when the Sheriff's Department announced that they would be deleting their emails? Well, this may be the reason why:

Members of a black ministers group on Thursday called on Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas to resign for sending e-mails depicting national civil rights figures Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton getting zapped and reduced to a puff of smoke.

The e-mail, obtained by Channel 13 and aired on a recent news segment, includes a copy of an editorial cartoon that shows Jackson and Sharpton looking up at a star in the sky. A bubble over their heads reads: "Oh, wishing star, we wish for an end to racial strife and bigotry."

I guess they wanted to destroy this little gem after Chuck Rosenthal's emails were made public. I wonder what other types of emails they have. It is really pathetic that these adult do not have anything else better to do.

Former Grand Jurors Want to Offer Evidence

Those former grand jurors refuse to back down:

A day after finding out they didn't have the legal authority to indict Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina and his wife in an arson case, former grand jurors said Wednesday they plan to present their opinions to a new grand jury as ordinary citizens.

They won't be allowed, however, to talk about what they heard during most of their time behind closed doors.

Keeping silent on what they heard previously will probably thwart their efforts to present a concrete argument as to why a new grand jury should proceed.

Chuck Knoblauch Subpoenaed In Steroid Case

Houston resident Chuck Knoblauch, who was accused of doping in a federal agent's affidavit, was subpoenaed Tuesday by the congressional committee investigating steroids in baseball after he failed to respond to an invitation to give a deposition.

Knoblauch, who played at Bellaire High School and Texas A&M, was asked to appear Thursday for the first of five depositions scheduled by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in advance of its Feb. 13 hearing.

Mary Kay conference to be held in Houston

This week's Mary Kay Inc. conference in Houston will pump $8.5 million into the city's economy, according to the company. The Dallas-based, direct-sell cosmetics company is hosting its annual leadership convention in Houston from Jan. 23 to 30 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

As part of the festivities, Mary Kay will make a $20,000 donation to The Old Sixth Ward Neighborhood Association in honor of its founder, Mary Kay Ash, who grew up in the neighborhood. The company also is making a $20,000 donation to the Houston Area Women's Center to aid in the prevention of domestic violence against women.

Grand Jurors jab at lawyer

The long weekend failed to quell the rhetoric as a lawyer for state Supreme Court Justice David Medina and two of the grand jurors who voted to indict the jurist continued to jab at each other.

Attorney Terry Yates continued to accuse the two grand jurors, foreman Bob Ryan and assistant foreman Jeffrey Dorrell, of breaking the law by publicly discussing the case outside the grand jury. Among the accusations was the suggestion by Yates that Dorrell was a gay activist and may have been trying to use the case to embarrass conservatives like Medina and Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal.

Cyber Crime Task Force - What Can We Do?

I was reading the Houston Chronicle, this morning, and I came across a Q&A with Randall Clark, an FBI special agent on the Houston Area Cyber Crimes Task Force. I found it very interesting and I tend to agree with him that parents have to know what their children are doing online. Myspace, however, has become the playground for criminal predators that has not been fully addressed:

Take for example this predator; Stan "Pampy" Barre, III has been using the social networking site to groom young women, who are not legally old enough to drink into engaging in drinking. He has also used the site to gain the trust of unsuspecting victims in order to victimize them later. Myspace did not appropriately address that issue. They only decided to delete his page when he used it to impersonate a famous rapper. If Myspace would have dealt with Stan "Pampy" Barre, III sooner, he would not have been able to carry out his reign of terror.

Two Grand Jury Members On The 'Hot Seat'

If you speak out against the actions of prosecutor, Chuck Rosenthal, you may find yourself in a whole lot of trouble:

The lawyer for Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina asked a judge Friday to sanction two grand jurors for discussing their secret proceedings, saying the two men brought about the indictment of Medina and his wife to embarrass District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal.

Medina's attorney, Terry Yates, said grand jury foreman Robert Ryan and assistant foreman Jeffrey Dorrell acted illegally when they told reporters Thursday that Rosenthal's unwillingness to prosecute was politically motivated. Ryan said the two broke no laws and were careful not to mention anything discussed in secrecy.

What power does Chuck Rosenthal hold here in Houston? There seems to be more to this story than we will ever know.

It Is Time For Chuck Rosenthal To Go

How much longer will we have to put up with Chuck Rosenthal? It is time for him to step down. I thought he would be gone after his scandalous emails but now he is dismissing the case against Medina.

What will it take to finally get rid of him?

Federal Probe of Brown Officials Widens

The federal corruption probe of former Mayor Lee Brown's administration has taken on a new twist. Federal prosecutors have now turned their attention to the deals to construct the $53 million Houston Emergency Center and two Fire Department facilities:

Prosecutors are seeking records on the involvement of several people, including Mike Surface, who resigned his Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. post three days after the subpoenas were served; his business partner, Andrew Schatte; and the former boyfriend of a former Brown administration official who worked as a consultant for them, Garland Hardeman.

Something smells rotten here in Houston; let's hope the feds can weed out the corruption. Jim Letten is trying to weed it out in New Orleans if Stan "Pampy" Barre continues to inform on those he bribed.