I see I need to take Ronnie hunting...
Posted on 02/13/2006 5:44:17 AM PST by cweese
AUSTIN, Texas -- Ronnie Earle, awaiting the media-driven frenzy of prosecuting former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, may be involved in another courtroom drama this summer. In 1996, Lacresha Murray was 11 when the Travis County district attorney indicted her on capital murder charges -- the youngest person charged with that crime in Texas. Miss Murray was a suspect in the death of a 2-year-old at her grandmother's day care center in May 1996. The toddler, Jayla Belton, lost consciousness and was rushed to a local hospital, where she died. Investigators found no forensic evidence, but on the basis of her "statement," Miss Murray was charged several days later. That confession -- and how it was obtained -- has been the focal point of two trials and several appeals and has resulted in Mr. Earle's and the Austin Police Department's becoming defendants in a $30 million civil rights suit filed by a lawyer on Miss Murray's behalf. Frank P. Hernandez, a Dallas lawyer, has been involved with the case for almost four years. He says Miss Murray, now 21, suffered irreparable harm when authorities hid her from her family for almost five days and used "unusual" interrogation techniques. "Texas law is very clear that you can't interrogate an 11-year-old without having a lawyer, parent or some other adult present," he said. "Can you imagine how scared this young girl was?"
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
"$30 million civil rights suit "
She has a good shot in the Litigation Lottery! Better than my chances in the Powerball.
"Texas law is very clear that you can't interrogate an 11-year-old without having a lawyer, parent or some other adult present," he said. "Can you imagine how scared this young girl was?"
AUSTIN GHARIB
Yup. He's been out of control for much of his career.
I see I need to take Ronnie hunting...
But $30 million ???
Say $10 million after lawyers and taxes: "SeCretion" or whatever her name is couldn't earn that in 10 lifetimes!
Well, if she pulls in $25,000 for the rest of her working life, she'll gross about 1.2 million, so about 8.5 lifetimes. Close, i'd say.
Note: The 25,000 works out to about 12.50/hour.
This sounds awful. And I can't stand that Earle guy. But you have to wonder, why in the heck did two seperate juries return a guily verdict? I would sure like to know why this child seemed to deserve this kind of punishment by the jury.
I guess I'm influenced by a "Law and Order" episode in which a youngish girl about 11 killed a little boy she went to school with. She was hateful, evil and seemed to have absolutely no conscience whatsoever. All the prosecuters and the police in this drama were astonished by the depravity of so young a person. And I believe that kind of thing happens in real life.
You don't know that.
I love it that he took on DeLay. He's in the Big Leagues now, and I bet he'll rue the day.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Not every case has a guilty party and an innocent party. Sometimes both sides are guilty.
Although I find it hard to believe that an 11-year-old girl could be so evil, it is possible. Even if she is totally evil, that does not excuse her terrible treatment.
I'm still willing to believe she is innocent until proven guilty, not until coerced into admitting guilt.
Yes, you missed something. It's not Earle's fault that he's a sociopath!
I completely agree with you about that. The law must be followed, especially when children are accused of a terrible crime. I still would like to know what could have been established as fact by these two juries that would lead them to discard what we are contending should have happened in the interrogation phase. It had to have been pretty darn bad for 24 people, not just twelve, to reach the same conclusion. I think we may be missing some facts.
That in no way excuses Mr. Earle for being the pond scum he is.
The black table-phone media can try, but they won't be able to hide this one. I know it would only be a matter of time before the Hammer started to hit back. Go Tom go!
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