Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: don-o
Remember the alleged offer to release some accused, if they signed a paper that promised not to make a claim based on false arrest? One R.S. Gates requested to obtain the DA office's e-mails on the subject, and was told those were not public under Texas Open Records law. The DA's office requested an opinion of the Texas AG, which came in recently.

According to the article AG rules release of DA's texts, names of 62 not charged (Radiolegendary, Aug 28), some of that information must be released.

An Attorney General's ruling released today holds that McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna must release text messages between a defense attorney and First Assistant District Attorney Michael Jarrett regarding a proposal to have defendants in the Twin Peaks cases sign hold harmless agreements promising no litigation against authorities in return for reductions in $1 million bonds set across the board by Justice of the Peace "Pete" Peterson on 177 defendants.

Defense attorneys present at a meeting between Jarrett and the jurisdiction's two Criminal District Judges revealed to media outlets that Jarrett rejected the proposal of the attorney as "improper" under the rules of criminal prosecution and constitutional rights of those accused of a crime.

The assistant to AG Ken Paxton also held that though the names of 62 persons arrested but not charged along with 177 other defendants with the offense of engaging in organized criminal activity is "intertwined with the investigation," their names must be released because public records law "does not except from disclosure basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime."

I don't think the opinion is actually dated today, but as I type this, the latest opinion at the Texas AG Open Records Opinion Page is August 19, 2015.

Not much in the way of new information, beyond the fact that 62 persons at the scene were identified but not arrested and accused.

The DA may take this opinion to court, to prevent or at least further delay release.

If the information does come out, we'd likely learn the name(s) of the lawyers who proffered the releases, and perhaps that the DA was, contrary to media reports, considering accepting them, before telling the defense lawyers that such a release is improper.

162 posted on 08/28/2015 5:16:00 AM PDT by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Cboldt

“Remember the alleged offer to release some accused, if they signed a paper that promised not to make a claim based on false arrest?”

Yes. One of the lawyers that had repeated it said he was going to file a complaint against the other biker lawyer for making BS up!


172 posted on 08/28/2015 7:33:06 AM PDT by TexasGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 162 | View Replies ]

To: Cboldt
The assistant to AG Ken Paxton also held that though the names of 62 persons arrested but not charged along with 177 other defendants with the offense of engaging in organized criminal activity is "intertwined with the investigation," their names must be released because public records law "does not except from disclosure basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime."

There was a lot more requested than names of those detained but not arrested. FOIA demands began in early June. Still, who knows what one of those 62 might know?

Have not heard a word about the wiped cell phones that were returned, either.

179 posted on 08/28/2015 8:40:13 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 162 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson