Posted on 09/19/2015 7:01:57 PM PDT by Elderberry
The Associated Press has analyzed evidence from a May shootout in which nine members of motorcycle clubs were killed outside a Waco restaurant and concluded some were hit by police bullets, a Friday AP report reveals. “The AP reviewed more than 8,800 pages of evidence, including police reports, dash-cam video, photos and audio interviews related to the May 17 confrontation,” the report explains. “Four months later, authorities have released little information about what sparked the fight or how the gunfire played out, and no one has been charged with any of the deaths.” . . .
That goes directly to a concern raised in this column after it was revealed in August that autopsy reports were released without ballistics reports. Along with questionable activities by both the prosecutor and the judge in the case against the bikers, flags were raised because that testing had been assigned to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and ATF had pledged the tests were “being given top priority over other cases.”
Because of that, this column approached Sen. Chuck Grassley of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, with a simple request that is well within their purview and authority, and which would not in any way interfere with the ongoing investigation:
“Ask ATF when Waco ballistics report will be released.”
That’s it – just let us know when it’s expected to be complete. Surely by now the lab folks must have a feel for what procedures must still be completed, and the experience to estimate how long that should take.
With that request sent via Facebook messaging, Grassley’s office responded to TTAG’s inquiry. Except initially, the response just contained platitudes that committed to nothing. Challenging being effectively dismissed with nothing of substance got the staffer’s attention and resulted in a pledge of sorts.
“We definitely appreciate you taking the time to contact Senator Grassley,” the staffer replied. “If you can give us your email or mailing address, the Senator will be able to send you a more detailed message regarding your comments. Thank you.”
That was two days ago, and the detailed email has not arrived yet. With this latest development, I replied with a link to the AP report and a message that “this makes the question by Sen. Grassley to ATF all the more appropriate and urgent.”
This column will continue to monitor developments and post the detailed Grassley reply upon receipt. Perhaps the senator responding to TTAG’s inquiry will receive wider media attention and prod ATF to estimate how much longer the public will have to wait for its report.
The entire affair is very odd.
Oooh, sorry, Congress is currently busy not getting to the bottom of: NSA, IRS, EPA, and Clinton emails.
They just can’t take on any more pantomime investigations.
My guess is that there was an accidental discharge (police? bikers?) and the fusillade started.
Concoction of detail adjustment must be continuing, concoction can be slow and lengthy, especially when facts begin to differ from the ‘good ol’ boys’ stated opinion.
The answers may be facts from these questions:
1. Were all expended cartridge cases on the scene collected?
2. By whom?
3. Have they been securely retained?
4. Where were they located when collected?
5. What calibers were they?
6. How many?
7. Do they match the wounds of the dead and wounded?
The above would normally be designated as evidence.
Looks like it will be awhile before we see all the reports.
Lack of answers to those questions is normally known as incompetence.
Since they would be generated by Waco ‘good ol’ boys’, decades might be a good guess.
I have a way of engaging people in conversation. (I'm not shy).
In the course of a the conversation, I brought up the local homicide case (Geoffrey Brady, killed in Gator's Jam Inn, on Race Street, Ft. Worth) which is viewed by many as having been something of a precursor to the the Twin Peaks Waco shootings.
One woman who was there claimed that years ago she saw Renya snorting coke.
Her husband, who told me that he was a convicted felon (but interestingly enough was supportive of law enforcement in general) told her "don't say that".
Not being dissuaded, she re-affirmed that it was true.
I asked..."how long ago?".
She said 5 years, iirc.
I said, "so it was before he was a DA?"
Her husband said, "it was when he was running for DA's office".
Boom-shakalaka. boom.
If you want to know how corrupt the Waco police are, just look into the prosecution of Vic Feazell.
IBTG
I don't think I've heard of that one, but I'm looking into that now. If you have a short synopsis, or a link to a story I should see that could be overlooked, then send that, if you would.
I confess I'm no expert on the place...hardly know anything about the history of Waco goings on.
Renya has left some bread crumbs though.
I've read some of that.
The way the conversation I mentioned got around to talking about DA's office in Waco, was myself mentioning an article I had read just earlier Saturday that was about a detective who refused to provide the name of an informer to the prosecution and the defense in a trial involving seven(?) people and alleged auto theft (iirc). The detective alleged there were information leaks in the DA's office that could endanger the informant.
A judge in that case decided that the informant's role was " “periphery at most” and so denied the motion that was co-joined by both the prosecution and defense to reveal the informant. Renya had threatened to dismiss the case, citing that he had to, by law, supply the information to the defense.
DA dismisses auto theft cases after dispute with police over informants Waco Tribune, February 21, 2013 By TOMMY WITHERSPOON
EDITORIAL: Rift between police, district attorney aggravated by questionable leadership
Here's another angle, coming from yet another case and the legal fallout following it, that alleges part of the reasoning behind Renya being so adamant about the identity of the informant. It's too complicated to explain...but I still don't trust Renya, in this either.
The people I talked to just a few hours ago seemed to have not altogether unfavorable impressions of Renya, like, he's a nice enough guy in person, or something like that...
But the woman didn't think the 'system' in Waco was anything near to pristine. She seemed to be talking like she knew what she was talking about, though I held off from grilling them too intensely about Waco. The conversation moved on...
http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1986/november/the-war-in-waco-heats-up
"...Feazell insisted that the joint investigation by the FBI, the Department of Public Safety, and the Waco Police Department was nothing more than a retaliatory measure prompted by his and Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox’s questioning of the hundreds of confessions taken from accused mass murderer Henry Lee Lucas. Many of the charges against Lucas unraveled and were eventually dropped, thus removing him as the handy, catch-all killer who could be blamed for every unsolved murder in the state. Feazell also blasted a series of WFAA-Channel 8 reports that raised questions about his handling of specific cases. The outspoken DA accused Channel 8 of being involved with the investigating agencies and eventually filed a $34 million lawsuit against WFAA and reporter Charles Duncan. Feazell insisted that he had done nothing illegal. But he felt he would, in all likelihood, be indicted. On September 16, he was. The twelve-count indictment charges Feazell with violation of the Racketeering-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and mail fraud.
I don't know what the final disposition of that was...but I see that Vic Feazell must still have a license to practice law in the State of Texas, since it appears he moved to Austin and set up practice, advertising as a personal injury lawyer.
More from D Magazine, (dated 1985);
I get a feeling that information would never make it to trial.
[prosecutor] Jarrett referenced a Facebook message [police detective] Kingrey sent to [defense attorney] West in which she offered to give the defense the information, but not prosecutors.Case exposes trust issues between Waco police detective, McLennan County DA's office - WacoTrib.com - February 7, 2013
That case, over two years ago, involved an auto-theft ring comprising some seven or so members.
If so, and it was a biker, the cops would have a get out of jail free card - cops initiated or no reason for all the "issues" with the case.
One of the issues is the presence or absence of probable cause for conspiracy, applied to all those arrested.
It is also possible for there to be a wrongful death against law enforcement, even if a biker or several bikers started the violence.
There is also a general issue that the police could have prevented the altercation entirely, by arresting conspirators before violence erupted.
What happened to all the reports of imminant reprisels?
This just points out an amazing truth about our legislature. Our Congress critters are little more than self interested, power drunk ambitious figureheads. It's their staffers who weald the real power and call the shots by writing the legislation that the figureheads rubber stamp.
The British made fun of this in their own government with the shows "Yes, Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister", we need a similar show about our government only it needs to be a lot more ascorbic and name names in a backhanded way.
Isn’t strange that we’re not getting any videos of the violent confrontations these so called refugees are instigating all over Europe? /sarc
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