If you want to know how corrupt the Waco police are, just look into the prosecution of Vic Feazell.
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);