Attorney for Bandido in Twin Peaks mistrial gets 3-year license suspension (Waco)

The Eagle ^ | 7/2/2019 | TOMMY WITHERSPOON

[Elderberry]

The law license of the firebrand Houston attorney who won a mistrial in the only Twin Peaks shootout case to go to trial has been suspended by the State Bar of Texas.

Casie Gotro will be unable to practice law for three years and must pay $59,000 in restitution to clients she failed to serve, the State Bar announced Monday.

The decision comes a year after Gotro and Dallas attorney Clint Broden won the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Percy Foreman Lawyers of the Year award for their representation of bikers in the deadly 2015 showdown at the former Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco.

Gotro represented Jacob Carrizal, president of the Dallas Bandidos chapter, in a 2017 trial, but the sanctions do not appear to be related to that case. Gotro did not respond to a message left through Thomas Lane, her co-counsel in Carrizal's case, and previous phone number listed in Gotro's name was out of service on Monday.

During the Carrizal proceedings, Gotro and former McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna's office constantly butted heads over defense access to evidence in the case. Gotro succeeded in getting 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother recused from Carrizal's case based on the question of the judge's ability to be fair in the case.

Carrizal’s trial was delayed on at least three occasions after Gotro uncovered evidence that Reyna's office should have turned over to the defense before trial but did not do so.

During one of the revelations, an angry Gotro stormed out of the courtroom during a break, calling back over her shoulder that the DA’s office failure to disclose evidence was criminal.

Carrizal's trial ended in mistrial in November 2017 when the jury could not reach unanimous verdicts in any of the three counts against Carrizal.

[nomorelurker]

Looks like there were 4 cases before the State Bar, One for unpaid fees resulted in only a reprimand, another for basically client neglect resulted in a fully probated suspension (don’t know for how long), another for client neglect resulted in a six month active suspension remainder probated, final case resulted in 3 year active suspension (no probation) looks to have involved client neglect and mishandling of funds. Was substantial restitution involved in the cases. Looks to me like the State Bar did take some mitigating factors into account. For others here I am no fan of the Texas State Bar.

[Okeydoker]

Your interpretation seems right on point.

Looks like the 3 yr suspension was the cumulative effect of all of the other misconduct as well.

This also looks very much how state bars would approach these types of issues.

[Manly Warrior]

Whatever, friend. To each his own. I’ll not call you names( I am certain you wouldn’t in anything other than anonymous internet chat).
Any professional can be impeached for the right price. But you already know that.

[treetopsandroofs]

“Why do you swallow what her enemies claim?”

It didn’t seem to be DIRECTLY related to politics!

It never ceases to amaze me how many HERE really, really want to believe what Big Media sells, and are willing to call others “morons”, just to maintain their illusion.

[MileHi]

Thanks Elderberry