Posted on 05/06/2008 12:44:26 PM PDT by Pebcak
State District Judge Barbara Walther has approved a motion appointing the Attorney General of Texas as a special prosecutor to assist with any criminal cases that may arise from the state's raid of the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado.
The request - described as routine in large, complex cases such as this one - was filed and granted Monday. Local prosecutors, meanwhile, said they anticipate filing charges in the case.
"It's early in the game," said First Assistant 51st District Attorney Allison Palmer, "but I expect that ultimately there will be some criminal prosecution coming out of this."
The Attorney General's Office offered help in working through the massive case, Palmer said - an offer that was gratefully accepted.
"There's the possibility there for us to have quite a bit to do," said Allison Palmer, first assistant 51st District attorney. "That's sort of what they do to help out."
Walther late last month approved the state's request to take custody of 464 children living on the ranch operated by a polygamist sect. The children are being cared for at foster care facilities throughout Texas.
No arrests have been made in the case, although the one issued arrest warrant - for 50-year-old Dale Barlow - remains active, she said, rejecting previous reports that it had been dropped.
"I don't think that's the correct term," she said. "We want to complete this investigation and evidence review" before making a decision on the warrant, which many believe was the result of a hoax phone call that sparked the April 3 raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound.
During the weeklong raid that began April 3, two men were arrested on suspicion of interring with law enforcement officials, but they were released on bond and not been formally charged.
A special master appointed by Walther last month to review evidence seized from the compound and determine whether any should be excepted for attorney-client and other privileges finished reviewing the evidence Monday, Palmer said.
A small percentage of the available evidence was withheld, she said, with the rest now available for criminal and Child Protective Services investigators to sift through.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm?
Ping
ping
Ya think? Imagine the media frenzy if the kids were sent back home and all charges were dropped.
With the Attorney General being brought in, I expect more than just “some” charges to be brought.
This thing is just beginning...
Besides new info on the Barlow warrant there is new info in this article that the special Master is done reviewing evidence.
Getting somewhere now. Might have some facts to actually debate rather than rumor.
And it appears it has been turned over to criminal and Protective Services to mull over...
Still work to be done.
Ping for pinging
The Flying Inmans take to the skies to fly the Ilky Way! (John 14:6)
Does anyone know if when the Texas Rangers interviewed Dale Barlow they took DNA samples?
The problem they are going to run into, IMHO, is that any of the men who are guilty of raping the young girls have since fled TX and have not come forward to offer DNA samples, so there will not be sufficient evidence to charge them... they will just set up camp elsewhere and continue on their merry way.
The states have extradition agreements ... these freaks can no longer openly committ statutory rape. Like the rats they are, they are probably gone ‘into their rat holes.
I was thinking that they are up in Canada fishing & have a look around at what is up there. Sadly.
“A small percentage of the available evidence was withheld, she said, with the rest now available for criminal and Child Protective Services investigators to sift through.”
Exactly what I have said for weeks.
Yes, it was reported that they did so.
Thank you.
So, the evidence wasn’t given to LE until May 5.
And some wondered why the LE’s hadn’t arrested anyone yet.
I wonder what we will hear this coming Monday?
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