Posted on 07/15/2013 7:58:03 PM PDT by Nachum
CORPUS CHRISTI — State District Judge Tom Greenwell was found dead from a gunshot wound Monday night in his chambers, Nueces County Sheriff Jim Kaelin confirmed.
Corpus Christi police, medics and Nueces County Sheriff's Office deputies responded about 7 p.m. to the courthouse after a report that a man was found with a gunshot wound to the head.The courthouse closed at 5 p.m.
It was unclear how a gun could have passed through security or been within the county building, equipped with security personnel and a metal detector. Attorneys, judges, and some media outlets who have courthouse identification badges typically aren't required to pass through the security checkpoint.
(Excerpt) Read more at caller.com ...
I seriously doubt it. He has a reputation as an outstanding judge with integrity who has done much to modernize procedures at the courthouse.
Nora Longoria, a Democrat.
Indeed. Seems it was the Judge himself. Which, of course, raises the question of motive ...
But you raise an interesting theoretical question about modes of operation.
There is outside mode, as in Lee Harvey Oswald taking a shot at Major General Edwin Walker on April 10, 1963, as he sat at his desk preparing his taxes. Bullet deflected by window frame. Walker lives. Oswald escapes. Cops are laughably clueless until Kennedy dies, and investigators learn the truth from Oswald's Russian wife and writings he left behind.
Then there is inside mode. I don't have an example off the top of my head. But it requires careful preparation and thought to pull off without getting caught. There are cameras. There are a limited number of people who could have done it. Etc. You may know where security usually is at a given time. But how about when you actually pull the trigger?
There is also in-between mode. Where the killer is a former insider, not trusted sufficiently to breeze past security. Dan White comes to mind. Former SF cop, fireman, and city supervisor. Had differences with the mayor and another supervisor.
Security? Bah! White climbed through a window carrying a .38. Confronted the mayor. Bang! Then off to the supervisor's office. Bang!
Diminished capacity due to depression and consumption of excess Hostess Twinkies. Got only seven years. Served five. Committed suicide via carbon monoxide.
Of course, when it comes to bypassing building security, perhaps the best example is probably Harvey's Resort, a casino hotel in Stateline, Nevada. Half a ton of dynamite inside a large "IBM office copier" wheeled into place by "workmen". Then came the extortion demands ($3m in 24 hours — this was 1980).
ZIMMERMAN’S FAULT!
5th cousin of Eva
You never know. I hope you are correct.
>>There was a judge and his court reporter killed in Atlanta about 5 years ago. They were shot in the court room.
Are you talking about the Brian Nichols case?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Nichols
Eight years ago now, and that was a rampage, never any question about who did it. A very different situation.
Cartels: “WE’RE BAACK!”
A poor guy is depressed and commits suicide in a smallish city in Texas.
Very sad and feel for the family, but why is this national news?
There was an assassination attempt on a judge in Nevada, I believe 2-3 years ago. I don’t remember the details, other than it was a rifle shot through the window of his office.
Is that what you think or is that a report?
NOW we are killing judges?
Got to weigh in. My courthouse is in Johnson County KS but sounds similar. First of all, the award of custody to the man of a 3 month old baby is ex parte. That means that the mother can get a hearing within a set period of time to contest it. I’m guessing that the father had a bunch of evidence that mom was a druggie or had abandoned the baby or whatever. Any judge can sign it if the assigned judge is unavailable. In my experience judges are not terrible impressed with breast feeding. Its a factor but not the controlling factor. Second, courthouse security - in our courthouse, the judges can and do carry. The DA lawyers can carry and don’t have to go through security which really makes the rest of us lawyers cranky. But on the other hand, there are lawyers who should probably not carry. Our security is so tight that I have changed my wardrobe. In the winter I will wear close toes shoes but always carry my own slippers to change into. Lots of jewelry I can no longer wear. In summer I wear my wedge crocs. (they look better than it sounds). I would look at whether he made the drug cartels angry.
No, it's not definitely suicide until you shoot yourself 15 times in the back with a revolver, pausing twice to reload.
“...high level sources...” That doesn’t work for me.
I didn't want to name names on the internet, and I still don't want to. I can tell you that he would be on the short list of people who would be contacted by the Sheriff. If you look at the updated story linked to this thread, You will find out that it was the Nueces County Sheriff who personally identified the body of Judge Greenwell.
Besides Judge Roll with Giffords.
Was he also trying border cases?
We have to find out work he was working on, cases, etc..
I understand. It’s just that I an “high level sources” weary. Nothing personal.
He wasn't married or had kids. Doesn't have family in the area. Gay?
Since it seems he was getting his affairs in order, perhaps he was only masquerading as a good judge but was into some shady stuff that was going to come out.
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