Waco Biker Challenges Judge's Gag Order in Criminal Case

5nbcdfw ^ | July 1, 2015 | Emily Scmall and Jim Vertuno

[don-o]

The only biker to sue in connection with a mass arrest following a deadly shootout at a Texas restaurant argued in a petition filed Wednesday that he was unfairly slapped with a gag order after publicly criticizing how the investigation has been handled.

Matthew Clendennen, one of 177 people arrested after the May 17 shootout in Waco in which nine people were killed, said the order in the state's criminal case against him is unconstitutional and outside the court's jurisdiction because he has not been indicted. The order prevents attorneys, witnesses and law enforcement officers involved in the criminal case from discussing it with the media.

snip

McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna, among those named in Clendennen's federal civil rights suit, requested the gag order Tuesday during a hearing in Clendennen's criminal case. District court judge Matt Johnson, Reyna's former law partner, granted the order, saying he was acting to prevent pretrial publicity from influencing potential jurors.

Johnson and Reyna's onetime partnership extends back until at least 2001, when Johnson joined the Reyna & Reyna law firm, which was owned by Reyna's father, former McLennan County district attorney and state appeals court judge Felipe Reyna.

snip

According to state campaign records, Reyna and Reed each donated $1,000 to Johnson's 2006 campaign, the maximum each was allowed to contribute under state law governing judicial campaigns.

[Parley Baer]

This deserves to be stated one more time.

The Constitution and Due Process of Law have a very strong following around these parts.

Some on this forum just don’t get it.

[Hugh the Scot]

Didn’t have to wait long.