Family Corruption In The Big Easy

Police Officer's Killer Gets Life

2008-05-20T19:10:00.003-05:00

My mouth is still open as I write this because this is definitely a case where the death penalty should have been imposed:

Jurors decided Tuesday that Juan Leonardo Quintero should spend the rest of his life in prison, rather than go to death row, for Johnson's 2006 murder.

The decision came in the second day of deliberations for the jury, which convicted Quintero of capital murder on May 8 in the court of state District Judge Joan Campbell.

Somebody should have wiped the smile off the killer's face when the verdict was read.

Harris County Sheriff's Office Dirty Deed Under Scrutiny

2008-05-19T13:59:00.003-05:00

Why were these innocent men put under surveillance? Well, some lawmakers are asking that question:

State Sen. Rodney Ellis and other lawmakers today said they have asked the Texas attorney general to investigate the Harris County Sheriff's Office's surveillance of two brothers who successfully sued the county and the Sheriff's Office.

Ellis, D-Houston, said the recent disclosure that sheriff's deputies were assigned to watch Erik and Sean Ibarra amounts to Gestapo tactics.

The Ibarra brothers filed a federal lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office and Harris County in 2004, alleging their civil rights were violated when deputies stormed their home, seized their film and arrested them after one of the brothers photographed a drug raid at a neighbor's home.

Although they were not charged with a crime, could it be that the sheriff's office was trying to frame them for a crime?

What Is A Sister-Wife To Do?

2008-05-16T17:12:00.003-05:00

That may be the question the attorneys don't want answered:

Attorneys for ''disputed" minor girls taken from a West Texas ranch owned by fundamentalist Mormons say their clients have been taken from state foster homes to undergo videotaped law enforcement interviews without legal counsel.

They were asked to identify their children's father and to name their ''sister'' wives.

Who is your baby daddy will probably lead to other disputes.

Houston Doctor Admits To Murder Plot

2008-05-15T20:41:00.002-05:00

This criminal is getting off lightly:

A former Houston physician serving a decade in federal prison for bilking millions from insurance companies admitted Thursday that he plotted to kill the lawyer who prosecuted the case.

Ira Klein is charged with orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot against his sixth wife and retaliating against the FBI agent and federal prosecutor who handled his health fraud criminal case.

Klein, 62, pleaded guilty Thursday to threatening to kill Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Louis. Under a plea deal, the doctor is required to serve 30 months in federal prison, though 18 of those will be rolled into his current term.

His intended victims are probably still suffering from emotional distress.

Polygamist Adult Fooled CPS

2008-05-14T14:55:00.003-05:00

Some polygamist adults may be playing games with child protective services by pretending to be teens instead of adults.

Texas Child Protective Services conceded Tuesday that a pregnant teen taken from a polygamists' ranch in West Texas was an adult when she gave birth in San Marcos last month, casting some doubt on the statistics released by the agency that more than 20 underage girls were pregnant or had given birth.

The teenager, 18-year-old Pamela Jeffs, gave birth to a boy on April 29. CPS officials said she was one of 27 girls in a "disputed" minor category who once told CPS they were adults but later indicated they were under 18.

All 27 girls were among 463 children taken from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Yearning For Zion Ranch near Eldorado on April 4 and 5 after the state insisted all were either sexually or physically abused or at risk of abuse. Three weeks later, the children were scattered to foster care facilities throughout the state.

And now some are claiming to be have been adults all along.

I guess their rationale is: If you want a scandal, we will give you one and the joke will be on you.

Getting Away With Murder

2008-05-13T18:13:00.004-05:00

This story is unbelievable. Can anyone tell me what the jury was thinking?

Former Houston firefighter Barry Crawford was convicted of murder after shooting a wrecker driver in 1998. Steven Ray Hardin was trying to tow Crawford's vehicle when he was gunned down.
A jury gave Crawford probation and 1,000 hours of community service.

Under Crawford’s probation requirements, he’s supposed to carry a picture of the man he killed in his wallet. He is also required to carry a sign, five times a year, that says “ I murdered a citizen in Humble."

Serving Up More Than Food

2008-05-12T17:12:00.002-05:00

Restaurant vows to keep patrons happy by serving up a little sex on the side:

A Houston restaurant operator was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Monday for his role in a sex trafficking ring that lured women and girls here from Central America and Mexico and forced them into prostitution.

Walter Alexander Corea pleaded guilty in 2006 to one count of servitude-trafficking conspiracy and one count of smuggling conspiracy in connection with what officials believe to be one of the nation's largest smuggling operations.

As she sentenced him, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore said that she was imposing the maximum amount of time allowable under federal law for the convictions.

The restaurant was probably just a front for the sex trafficking.

Kelly Siegler Resigns

2008-05-09T19:22:00.001-05:00

Good news for Harris County. Kelly Siegler has resigned from the district attorney's office. Now we can go about the business of finding truth in justice.

CIA Operative's Widow To Sue

2008-05-02T09:57:00.003-05:00

Did rogue cops kill this man?

Houston attorney Randall Kallinen has been retained by Roland Carnaby’s widow. He said he expects to file a lawsuit against the Houston Police Department for engaging in that high-speed chase even though Carnaby posed no threat and had no criminal record. He alleges too that the officers involved in the fatal shooting had a checkered record.

Was Roland Carnaby A CIA Operative?

2008-05-01T10:13:00.004-05:00

Look at who is claiming he was not a CIA operative:

His family claims he was a long time CIA contractor. Certificates and distinctions from what appear to be service all over the globe to prove it. HPD said he did have what appear to be federal credentials of some kind.

"There are credentials in the car that we have seized,” said HPD Capt. Steve Jett. “That was the indication that he worked for the CIA. They look authentic, but you can do a lot of things with a computer." To that end, Houston police said a CIA official would be meeting with investigators to review the identification as well as assist HPD with the case.

Officially, the FBI and CIA say that Carnaby was not an officer. A spokesman for the intelligence agency went as far as to make it a point that while the agency doesn’t normally confirm or deny a person’s employment with the CIA, “he was never a CIA officer.”

Can you really believe what the CIA is claiming? They definitely used this man for something.

Nursing Home Rates Lower In Houston

2008-04-29T10:37:00.003-05:00

If you are looking for the cheapest nursing home for your loved one, then Houston may wind up being your first choice:

According to a survey released Tuesday by Genworth Financial Inc., Houston has been able to side-step the rising cost of nursing-home care over the past five years.

The Richmond, Va.-based financial security company's Cost of Care Survey found that the cost of nursing-home care in Houston today is down 1 percent compared with 2004. San Antonio, the most expensive city in Texas for this type of care, saw an increase of 34 percent, while in Austin costs have increased 20 percent and in Dallas they are up 14 percent.

Costs in the rest of Texas rose 24 percent over the five years, higher than the national average of 17 percent. When it comes to the cost of one year in a private nursing home, however, Texas is doing better than the nation as a whole.

Make sue you check out other things such as who owns the company; hint legals or illegals.

Student Stabbed By Assault Victim's Father

2008-04-28T14:44:00.003-05:00

Father decides to take law into his own hands:

According to district spokesperson Regina Curry, around 8:30 this morning, a student of Wunsche High School was on campus with her parents. The parents wanted to speak to a school administrator about the alleged sexual assault of their daughter by another Wunsche student that happened over the weekend, at an off-campus location.

While the parents were waiting, they saw another student who they say was a witness to the attack. The father of the student who was assaulted stabbed the young man who was a witness. The student was stabbed three times, and taken to a hospital in The Woodlands.

Another case of vigilante justice in the state of Texas.

Hazing Misdemeanors, Uh

2008-04-25T17:23:00.004-05:00

This activity seems a bit serious to be called misdemeanors:

Four former University of Texas fraternity leaders were charged with cultivating a dangerous culture of hazing that included shocking pledges with cattle prods, beating them and making them drink large amounts of alcohol.

Pledges were repeatedly shocked with the electric cattle prods, beaten with bamboo sticks and at least once kicked "field goal style" by the fraternity president. They also were made to drink large amounts of alcohol and perform manual labor.

What would have happened if one of those students died?

Beloved Doe Case Finally Solved

2008-04-24T17:42:00.003-05:00

A heart wrenching case that has had police investigators baffled for the last five years has finally been solved.

The boy, dubbed " Beloved Doe," was believed to be between the ages of 3 and 6 and of Hispanic descent. Police say his mother, Ma Dana Martinez, 30, caused the boy's death.

She's now charged with felony murder—injury to a child by omission. Investigators say it was a call from the child’s father to police that led to Martinez’ arrest.

May his mother rot in hell.

Children from polygamy sect to reside in group homes

2008-04-23T09:27:00.001-05:00

Some of the 437 children from a polygamist compound in arid West Texas soon may be bound for group homes in green, tree-shaded locations in Harris, Montgomery and Brazoria counties.

Buses carrying the first 114 children left San Angelo on Tuesday after state District Judge Barbara Walther issued a placement order telling officials to make every attempt to place sibling groups together.

The order listed facilities from the Panhandle to Southeast Texas, including Kidz Harbor in Brazoria County, Boys and Girls Country near Hockley, and Arrow Child and Family Ministries in Montgomery County.

Exec. with connections get light sentence for drug possession

2008-04-22T10:28:00.003-05:00

A stripper dies in your home from a drug overdose--your ex-wife is married to the President's brother---wow, this sounds like the makings for a new reality show.

Robert Pace Andrews, 52, was placed on two years’ deferred adjudication on Monday. That means he will not have a conviction on his record if he successfully complies with the terms of his probation.

Andrews pleaded guilty to possession of less than a gram of cocaine. According to the terms of the plea agreement reached with prosecutors, he must pay a $2,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service, submit to drug and alcohol counseling and undergo random urinalysis.

Gotta love it!!!

Texas and the "me speak no english" problem

2008-04-21T06:49:00.003-05:00

Have you ever walked into a store, in Houston, and was greeted by an employee who did not speak English? Well, the following may shed some light:

"We have a disease in Texas — our students do not know how to write and speak English well," Garner said. "We need to treat the disease aggressively.

"The skills need to build upon each other as the student progresses from one grade level to the next. Learning the basics of the English language will provide students with a strong foundation upon which to write sophisticated papers and upon which to base clear communication," she said.

The integration of grammar with writing has been taught in Texas for the past 15 years without much success, Garner said, citing statistics showing half of Texas college freshmen are in need of remedial education, compared to only 28 percent nationally. Teachers, parents and employers are appalled by the lack of speaking and writing skills, she said.

Now this is really pathetic.

Polygamy Compound Call May Have Been Hoax

2008-04-19T01:28:00.003-05:00

Could the call concerning abuse at the Eldorado polygamy compound been a hoax? Well, there is a strong possibility.

Rozita Swinton, a 33-year-old black woman, was charged with falsely reporting abuse to authorities in connection with a separate incident in Colorado Springs two months ago. Texas authorities say Swinton is a person of interest in their search for the girl whose call prompted them to raid the Yearning for Zion Ranch.

Even if the call was a hoax, the religious sect should still be investigated.

Houston Opens Books To Online Scrutiny

2008-04-18T01:29:00.003-05:00

This is such a good idea.

This week, purchasing officials unveiled a new Web site that allows anyone to easily get detailed information about city contracts and one-time purchases.

The online catalog is among several searchable features on the city's homepage, including restaurant inspections and campaign-finance records.

The digital disclosure follows a trend of governments using technology to open their books to Web visitors. Transparency advocates say that can save agencies money by automating requests for information from the public.

This will help eliminate fraud and waste. More cities should follow Houston's example.

Harris County Gearing Up For Executions

2008-04-17T02:28:00.004-05:00

Feeling they have the green light to proceed, Harris County prosecutors pledged Wednesday to move forward in seeking execution dates for six local killers.

Among Harris County killers likely headed to the death house are Charles Douglas Raby, 38, who in October 1992 repeatedly stabbed 72-year-old Edna Mae Franklin, then cut her throat, after his rape attempt failed. Also facing execution is Jose Ernesto Medillin, 33, who in June 1993 kidnapped, raped and strangled Elizabeth Pena, 16, and Jennifer Ertman, 15, when they stumbled into a gang initiation rite at T.C. Jester Park.

After hearing the news, Gov. Rick Perry gave a hallelujah shout out to Texas' brand of justice.

Houston's Illegal Immigrant Problem

2008-04-16T08:32:00.003-05:00

Never a dull day in Houston when it comes to illegal immigrants. If they are not crowding apartment complexes with 50 people living in one bedroom units they are working in businesses that support illegals. This latest news story comes as no surprise:

Federal agents are at a large Shipley Do-Nuts facility on Houston's north side, where they have arrested almost 30 workers suspected of being illegal immigrants.

Agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed a search warrant about 5 a.m. at the Shipley manufacturing process center in the 5200 block of North Main.

Harris County sheriff's deputies are assisting in the raid, which took place after a caravan of about 50 federal and county vehicles drove to the center.

Houstonians should also be concerned about their personal documents since identity theft runs rampant among illegals. I hear it over and over again. Enough is enough.

State Rep. Borris Miles Makes Headlines Again

2008-04-15T02:30:00.003-05:00

What Is Wrong With Borris Miles?

State Rep. Borris Miles was indicted Monday on two counts of deadly conduct stemming from complaints he brandished a pistol and made threats at a pair of parties last December.

Miles, D-Houston, is expected to turn himself in this week, prosecutor Paul Doyle said. Bail has been set at $2,000. If convicted, each count of the Class A misdemeanor carries a punishment range of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Maybe he needs psychological help.

Sect Mothers Want Governor To Intervene

2008-04-14T09:29:00.001-05:00

The mothers of children removed from a West Texas polygamist sect's ranch after an abuse allegation are appealing to Gov. Rick Perry for help.

In a letter sect members say was mailed to Perry on Saturday, the mothers from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claim some of their children have become sick and even required hospitalization.

Kelly Siegler's Backers Weigh Other Options

2008-04-11T01:21:00.003-05:00

Ethical employees have no reason to run:

The takeover of their office by an outsider at the end of the year has some Harris County prosecutors weighing their options and considering other jobs including taking appointments as defense attorneys.

Both candidates have said the District Attorney's office is in need of a major shake-up, but said Thursday that no one has been "targeted" for termination.

However, some prosecutors who actively worked on Assistant District Attorney Kelly Siegler's failed campaign worry that their jobs putting criminals behind bars are in jeopardy because they backed the wrong candidate.

Any new incumbent would want to keep the best. It is only those who possibly feel they can't measure up have a need to escape.

Old Farts Abusing Young Girls

2008-04-10T02:29:00.001-05:00

Straight from the Chron:

Authorities suspect that adult men belonging to a West Texas polygamist sect used beds inside their temple to have sex with underage girls, court records released Wednesday indicate.

Investigators who conducted an initial raid last week of the desert compound known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado found beds inside the temple. On one unmade bed, they discovered a long strand of hair they believe belonged to a female, the records stated.

The allegations were released in an affidavit that detailed the suspected sexual abuse of underage girls at the compound belonging to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.