6.15.2015

Random Monday Morning Thoughts



  • The Wise County hunting accident in which a grandfather killing his grandson is beyond horrible. 
  •  Uh, oh. "22 3-inch binders were found in [the Tarrant County DA's] misdemeanor offices and brought to [DA Sharen Wilson's] attention after she took office in January. She said the binders contained more than 6,000 handwritten notes entered by past misdemeanor prosecutors on pre-printed forms seeking their personal observations about officers who served as witnesses in prior misdemeanor trials. The forms, dated from 1993 to 2014, included an option of 'Fudges: (Good/Bad)' under the section about testimony given during the trial. She said the documents raised questions about the credibility of 16 officers, as well as three breathalyzer operators. 'In 19 of the forms, the officer (or operator) is said to have lied but not always on the stand,' Wilson said." This Star-Telegram story praises Wilson for investigating the notes and now disclosing, as required by law, evidence favorable to a defendant. But am I to understand that for over 20 years those notebooks existed and not disclosed to the defense? Think about that. You are charged with DWI and the prosecutor knows that the officer and/or the Intoxilyzer operator have lied in the past yet you weren't told about it? By the way, how does an officer "fudge" in a "good" way?
  • I've never watched more than 15 minutes of Game of Thrones, but everyone was talking last week about the scene involving a child and fire. This weekend, I happened to run across it at the exact moment it began. Really? Isn't that just a bit over the top? Maybe I'd feel differently if I had followed the show, but it sure felt like a group of writers got together and said, "Let's do this!!!! It's crazy!!!"
  • When you think of a murder committed in the course of a robbery you don't normally think of a  Subway but it did in Dallas last night. 
  • A real life Jaws: Two teens lost limbs by shark attacks off of a North Carolina beach this weekend. 
  • I heard Frederick Frazier, vice president of the Dallas Police Association on the radio this morning in light of the incident at the Dallas PD headquarters over the weekend. Oh, my. He managed to use it to advocate for more military equipment, more security at the headquarters and all sub stations, and for a bigger budget from the city.  (One of the first Google results for him is the title "Wiretapping bill dead mainly because Dallas cop was a jerk".)