A Horrific Event And Trial I Had Never Heard Of

It's flat hard to read.

Long Time Blog Item Is Back In Town

I got bombarded today with emails and texts about the Decatur "I Need A Job" Guy back in town. Specifically in front of the Prada Shops.

Come to think of it, he might want to get in line for a job in this day and time.

(Thanks James, Christine and Andrew to name a few for the heads up.)

We Recovered Flying Saucers With Aliens In New Mexico?

I linked to "The Vault" the other day - the new FBI website that has a ton of never before released documents.

Well, someone going through all those documents came across the one above. Anyone want to explain why this is not a bigger deal? There's some media coverage, but not much.

Edit: Hey, you goofballs. I had heard of Area 51. I'm talking about a government document acknowledging flying saucers. You telling me that's old news?

Civil Trial In Decatur This Morning

All I know is that it involves a collision between a Fed Ex truck and a motorcycle. It at least looks like a big deal (there's a krillion lawyers and legal assistants), but I don't remember the incident at all.  And I'm famous for tracking every motorcycle accident in the Southwest proper.  (There's a chance the accident didn't happen in Wise County because the civil venue rules are so screwy that the case could still be tried here.)

Went Shopping For A Kid's Softball Bat Last Night

Ok, this was not in the kid's section.

But some company has figured out that there's a handful of adult rec league softball players who can really crush the ball -- much to their ego's delight. Then they happen to be in the sporting goods store and see this thing and they think, "Man, this will make me legendary."

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Phone video of the Texas Rangers sliding on the tarp during a rainout in Baltimore last week. Yeah, it's fun but if I'm the owner - and realizing I'm on the hook for a player's salary regardless of how he gets hurt - I think I'd shut that down. 
• Texas Motor Speedway doesn't charge for parking? How much money are they leaving on the table?
• I'm out $29.99 because I couldn't tell the difference between a T-ball baseball bat and a softball bat. 
• Donald Trump is absolutely reckless and a cartoon with his crazy birther comments over the past week. He's doing a bit yet news organizations are giving him a forum.
• Along those same lines, I received an email chain letter yesterday proclaiming "Obama admits he wasn't born in America! See the first 30 seconds of this video!"  The video is full of misinformation about the issue, but the creator of it (as a joke) edited an Obama speech at the beginning of the clip to set the scene for his mini-documentary. Not surprisingly (in America), the video went viral with those believing Obama's 30 seconds were real. 
• Wow: Last week we learned that a 26 year old Arlington native was killed in Afghanistan. Yesterday news broke it was from "friendly fire"  but in the most shocking of ways: One of those unmanned drone aircraft/missles killed him. One step closer to robots taking over?
• For you true news junkies: Jonathan Alter leaving Newsweek is not a good omen for the future of news magazines. 
• I had to do a plea bargain hearing yesterday where my guy went from being on bond to being incarcerated. I've said it before, that's the worst event for a criminal defense lawyer (with the exception of it happening after a trial.)
• Channel 8 News now has a graphic that says "Instant Live" when they throw it to a reporter on the street. Just when "live" isn't good enough, someone comes along to solve that problem.
• Video of jumbo jet clipping and spinning another smaller jet at JFK airport in New York last night. Pretty amazing.(It's still early when I'm typing this and the video will probably be all over the news today.)
• How would you like to be a defendant in Montgomery County, Texas in an assault case this week and you were truly innocent? Would you like your potential jurors to walk into a courthouse under a banner that reads, "National Crime Victims' Rights Week" courtesy of the district attorney's office? Yep, it's happening. 
• Rather quietly, evidence of a serial killer is coming to light in New York . . .

Dear Fox 4 News

Showing videos of storm damage while Heather Hays and the weather guy stand in front of a green screen to narrate is not-a-good.

Literal Curb Side Parking In Decatur Today

News Girl Trauma

Somebody sent a couple of mean emails to Fox 4's Fiona. (Facebook link). Leave Fiona alone!!!!

(Not the stripper pic)

An artistic photographer who took a pic of KXAS's Kim Fischer simulating a pole dance tells a blogger to take it down. (It had been on her Facebook page but I don't think it's still there. If you look hard enough ** Google cache ** you can see it but it's no big deal.)

Ever Wonder What It Takes To Get An Arrest Warrant?

The way it works is that someone (normally a cop) prepares an affidavit and then presents it to a judge (normally a Justice of the Peace) who reads it and determines whether probable cause exists to issue a warrant.

I came across the above affidavit last week (it's public record in Wise County). Notice that it is for an arrest warrant for Jessica for Intentionally Making A False Statement To Obtain Credit. Basically, it alleges she went to Cash America for a loan and brings with her her pay stubs. Cash America employee McGuire (I assume she's an employee - the affidavit doesn't say) tells Jessica to change her earnings on the application so she'll be able to get a loan.

I post it for two reasons: (1) you are looking at the entire affidavit that a judge looked at before signing a warrant, and (2) if true, Jessica knew she was signing a false application, but that falsity was promoted by an employee of Cash America who is the "victim" in this case and, more likely than not, wants restitution for a defaulted loan.

Criminal Justice Politics

With the Dallas DA's election only a couple of months away in August of last year,  incumbent DA Craig Watkins announced a capital murder indictment in a decades old murdered police officer case.  He issued a press release, held a rare public press event where he actually appeared in front of the camera, and reprinted the Dallas Morning News story on his official campaign site.  The indictment was based on "new evidence" although he wouldn't say what it was.

Fast forward to last Friday when the election is over and won. (Story). The dismissal request is based on "new evidence" although he wouldn't say what it was.

It Was Race Week In Texas

More here.

Edit: Some pretty funny ones here.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Wasn't there was a time when weekends were relaxing?
• Almost (?) had an incident with the Neighbor Boys on Saturday when their soccer ball hit our roof while I was getting in the shower. The last I know, Mrs. LL was headed out to the backyard battlefield as I preached nuclear restraint. I didn't even ask what happened.
• I kind of like being in bed knowing that a thunderstorm is on its way.
• But did you see the houses in Prosper that had a ton of windows shattered by hail -- hail that was still on the ground this morning when Fox 4 did a live report? Photo (wow.)
• We missed a certified letter for Mrs. LL this weekend. I fear the certified letter.
• I've yet to watch it, but Saturday Night Live did a bit about Fox and Friends on Saturday. 
• I think most of West Texas burned down over the weekend. 
• Alerted Mrs. LL that I had accidentally let some flying bug in the house last night. She told me "I'll get the bug zapper", disappeared, and then came back with The Family Cat.  I'll be. That thing is good for something. 
• When we had friends in from out of state a couple of weekends ago, they were much entertained when we drove by a liquor store and gun range in the same building off Northeast 28th Street in Fort Worth.
• The Federal Government Shutdown that was avoided on Friday was (still) much ado about nothing. It actually happened during the Clinton years and no one particularly cared. But for some reason this time we had Panic Mode television coverage with countdown clocks on every channel.
• Fox 4's Peter Daut caught some television gold at the NASCAR race with his man-in-the-crowd interviews (with one guy -- shirtless and wearing jorts -- being a cross between Kid Rock and Ricky Bobby.)
• Hanging out with friends on Saturday night when the female host suddenly, strangely and violently threw up. Many rushed to help her. I headed outside.  Edit: Nope, it wasn't alcohol induced.
• I won't say golf is riveting but golf was riveting yesterday when Tiger Woods roared to the top of the leaderboard at the Masters. And I managed to parlay that into an excuse to leave a kid's birthday party to go set the DVR. (But I had to come back. Pronto.)
•  But the guy who ultimately won the Masters is named "Charl" which prompted someone to write that a headline today should read "Charl's in Charg". One got close . . .

Men Will Be Men

Come on, so a couple of Texas firefighters hang a couple of nude pics up. What's the big deal? . . . . What's that you say? Pics of what?  Ohhhhhh.

Friday Afternoon Pick Me Up

Since everybody dogged me because of that chick from this morning.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• The entire city of Bridgeport was without power as of 4:30 a.m. and the situation hadn't changed as of 45 minutes ago (per the Update.)  You boys got your lights on yet? And what in the heck could possibly cause that?
• At least one local news outlet (KXAS) has a "countdown clock" for the federal government shutdown. Silly. Just silly. 
• Christie Brinkley at 57 is still a definite "Hey, Now."
• It can't possibly be true that the crazy Arizona Sheriff was in Austin yesterday to advise the legislature about a "tent city" jail. (Since I've followed his self-serving and redneck twitter posts, he's really risen very high on my Drives Me Crazy List.)
• The Ticket made a reference to Wise County and Meth yesterday. If I had to guess and the breakdown of drugs cases in the county, I'd go 50% meth, 45% marijuana, and 5% other. (It's incredibly rare to see cocaine, ecstasy, heroine, or the like.)
• And I bet 90% of the drug cases originate out of traffic stops completely unrelated to a drug investigation. 
• The amount of time that is spent cleaning inside a household is staggering: Whether it be dishes, counters, rugs, clothes, or the human body, that's a lot of time. 
• I heard about some officer in Mesquite pepper spraying a baby squirrel (yep, you read that right), but somehow I completely missed the video!  (Any bets the officer's report reads "The squirrel was not complying with my commands, made threatening gestures to such an extent that I feared for my safety and the safety of others, so I used reasonable force to obtain compliance.")
• Mrs. LL woke up early and completely screwed up my morning routine. 
• Hot sideline reporter apparently doesn't like fried food (and the cook looks like a young "have you seen my stapler" guy from Office Space.)
• The Texas House bans texting while driving but you would still be allowed to read texts and fiddle with a GPS device. Sounds like an enforceable law.
• And one lawmaker actually threw out the "if it saves one life" card. Hate that argument. I could advocate a law that requires crash helmets and flame resistant body suits while driving because it would certainly "save one life."
• FBI: The Vault looks interesting.
• I heard the Texas NASCAR race was moved to Saturday night so as not to conflict with the Master's final round on Sunday.  As odd as it sounds, I bet the average NASCAR fan is a huge golf fan. 
• Crazy story: A sex offender in Fort Worth facing new charges kills a homeless man and then burns him in his (the sex offender's) own  car in order to fake his own death. That is dark. 
• There should never be a remake of Arthur. And there definitely should not be a remake of Arthur starring Russell Bland. 
• Viral video from yesterday: Guy cleans Cobra Pit where he is surrounded by cobras looking at him like even they think he's crazy.

Happy Birthday to Gladiator's Maximus Decimus Meridius

Ladies, I bring you Russell Crowe. (And that's a pic from this week.)

Edit: Winner . . .

Texas DPS Surcharge Amnesty Deadline Is Midnight

If you have one or more of those double-jeopardy-double-punishment* surcharges assessed by DPS before December 31, 2008, your last chance to get rid of them for pennies on the dollar is midnight.  That includes surcharges for no insurance, no driver's license, DWI, etc.

The site. Go.Go.Go.
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*That no court has the guts to so rule