ShowMeTheJustice – October 7, 2019

FEATURING:  Defense Attorney Brennen Dunn, Defense Attorney Brian Coyne, Defense Attorney Bryan Savoy, Prosecutor Carlos Aguayo, Defense Attorney Ed Chernoff, Defense Attorney Ed McClees, Defense Attorney Edward Okwueze, Defense Attorney Gary Miller, Defense Attorney Herman Martinez, Defense Attorney Inger Chandler, Defense Attorney Jordan Lewis, Defense Attorney Korey Huff, Defense Attorney Marcos Adrogue, Defense Attorney Mark Bennett, Defense Attorney Natalie Fleming, Defense Attorney Perry Bass, Defense Attorney Philip Campa

 

 

 

 

CAPITAL MURDER – 1434395 – 351st – Prosecutors Samantha Knecht, Lauren Bard and Kaylynn Williford; Defense Attorneys Doug Durham, Ed Chernoff and Neal Davis III – (17th floor CJC) judge George Powell presiding – DEFENDANT FOUND GUILTY – PUNISHMENT of LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE OR DEATH BEGINS SEPTEMBER 30th – ABC13NEWS

INTOXICATION MANSLAUGHTER – 1544687 – 176th – Prosecutor Brittney Symons and Cameron Mears, Defense Attorney Erik Smith and Sean Evans (18th floor CJC) judge Nikita Harmon presiding

CAPITAL MURDER – 1494344 – 338th – Prosecutors Keaton Forcht and Will Cowardin; Defense Attorneys Cary Higginbotham and Alvin Nunnery (20th Floor CJC) judge Ramona Franklin presiding ABC13NOW

MURDER – 1503254 – 179th – Prosecutors Allen Otto and Brett Batchelor; Public Defenders Gemayel Haynes and Betsy Stukes Martinez (19th floor CJC) judge Randy Roll presiding CLICK2HOUSTON

SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD – 1592815 – 180th – Prosecutor Sarah Neyland;  Defense Attorneys Jackie Carpenter and Kenneth Hardin (10th floor Civil) judge DaSean Jones presiding

MURDER – 1544713 – 184th – Prosecutors Jamie Burro and Bailee Beilman;  Defense Attorneys Emily Shelton, Simone Bray and Cheryl Irving (16th floor CJC) judge Marc Brown presiding

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Jordan Lewis for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client in Cause Number 2083503 out of County Criminal Court at Law Number 14 for the offense of DWI >.15 (presiding judge David Singer)

Good job Jordan!

 

Congratulations to Prosecutor Carlos Aguayo for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas in Cause Number 1617262 out of the 178th Criminal District Court for the offense of Evading Arrest with a Vehicle  – Sentence:  3 Years Probation (presiding judge Jeanine Barr)

Good job Carlos!

The following cases are felony – including RIC (links and PC issues) – and all trial setting dismissals derived from the Harris County District Clerk’s website – dockets tab. I examine each dismissal form before posting, post only those defendants who are free of charges (exceptions apply) and for which I have an attorney photo. These and non-photo cases are entered into the Defense Attorney spreadsheet published on Saturdays. Felony and misdemeanor dismissals are published in the spreadsheets below

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Brennen Dunn for earning a trial setting dismissal for your client in Cause Number 2252012 out of County Criminal Court at Law Number 3 for the offense of Assault Family Member

Nice work Brennen!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Brennen Dunn for earning a trial setting dismissal for your client in Cause Number 2267286 out of County Criminal Court at Law Number 3 for the offense of Assault Family Member

Nice work Brennen!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Brennen Dunn for earning a trial setting dismissal for your client in Cause Number 2267610 out of County Criminal Court at Law Number 3 for the offense of Assault Family Member

Nice work Brennen!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Philip Campa for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1600458 out of the 174th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member

Nice work Philip!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Herman Martinez for earning felony dismissals for your client in Cause Numbers 1622503 – 1622504 out of the 180th Criminal District Court for the offenses of Evading Arrest with a Vehicle and Possession of a Controlled Substance

Nice work Herman!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Marcos Adrogue for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1610688 out of the 182nd Criminal District Court for the offense of Continuous Violence Against the Family

Nice work Marcos!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Ed McClees for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1544806 out of the 182nd Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault

Nice work Ed!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Gary Miller for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1648865 out of the 183rd Criminal District Court for the offense of Felon in Possession of a Weapon

Nice work Gary!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Mark Bennett and to your client for earning a felony PTI dismissal in Cause Number 1541117 out of the 183rd Criminal District Court for the offense of Diversion of a Controlled Substance

Nice work Mark!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Perry Bass for earning felony dismissals for your client in Cause Numbers 1574909 – 1574910 – 1574911 out of the 228th Criminal District Court for the offenses of Compelling Prostitution by Force, Assault Family Member, Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution

Nice work Perry!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Brian Coyne for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1591842 out of the 228th Criminal District Court for the offense of Forgery

Nice work Brian!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Korey Huff for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1618810 out of the 230th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member

Nice work Korey!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Edward Okwueze for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1557386 out of the 339th Criminal District Court for the offense of Criminal Mischief $2500 – $30K

Nice work Edward!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Bryan Savoy for earning felony dismissals for your client in Cause Numbers 1585963 – 1585964 out of the 176th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault Family Member

Nice work Bryan!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Ed Chernoff for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1616498 out of the 178th Criminal District Court for the offense of Assault Family Member

Nice work Ed!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Natalie Fleming for earning a felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1616782 out of the 178th Criminal District Court for the offense of Aggravated Assault

Nice work Natalie!

 

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Inger Chandler for earning a trial setting felony dismissal for your client in Cause Number 1571969 out of the 178th Criminal District Court for the offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance

Nice work Inger!

Number of trials performed by each judge from January 1, 2019 – October 7, 2019 (Includes verdicts, in-trial pleas, in-trial dismissals and hung juries. Trial = jury picked) Source: My personal observations of trials in the courthouse and use of the District Clerk’s website online services

 

 

 

 

 

The number of FAVORABLE VERDICTS by the Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys through October 7, 2019

 

 

 

ALL VERDICTS from February 1, 2017 – October 7, 2019 (for personal use ONLY)

 

January 1, 2018 – October 4, 2019

A Compilation of Not Guilty Verdicts, Mid-Trial Dismissals, Trial-Setting Dismissals and *Special Felony Dismissals (exceptions apply) -For personal use ONLY

(Source: Harris County District Clerk’s Online Services – CrimDisposMonthly spreadsheet – eliminated dismissals when convicted of another charge or case refiled. Does not include attorneys whose names do not appear as attorney of record on clerk’s spreadsheet)

 

 

 

 

POINTER:

Before you plead a case make sure you have seen the lab report…Often times the results are either negative or for a lesser amount than was charged…Today in Ex parte Thompson, No. WR-89,601-01, the crim apps (with dissents) handed down an unpublished opinion on the dangers of pleading a client before you have the lab report in hand.

POINTER:

Attorney represents client charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. As a condition of bond, he cannot live at home because his children (one of which is the complainant) live there. He learns that his wife is disparaging him and his reputation, and he wants to retaliate.

Client sends a letter to Attorney. The envelope contains photos of his wife having sex with their 4 year old son (not the complainant). Client believes that the photos will mitigate his punishment if his wife is prosecuted, too.

What does the Attorney do with the photos? What ethical obligation does he have to turn the photos over to the authorities? Should a CPS referral be made, and can it be done anonymously?

Yes, the attorney must contact law enforcement and tender the photos to them. The lawyer is in possession of child pornography and evidence of a serious crime against a child. See Tex. Fam. Code section 261.101.

The Court Reporter has one of the most difficult jobs in the courthouse. Imagine having to listen to EVERY single word in a trial and transcribing it! My hats-off to you! I will try to feature a court reporter each week and offer their tips on how we can make their job a little easier

Linda Hacker has been a court reporter since 1990. She worked freelance until 1994 then from 1994 to 2000 she worked as a substitute for the courts.  In 2000 she landed a job as court reporter for the 339th then in 2009 as a court reporter for the 177th.  She is currently the court reporter in the 177th – judge Robert Johnson presiding.

COURT REPORTER TIP –

“My day would go a lot smoother if…..”

I know other court reporters have said this and I would like to reiterate – PLEASE slow down AND do not talk over each other!  We CANNOT take down your words when two people are talking at the same time or talking too fast.  Thank you in advance!

PRIOR FEATURED COURT REPORTERS AND THEIR TIPS – CLICK HERE

Congratulations to Defense Attorney Israel Santana and to your family on your daughter Jordan Santana‘s success in qualifying for the NEW Olympic sport of skateboarding! Best of luck in the trials and we hope to see you in the games representing the United States of America!

Defense Attorney Charles Flood’s wife Roush might have the secret ingredient for an Astros championship – her cakes!   Read the Chronicle article to see how her cakes helped land our first championship in 2017 and hopefully our second championship in 2019!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: All spreadsheets, standings, charts, graphs, compilations are NOT 100% accurate and should not be relied upon as authoritative information.

*Special Felonies – Excludes certain felony dismissals – see “The Making of this Blog – What Goes into It” for the exceptions

“Harris County’s felony judges have come under fire from Commissioners Court members for not moving fast enough to abolish the longstanding practice of judges appointing lawyers to represent poor defendants.

The criticism comes in the wake of a $2.2 million grant awarded to Harris County to create what is known as a managed assigned counsel system in which private lawyers are appointed to indigent defendants by a central authority rather than individual judges. The proposal is supported by a coalition of criminal justice reformers, public defenders and faith leaders. ” Story by Keri Blakinger and Zach Despart – HOUSTON CHRONICLE

“Commissioner Rodney Ellis is calling for a review of the process used to select substitute judges after fielding a scathing letter from the county’s public defender outlining two decades of allegations against ex-Judge Jim Wallace and questioning whether he is eligible to still sit as a “visiting” jurist in light of his disciplinary history.”  Story by Keri Blakinger – HOUSTON CHRONICLE

“The bruises weren’t always visible on Sylvia Rivas. But she said she feared for her life on more than one occasion.

“I felt my life was about to end and my children were next,” Rivas said of the abuse she suffered at the hands of an intimate partner. “It was horrifying and unimaginable to watch as a mother.” Story by Hannah Dellinger – HOUSTON CHRONICLE