Houston lawmaker seeks congressional inquiry of Harris legal

July 6, 2008, 6:44PM
Houston lawmaker seeks congressional inquiry of Harris legal system


RENEE LEE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

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U.S Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee today called for congressional hearings to investigate what she calls ''the many downfalls" of the Harris County judicial system.

Recent incidents, including a grand jury's decision not to indict a Pasadena man who shot and killed two men suspected of burglarizing his neighbor, have brought into question whether the system is fair and unbiased, she said.

The Democrat, who represents District 18, said she is also concerned and frustrated about derogatory e-mails circulated in the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the handling of DNA evidence by the Houston Police Department crime lab and the number of deaths in the Harris County Jail over the past 10 years. She also criticized former Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal for explicit emails he sent on his county computer.

''With the many misgivings surrounding the Harris County judicial system, it is fair to say that this local judicial system has been tarnished," Jackson Lee said during a news conference at the Mickey Leland Federal Building. "It is time for all officials to be held accountable and true justice and democracy restored."

Sheriff's spokesman Lt. John Legg said Sheriff Tommy Thomas was unaware of Jackson Lee's news conference and declined to comment.

Jackson Lee said she plans to bring the congressional hearings to Houston in the next couple of weeks.

The hearings, for example, will assess how the evidence in the Joe Horn case was presented to the grand jury. Jackson Lee questioned why the case did not go trial.

District Attorney Ken Magidson has said he could not comment on the grand jury's secret proceedings. Horn has asserted that he fired out of fear for his life, making the shooting justifiable under Texas law. Under some circumstances, the law permits the use of deadly force to protect property.

Lawmakers would also look at whether the sheriff's office derogatory e-mails, including some that targeted Muslims, have influenced the way inmates are treated and whether a systemic problem exists in the jail and district attorney's office, she said.

She also suggested that emails sent by the district attorney's office could have influenced some of Rosenthal's decisions.

Jackson Lee also discussed HPD's crime lab, which has been plagued with problems for many years, with reports of poor training, lax protocols and inaccurate work in the DNA division. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Jackson Lee amended a bill that would require local district attorneys to send DNA samples to the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure integrity of samples collected.

Errors have been found in the work of five lab divisions, and three men — convicted with faulty crime lab evidence — have been exonerated.

The Justice Department's civil rights division is investigating the deaths and conditions at the Harris County Jail. When federal officials announced their probe in March, three jail inmates had died.

Jackson Lee said the federal government has an obligation and a right to look into these matters because they deal with civil right issues. Also, the jail and the district attorney's office both receive federal funding through the state, she said.

renee.lee@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5874193.html

Since Sheila Jackson Lee thinks that illegal aliens have a right to invade our country why should it be a surprise that she thinks they also have a civil right to invade your house.

What????? I liked the Joe Horn decision....

Jackson Lee said during a news conference at the Mickey Leland Federal Building. "It is time for all officials to be held accountable and true justice and democracy restored."


You know, Sheila, I could not agree with you more. In fact, I think that the investigations and accountability should start with YOU followed in quick succession by the rest of your ilk.

See if any of the following sounds familiar to you Ms. Jackson Lee:

Oran's Dictionary of the Law (1983) defines treason as: "...[a]...citizen's actions to help a foreign government overthrow, make war against, or seriously injure the [parent nation]." In many nations, it is also often considered treason to attempt or conspire to overthrow the government, even if no foreign country is aided or involved by such an endeavour.

Outside legal spheres, the word "traitor" may also be used to describe a person who betrays (or is accused of betraying) their own political party, nation, family, friends, ethnic group, religion, social class, or other group to which they may belong. Often, such accusations are controversial and disputed, as the person may not identify with the group of which they are a member, or may otherwise disagree with the group leaders making the charge. See, for example, race traitor.




She might do well to remember that people who live in glass houses should not be throwing stones. :D

That woman is off her rocker. She is as crazy as she looks.

This is just one example:
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/...ackson-Lee.jpg

She doesn't have the good sense to know that the Mr. Horn went before the grand jury and they decided not to indict him. Just she not understand the legal system?

I'm glad we have juries that can't be intimidated by blow bags like her.

Has that wacky woman every spoken out about officers Johnson and Gryder? Hell no because, she's about Liberalism not justice.

Dixie