Cowin: " Very Shocked " : Does any of this really shock you ? It doesn't me !

" The criminal justice system in Texas is so cracked it makes an armadillo look smooth." Dallas Morning News Editorial
source: http://venus.soci.niu.edu/~archives/ABOLISH/rick-halperin/apr03/0184.html
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Thursday January 13, 2005
News
Brownwood police officer is indicted
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 
A Brownwood police officer has been indicted for tampering with government records, authorities said this morning.

Patrolman Larry Robison, 36, a nine-year veteran of the Brownwood department, was arrested Tuesday on a sealed indictment and released on $10,000 bond, jail records show.
Brownwood Police Chief Virgil Cowin released copies of letters this morning stating that Robison has been suspended without pay. According to one of the letters, dated Nov. 9 and penned by Capt. Garry Page, a complaint against Robison is "based upon alterations and deletions of an offense report ... which I ... and (Chief Cowin) told you were not authorized. The complaint will be investigated by Vance Hill, 35th District Attorney investigator."
Robison was initially placed on suspension with pay, but his status was changed to non-paid suspension after grand jurors returned the sealed indictment last week, a Jan. 11 letter written by Cowin states.
"This suspension is not intended to reflect an opinion on the merits of the indictment or complaint," the letter states.
Cowin declined to comment on the specifics of the complaint and referred questions to Hill.
"The DA's investigator is in charge of the investigation, and the Brownwood Police Department will cooperate in any way that we can and assist the DA's office," Cowin said.
When asked for his reaction to one of his officers being indicted, Cowin said he was "very shocked. Very disappointed, very shocked." Posted on Tue, Jan. 11, 2005
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/01/13/news/news01.txt

UPDATE......
Thursday March 23, 2006
News

Jury returns guilty verdict on Robison
By Steve Nash — Brownwood Bulletin

Brownwood police officer Larry Robison was convicted in 35th District Court Wednesday of two counts of tampering with a government record.
District Judge Steve Ellis said a punishment hearing will be scheduled later and will probably occur in about two weeks. Ellis also said that although the case was indicted as a third-degree felony, the punishment range will be that of a Class A misdemeanor because there was no evidence that Robison had intended to harm anyone.
Robison could face a jail term of up to one year and a fine of up to $4,000, or probation, according to the Texas penal code. Had he faced punishment for a third-degree felony, he could have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison or probation.
The state alleges that Robison altered another officer’s computerized offense report that names Robison as the suspect, and his girlfriend as the victim, in a domestic abuse case in January 2002. The case was never prosecuted because the victim withdrew her complaint, testimony showed.
Police officials testified that they learned in November 2004 that the report had been changed to reflect an animal problem, with the narrative altered and Robison’s name deleted as a suspect.
Jurors returned the guilty verdict after deliberating for an hour and 15 minutes.
“I do believe it’s the appropriate punishment range for the charge,” Assistant District Attorney Perry Sims said.
Robison, 37, has been on unpaid suspension from the Brownwood Police Department since he was indicted in January 2005. His future in law enforcement was unclear late Wednesday.
Police Chief Virgil Cowin, speaking by phone from his home Wednesday night, said it was too early to assess Robison’s status but that “it’s possible” he will be terminated.
Cowin said he will consult today with his administration and with Brownwood City Attorney Pat Chesser on Robison’s status.
“We’ll do what the law will allow us to dow,” Cowin said.
“Any time an incident like this happens, everybody suffers,” he said. “With the evidence I knew of, I felt like a conviction on both charges was inevitable. Yeah, it hurts. It hurts the whole department.”
Robison's attorney, Jim Lane, said after the trial that his client would have no comment. Lane also said, “When you choose to try cases, you rely on the wisdom of the jury.”
Lane said that Brownwood has “one heck of a fine judge and a very honorable district attorney’s office.”
As the two-day trial wound down Wednesday, Robison, taking a cue from his attorney, angled the witness chair toward the jury box and told jurors he did not alter the 2002 police report.
“No, I did not,” Robison in response to Lane’s questioning. “I did not do it. I don’t know anything about it.”
Earlier Wednesday, two of Robison’s brothers, who are lawmen with other agencies, and two Brownwood police officers were among defense witnesses who testified that Robison is a truthful officer.
“He’s very honest. He’s the reason I’m in law enforcement,” his brother Jimmy Robison, an Early police officer, testified. “My brother is not a liar. He never has. I respect him.”
Brownwood officer Bryan Bell testified that Robison “is truthful and honest and I’ve placed my life in his hands many times.”
Trial testimony showed that the case against Robison was triggered by a pretrial hearing in September 2004 in an unrelated matter. Robison testified as a prosecution witness. The defendant in that case was charged with assault on a peace officer, the defendant’s attorney, Rudy Taylor, said.
Taylor has said in interviews that he did not believe Robison had testified truthfully at the hearing. Taylor filed an open records request with the Brownwood Police Department seeking records in several categories related to Robison.
Those categories included “use of force” incidents involving Robison and offense reports involving assault on a police officer, Taylor said in interviews. Taylor said that he sought the information to attempt to discredit Robison’s testimony in future hearings.
Taylor said, though, that he knew nothing at that time of the 2002 assault that named Robison as a suspect.
According to trial testimony, police officials began gathering documents to honor Taylor’s request. Police Capt. Garry Page noticed that the 2002 report was missing.
Police officials investigated the matter and determined that someone had made alterations to the report over a two-day period in October 2004, testimony showed. Computer records showed that on one of the days, the alteration was made on Robison’s log-in, testimony showed. On the other day, the alteration was made on City Marshal Butch Dempsey’s log-in.
Dempsey testified that he had not logged off of his computer that day after finishing a report. He testified that he was unaware at that time of the 2002 report and that he did not know how to make the kind of alterations that were made to the report.
Sims told jurors in his closing argument that the case was about “motive and opportunity.”
After the 2002 assault involving Robison and his girlfriend, Robison was given a letter of suspension with pay, according to documents Taylor obtained in his open records request.
Cowin said he isn’t sure if Robison actually served any suspension then because the victim withdrew her complaint.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/03/23/news/news01.txt
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Panhandle prosecutor faces drug charges
Associated Press

PAMPA, Texas - A Panhandle district attorney was arrested while in a courtroom Tuesday on a federal charge of misdemeanor methamphetamine possession.
Rick Roach, district attorney for Gray, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Roberts and Wheeler counties, was charged in a federal warrant for knowingly and intentionally possessing methamphetamine, said Kathy Colvin, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Texas.
FBI agents arrested Roach about 8:30 a.m. in the Gray County Courthouse. He was in federal custody Tuesday and was scheduled for an initial court appearance in Lubbock on Wednesday, Colvin said.
"The investigation is ongoing," she told the Pampa News. "We have 30 days to present evidence to a grand jury."
She said she could not comment further on the case.
Assistant District Attorney Lynn Switzer said she had no comment, as did Pampa Police Chief Trevlyn Pitner and Gray County Sheriff Don Copeland.
Roach was 11 days into his second four-year term as district attorney. He has been a licensed attorney for 25 years, and was Roberts County attorney for 10 years before being elected district attorney.
If convicted, Roach faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
source: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/10620479.htm
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Web-posted Thursday, January 13, 2005
Pampa residents recollect DA's tough stance of drugs

By BETH WILSON
beth.wilson@amarillo.com
Amarillo Globe-News
PAMPA - The same man who helped put Harley Knutson's son behind bars may be facing a similar fate.
"I can't believe it. I would never have dreamed it would have happened," Knutson said Wednesday, a day after 31st District Attorney Rick Roach was arrested on charges of methamphetamine and cocaine possession.
Federal agents arrested Roach on Tuesday morning at the Gray County Courthouse. He was booked into Randall County Jail, where federal arrestees are held, and arraigned Wednesday in Lubbock on a four-count indictment.
Knutson said Roach prosecuted his son seven months ago.
"He was cleaning up Gray County and my son was part of the problem," Knutson said.
But Knutson's son was one of the luckier ones. He received 10 years, while several other drug cases Roach prosecuted received much longer sentences, some up to 99 years.
Wednesday, Pampa residents were recalling Roach's first campaign for DA in 2000. He said he was tough on drugs and it went over well with voters.
Connie Diaz at the Coney Island Cafe said the irony of Tuesday's arrest isn't lost on diners.
"He campaigned as tough on drugs," she said. "People are just shocked."
They also want more information. Copies of The Pampa News were sold out at several places, and some people were reserving comment until they knew more of the evidence.
Not the Rev. Walker Kyle.
"This man has been here in this community a long time and everybody brags about him, but he goes and does this," Kyle said. "As crooked as this city is, I do think he did it."
Kyle said Roach had better not get special treatment because of his position.
Others also expressed concern about how Roach's position would play into this case.
"Being a type of government employee, he's more than likely to get off easier than the average Joe," Larry Goodrum said.
But Shamrock defense attorney Jim Fling said it may be harder for Roach to get fair treatment.
"It's very unusual that the FBI arrested him at a public docket call and not at his house, which leads me to think that it's politically motivated," Fling said. "He's been arrested and charged. He's not convicted. As a defense lawyer, I believe in that."
Fling spoke out last year against Roach's hard-line stance against drugs, saying excessive punishments could lead to an erosion of constitutional rights.
That hard stance could come back to hit Roach now.
"Like a slap in the face," said Pampa resident Danny Stokes.
Roach spoke with the Globe-News about his harsh stance for a July 6, 2003, article. He emphasized getting sentences of 36 years, 38 years, 40 years, 60 years and 75 years.
"I think it's quite clear that the good citizens of this district are fed up with drugs," Roach said then. "A lot of these folks have children and grandchildren. They are smart, and they understand the effect drugs have on families and communities."
source: http://www.amarillo.com/stories/011305/new_1021213.shtml
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Three more charges levied against DA
Posted: Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 - 01:52:35 pm CST
By MARILYN POWERS
Staff Writer
Three additional counts involving firearms and narcotics violations have been added to a federal indictment against Rick Roach, 31st and 223rd District Attorney.
William E. Kelly III, an Amarillo attorney, has agreed to represent Roach, Kelly confirmed by telephone today.
"I've known him, just primarily through the legal profession, for quite a few years," Kelly said. Roach approached him about the representation, he said.
Count 1 of the federal indictment charges that Roach, allegedly being "an unlawful user and then being addicted to a controlled substance," "did knowingly and intentionally possess firearms, to wit: a Beretta .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol . . . and a Smith & Wesson, model 915, 9mm pistol . . . that had been shipped or transported in interstate commerce."

source: http://www.thepampanews.com/articles/2005/01/13/news/2news.txt
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DNA clears Texas man of rape conviction after 18 years in prison

Canadian Press
Published: Tuesday, March 21, 2006

DALLAS (AP) - A man who spent 18 years behind bars for allegedly attacking a woman in her home has been released after DNA testing excluded him as the attacker.
"I don't know how to apologize. I don't know where to start, but I'll start with me and 'I'm sorry,"' District Judge John Creuzot said Monday as he released Gregory Wallis, now 47. Creuzot was not involved in the original trial.
Wallis was a 29-year-old warehouse worker when he was convicted in 1988 of burglary with intent to commit sexual assault and sentenced to 50 years in prison.
The case was closed until Willis' 2004 request for post-conviction DNA analysis led to tests that found his didn't match the DNA from the crime scene.
The victim had picked Wallis' photo out of a lineup after police received a tip that he was involved. She described her attacker as having a tattoo, similar to one Wallis had.
"I don't know how she picked me," Wallis said. "I was sitting at home, and they came and arrested me. The next thing I know, I'm standing trial."
An initial test released in December could not entirely exclude Wallis as a suspect. His lawyer then requested a newer and more sophisticated test, which found no match with Wallis' DNA.
Like others wrongly convicted in Texas, Wallis is eligible for up to $250,000 US in compensation for the years he spent behind bars. He said he was looking forward to enjoying a steak dinner and going fishing.
source: http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=b119fa42-8651-4dda-bc1c-7fe0a949df84&k=73845
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What do you know about Innocence/Wrongful Convictions ?

http://www.nysda.org/NYSDA_Resources/Innocence_Wrongful_Convictions/innocence_wrongful_convictions.html