Crime Blog » judges

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Since his felony conviction last month for engaging in organized crime, Dallas County Constable Derick Evans has remained in office. Although, he hasn’t been running operations at the Precinct 1 office.

The conviction removed Evans from office but he appealed the decision and was allowed to remain until a hearing could be held. Now, a judge will decide Monday whether it’s in the public’s best interest to remove Evans from his position or allow him to remain in office while his appeal plays … [visit site to read more]

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Derick Evans leaves the 363rd District Court of State District Judge Tracy Holmes following a hearing at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas. (Brad Loper/Staff Photographer)

Update … [visit site to read more]

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If you’ve requested a trial in Judge Thomas Jones’ justice of the peace court in South Dallas, the chances are pretty good you’re going to lose.

At least that’s according to data in a federal lawsuit.

In 2010, a total of 82,046 cases were filed in Jones’ court, the lawsuit said. Of the 2,190 cases that went to trial before the judge, Jones found all of the defendants guilty. And of the 15 cases that went before a jury, all the defendants were found guilty, the lawsuit said.

That’s a … [visit site to read more]

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A Double Oak lawyer’s license has been suspended for a child pornography conviction.

William J. Kleinkauf, 65, was sentenced last year to three years in a federal prison for possessing child pornography.

The state Board of Disciplinary Appeals issued its suspension on July 30.

In 2007, officers raided his Flower Mound office with a search warrant and seized his computer and other equipment. They found more than 250 child pornography images, some of which showed children under 12 having … [visit site to read more]

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Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins said this afternoon that he will seek a death sentence for a man charged with capital murder in the slaying of a 16-year-old girl he was accused of raping, according to a news release.

Police say … [visit site to read more]

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A state district judge ruled this morning that a Wylie teen accused in the brutal murder of a friend should be tried in juvenile court where he has a chance at being rehabilitated.

Judge Cynthia Wheless announced her ruling this morning, describing the court’s analysis in weighing whether the boy exhibited psychopathic behavior or child-like behavior when he shot 15-year-old Nahum Martinez in the head at close range.

The teen, who is not being identified because of his age, was 14 at the … [visit site to read more]

A woman charged with prostitution told judge Lena Levario that she’s innocent. The defendant said that didn’t offer a man sex. She just got in his car.

“It was a marijuana transaction,” not prostitution, the woman said as she stood in front of the bench.

“That’s illegal,too.” said … [visit site to read more]

A Dallas County murder case ended in a mistrial Tuesday after the ex-girlfriend of a defendant accosted jurors in the deliberation room and showed them a picture of the man’s 10-year-old son.

The woman held up the photo on her cellphone and told jurors that she wanted them to think about the boy as they heard the case. Testimony had not yet begun in the case where Robert Earl Oliver is visit site to read more]

Craig Watkins (Michael Mulvey/Associated Press)

UPDATE: The district attorney’s office expects the hearing to go forward, Debbie Denmon, a spokeswoman for Craig Watkins … [visit site to read more]

Update at 4:30 by Jennifer Emily:

District Judge Lena Levario tossed out mortgage fraud charges against oil fortune heir Al Hill III on Thursday afternoon, citing in part Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins’ refusal to testify about allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the case.

The judge said the DA’s refusal to testify led her to believe there was at least partial bias in the DA’s handling of the case, and she ruled Watkins in contempt of court for … [visit site to read more]

GRAND PRAIRIE — Attorneys for the Grand Prairie middle school teacher and grandmother accused of a fatal hit-and-run that left a 6-year-old boy dead, won a victory of sorts Thursday when the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office … [visit site to read more]

Lisa Blue

Craig Watkins

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Dallas County DA Craig Watkins seems to be avoiding the spotlight as much as he can these days.

It appears that amid allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the the mortgage fraud case of oil family heir Al Hill III, Watkins isn’t making public appearances. His office last week declined to say whether he was at work or cite a … [visit site to read more]

State District Judge Bob Brotherton

Administrative Judge John Ovard has appointed State District Judge Bob Brotherton to hear the contempt of court … [visit site to read more]

In today’s paper, Kevin Krause and I have a story about the fact that the FBI has been investigating Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins for at least 20 months, but it’s unclear whether agent’s interest in a recent fraud case is the sole focus of the inquiry or whether it’s something more.

Attorneys caught up in the DA’s … [visit site to read more]

State District Judge Bob Brotherton has not yet set a date for the hearing.

Brotherton was appointed yesterday to determine with the contempt charge will stand against Dallas County DA Craig Watkins. Watkins was held in contempt last week for refusing to testify in a hearing where he was accused of prosecutorial … [visit site to read more]