Sunday, February 25, 2007

Jacksonville, TX police officer Sentenced to 12 years for Rape and Retaliation


"Jacksonville Texas: You're gonna love what happens to you."

The City of Jacksonville, TX keeps accused rapist cop on the payroll and on his beat at the behest of the Cherokee County District Attorney's office.


accused rapist cop Larry  Pugh on patrol

Nine (9) Cherokee County, Texas women filed federal law suits over the alleged sexual predator cop Larry Pugh, formerly with Jacksonville, PD. This guy was arrested by federal agents back in 2006 for molesting women during traffic stops. While out on federal bond, Pugh stalked his complainants and attempted to dispose of a Jacksonville, TX woman that filed rape charges.

Officer Pugh is accused of running his belt around her neck, pulling her into a van and trying to haul her off. The "retaliation" was an obvious attempt at permanently silencing his latest rape victim. Just a simple retaliation against a druggie he arrested and was facing charges in the Cherokee County District Courts. Not an attempted murder on a federal witness. See how things are reported and handled in East Texas? Attempted murder would result in lawsuits that would break the back of the city of Jacksonville, TX.  After the FBI began there investigation of Pugh on October 21, 2005, Officer Pugh was suspended with pay.

As mentioned in a U.S.C. § 1983 action filed in the US District Court, the policy of tolerating police misconduct goes beyond the doors of the Jacksonville police department. The DA’s office was made aware of Officer’s Pugh excessive force misconduct in October 2005 when a black man named Larry Lacey (also a former Cherokee County peace officer) was accosted by Pugh during a fabricated traffic stop. Lacey was beaten with police batons and peppered sprayed in the face for “failure to signal required distance” and having an expired registration sticker.

Cherokee County, the city of Jacksonville and especially Officer Larry Pugh have maintained their innocence of the entire matter.

The Cherokee County District Attorney's office, the local Sheriff's Department and the City of Jacksonville has been sheltering rouge elements in its midst for decades. Larry Pugh wasn't the first and he won't be the last.

Officer Pugh has pleaded guilty and will face a few years in TDC where he can be on the receiving end. Jacksonville City Attorney Joe Angle of the Gordon, Thrall and Angle lawfirm (Elmer Beckworth's lawfirm) offers no comment on the coming lawsuits against the city of Jacksonville. The object will be to deflect, diffuse and portray the victims in the worse possible light.




Finally report by the Jacksonville Daily Progress on April 1, 2007: Larry Pugh has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on 2 counts of sexual assault and retaliation.

View Officer Larry Pugh’s final appeal at: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/07/07-40662.0.wpd.pdf

In the memory of Jennifer Hester, Jacksonville, TX

Jacksonville, TX:
This post from the news article that ran in the Jacksonville, TX Daily Progress.
We post it here forever, for the taxpayers of Cherokee County, Texas. Local Jacksonville, Texas nursing school graduate Jennifer Hester was struck by a pickup and killed within her apartment complex. The grieving Hester family was told by the Jacksonville, TX police department and Cherokee County District Attorney that a "hit-and-run homicide could not be investigated on private property."
Elmer C. Beckworth, Jr. presented Jennifer Hester's death to a Cherokee County grand jury as an "accident" that she caused. The driver was No Billed. The Jacksonville Police Department continued the charade after the fact, claiming in the Daily Progress to seek "additional information."

Elmer Beckworth, et al has championed the death, that could have been prevented with one phone call, of Faye Bell Harris of Jacksonville, TX. Yet no offer nor the semblance of a formal grand jury investigation into the death of Jennifer Hester, mother and daughter. Elmer Beckworth even calls the incident"a hit-and-run" in his few statements to local media.
Because the greiving Hester family and friends of Jennifer offered no political clout, Beckworth refused to convene a real grand jury to question the driver of the hit -and-run. The individual was exonerated before the grand jury foreman signed the NO BILL. And of course, relatives and cousins were seated on the panel by a sympathetic District Clerk.
Any other county in the state would have, by law, convened a grand jury and at minimum, indicted the driver with Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentence could have been commuted. Only in Cherokee County, folks, only in Cherokee County. And hopefully the populace can catch Elmer Beckworth's faux paux of actually calling the accident a "HIT AND RUN" in the Daily Progress article. Hit and Run, but no indictment? If you accidently back into someone's car in the parking lot, the driver is legally liable. Human life is more valuable than a fender bender. Laws and penal codes are completely arbitrary when it comes to the allies of the Cherokee County Texas district attorney's office.

What if the driver had not been related to the grand jury foreman, and let's say, been an out-of-state driver who caused a minor accident?

REPRINTED HERE
From the Jacksonville Daily Progress:
in memory of Jennifer Hester
Editor’s note: Due to the high volume of letters received expressing grief over the loss of Jennifer Hester, who died as a result from a hit-and-run accident on Feb. 12, 2005, the Daily Progress staff is running all letters received to this point together here.

Remembering Jennifer HesterOne year ago today on February 12, 2005 Jennifer Hester lost her life. In one moment, the lives of all those that loved her were forever changed. Jennifer was a hard worker always striving to make her life and the lives of those she loved better. Most importantly she was a daughter, a mom, a sister and a best friend. Jennifer lost her life to the senseless, heartless and cowardly act of hit and run. No time for good byes no time for a last hug or kiss in a split second she was gone and so was the driver. Today we honor Jennifer for the woman that she was and all that she would have been given the chance. Remember her and honor her. If you didn’t know her, think of her as your mother, sister, daughter and friend.
I know the pain the Hester family suffers all to well, I lost my sister and best friend, Tina DeMuro to a hit and run driver on November 9, 2005. If you do not understand our pain, be thankful, I would not wish this pain on anyone. Let’s not only remember Jennifer today but rather let us all remember her everyday. She was a beautiful person who should still be with her family.Kelley Olivera, Wallington, NJ In memory of Jennifer HesterDaughter, Sister, Mother and Friend.Today will mark the one-year anniversary that Jennifer Hester’s life ended and the lives of her family and friends changed forever.Jennifer was a loving daughter, compassionate sister, nurturing mother and a great friend. She worked hard all her life to provide for her family and for herself. Everything she did in life was to be successful.
That is what Jennifer accomplished by finishing school and becoming a nurse and providing a life for her 3-year-old son Mason.On February 12, 2005 – Jennifer’s life ended by the hands of a hit and run driver. She was left to die in the streets of her hometown. She was taken from her family and friends without a goodbye or answers to questions that are still unknown today. Her son Mason – asks everyday about his mommy and Jennifer’s family has to explain that she is in heaven now. How does anyone take on that – to explain to a 3 year old little boy that his mommy is not here. His mommy will not be tucking him in at night or reading him a story. His mommy will not be teaching him how to ride a bike or getting him on the school bus for his first day of Kindergarten. Yes, Jennifer will see her little boy grow up – but the only way is to be looking down from Heaven. That is not fair to Jennifer or Mason.
Today – we remember Jennifer and who she was and through her son Mason – her legacy will live on. But we also remember that the driver that took Jennifer’s life – their life still goes on. They will see their children grow up and be able to hug their family and friends. This person has not been handed down a consequence for what they did. Everyone needs to remember – it could be your loved one, one day being taken from you and someone driving away. Stopping your vehicle and rendering aid is to only solution to an accident. Driving away – only causes more grief and pain that will never go away.I personally did not know Jennifer – but through a support group – I meet her family and friends.
My father was killed by a hit and run driver, November 14, 2003 and the person responsible for his death is still at large today. I know the pain that the Hester family is going through. Please remember Jennifer today and everyday – she was a wonderful person and would have made a world of difference in your community if only given a chance.
Thank you –Lisa MilesDaughter of Lawrence R. Skinner, Sr. (killed by a hit and run driver November 2003)
My heart goes out to Jenn’s family.I am writing this letter in regard to the upcoming one year anniversary of the death of Jennifer Hester. I never meet Jenn in person but I feel like I have known her all my life thru her sister Dana and her friend Kari. They miss her more than words could ever express. My heart goes out to all of Jenn's family and friends during this difficult time. My God bless them and the angels surround them with comfort and peace. We miss u Jenn.
Sincerely, Amie Nobles Navasota, Texas
A wonderful friend is missed. Words can not describe how unique Jennifer was. Jennifer is so talented, she could sing, play instruments write songs, and dance. But her best talent was raising her son. Jennifer was a wonderful loving mother. I miss our friendship so much, this has been a long hard year and I miss her beyond words. I miss talking to her everyday and laying in sun with her and our kids playing together. Jennifer is a wonderful person and she will never be forgotten.
Her son is Jennifer made over, all you have to do is look into his eyes and you see Jennifer, he is a comfort. February 12 will be one year since she was taken away and the pain is just as great now as it was last February 12th. I am writing this in honor of a wonderful mother, daughter, sister, cousin, and friend. I miss you so much Jennifer. Love you, Kari GroganOne year ago today someone made a choice that would affect the lives of an entire family and community, forever. One year ago today Jennifer Hester was left to die on the road as the person who hit her drove away. Jennifer was a dedicated mom to her 3 year old son Mason.
Jennifer raised Mason while putting herself through nursing school and had only been working at her new career for 3 weeks when she was struck and killed. On this, the one year anniversary of Jennifer’s death, we remember her. A mother, sister, daughter, friend. I did not know Jennifer myself. But I have met her family and friends through our shared grief, losing a loved one to hit and run. Having lost my nephew to this horrible crime, I know the path of devastation it wreaks. Somewhere there is a person who is living his or her life without consequence. But Jennifer does not have that opportunity, nor do her family, friends or most importantly her son Mason.
Jennifer is gone forever and that is a grief to the world, beyond words to describe. I would ask that each person remember Jennifer today. Think about your daughter, sister, mother, friend and how you would feel if one moment their life was held in someone else’s hands, and that person just drove away. Remember Jennifer today and every day.
Karen Paul, (aunt of Christopher Bascom, killed Nov. 2003 by hit and run)
Even the law students at UT have been conned by the slick wording of Propostion 4, co-authored by former State Senator Todd Staples (R, Palestine) and the Cherokee County District Attorney.
The UT Daily Texan reporter cited above erroneously reports that before Prop. 4 was voted in, a district judge could not revoke a defendant's bail:   "Previously, a judge could only deny bail to a defendant if he or she has violated specific conditions of bail: the accused has at least two prior felony convictions, the felony was committed while the accused was on bail, or a lethal weapon was involved in the felony."
This is has never been the case; a defendant could have his bail revoked and placed in custody for spitting on the sidewalk. After the third offense; Cherokee County never bothered to charge Michael Harris for his consecutive bond violations.
That is what the biggest lie that has been told by the sponsors. It is a complete fabrication, design to get support from the weak-kneed legislature. The lies are easy to swallow when they are based on emotion. And the lies are even easier to repeat.
The fact is not one finger was lifted to keep Michael Harris from killing his wife. Michael Harris was in Cherokee County custody while he sought drug treatment at the Rusk State Hospital. Faye Harris was ignored. The fact is Cherokee County orchestrated the murder of this women by deliberately not revoking her drug addict husband's bond, the first time he threatened to kill her AND definitely not the third time. The Texas Constitution did not tie the hands of Cherokee County. The Texas Constitution only ties the hands of the patently corrupt.
It appears to the outsider that the only way these people gain respect within their peer group is to concoct a lie, and the most people to repeat it, no matter how ludicrous and retarded.
Cherokee County's "narcotics" officers can pull over vehicles with broken tail lights and the district courts can confiscate the contents of the car with one phone call---
but they can't revoke a drug addict's bond to prevent a pending homicide.
The family of Jennifer Hester has placed a touching on line memorial in her honor.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Cherokee County Texas Deputy beats handcuffed black man; Cleared of excessive force

Alto, TX:
Cherokee County's Sheriff Department faced another civil rights lawsuit after Deputy Jamie Beene broke the ankle of former Alto high school football player John Brown for no legal reason.

Brown lives in the small town of Alto, and unfortunately was born black in East Texas. With nothing better to do on a quiet Spring night in the piney woods, Officer Jamie Beene spotlighted the property of John Brown's grandfather, ostensibly viewing an ongoing drug deal on the side of the road.
Even Sheriff James Campbell stands by his deputy's strange story, that John Brown was evading arrest, even though he was knocked down, handcuffed and bound, then his ankle shattered (requiring 3 plates and 16 pins).
Whodunit?:
Cherokee County's rising star Officer James Q. "Jamie" Beene, then patrolling the pocket change drug dealers in a rural area south of Alto, TX called the "Dope Tree." No mention of the fact that officer Beene was trespasing on private property. I guess the drug dealers went inside for a snack. Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth offered to charge John Brown with something, like interfering with an "official investigation" according to the aforementioned news article. Sheriff Campbell repeated the story that Brown somehow "attacked" his deputy, even though Brown was hogtied at gunpoint. Elmer Beckworth offers no comment, and no real investigation, a' la his handling of Jennifer Hester being run down in her apartment complex.
The FACTS:
Officer Jamie Beene traveled out of his jurisdiction to the home of John Brown about 2 km south of Alto, TX. After seeing trespassers on his property in the middle of the night, John Brown goes out to check on his dogs. He was then jumped, handcuffed and beaten by officer Jamie Beene, along with members of Alto P.D. about 2 km out of Alto, TX jurisdiction, according to the news articles. John Brown's ankle was broken in the process. Why? What was the motive for this obvious racially motivated attack? Was it that his adjudicated probation was winding down?
Officer Jamie Beene has since been promoted to Deputy Sargeant, in Cherokee County Sheriff's so-called Narcotics Division. As of June 11, 2007 James Q. Beene is a Reserve Cherokee County Deputy by Commissioner Court approval. The Texas Rangers were called to "investigate" the beating of John Brown.
Instead of a reprimand, Officer Beene can pursue a fine career in Cherokee County. Officer Beene and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department are facing civil rights violation suits filed in Marshall, TX by the Brown family (at the time of writing). Local Cherokee County media refuses to publish the contents of the suit. Instead the Jacksonville Daily Progress promoted the narco-wonder cops by publishing the seizure of 4 "blunts" and 1 oz. of marijuana. Still waiting to be impressed? They also have the glorious pastime of monitoring the dank rooms at the Trade Winds Motel in Jacksonville, TX.
The brutal beating of John Brown by Alto P.D. was also reported by The BrownWatch: News for people of color. Ice Cube gets his fact skewed in this expose but the gist is the same. Beat a black guy up, break his legs while he's hogtied, then charge him for evading arrest. That is the heart and soul of Cherokee County, read it for yourselves.
As a footnote, the Tyler Paper reports on March 29, 2007 that Sgt. Beene has been cleared of the brutality claims. Read the article carefully:
"(Sgt.) Beene was on the property searching for a suspect unrelated to their case and arrested (John) Brown on a charge of interfering with a police investigation. During the arrest, Brown said, his ankle was broken and he was beaten. Several witnesses' statements matched Brown's."
Same article Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell says:
Officer "Beene was at a high drug trafficking area enforcing the law when Mr. Brown came onto the scene and interfered with his (Sgt. Beene's) job..."

So, according to the federal jury in Marshall, TX and Sheriff James Campbell, if get your ankle broke after being hogtied, because you have the audacity to confront a trespassing Cherokee County deputy, you deserve it. And the best thing to do is stay in your house like a frightened country Negro when you see the spotlights going across your property. Especially if you are black and you own property near a suspected drug drop. And expect to have every single phone call to and from your house to be tape recorded illegally forever.

Illegal searches are all too common in East Texas

From Bad Cop News feeder:

Steve Banyai
Lyford, TX on Nov. 27, 2006
Subject:
BIGGS, LD#509,#3212, ROGUE COP ON VIDEO To:"steve bonzai" ON 11/21/06, 1PM, I WAS SOUTHBOUND ON HWY 59 IN RUSKCOUNTY, TEXAS. I WAS CRUISING ON CRUSE CONTROL AT THESPEED LIMIT. I SAW THE SHERIFF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADPULL OFF AFTER I PASSED. HE CAUGHT UP TO ME AND PUT ONHIS LIGHTS. I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT HE WANTED. HE SAID THE TAIL LIGHT WAS OUT ON MY TRAILER, BUT I HADNOT USED MY BRAKES UNTIL AFTER HE STOPPED ME. IQUESTIONED HIS STATEMENT THAT THE LIGHTS WERE OUT. [IBELIEVE THAT BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT NEEDED IN DAYLIGHT,BUT HAD TESTED MY LIGHTS THE DAY BEFORE IN MICHIGAN.]

I MADE HIM STATE AGAIN THAT HE WAS STOPPING ME BECAUSEOF BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY TRAILER.[#1- ILLEGAL STOP.]THENHE WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY I HAD. HE ASKED TOSEARCH MY CAR AND I TOLD HIM HE HAD NO RIGHT TO SEARCHMY CAR. HE FURTHER DETAINED ME SO HIS DOG COULD SNIFFMY CAR. THE DOG GAVE THE CAR A PASS UNTIL HE THREWSOMETHING [HIS GUM?] UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR.[#2MANUFACTURING EVIDENCE][HIS WIND-UP SHOULD BE CLEAR ONTHE VIDEO EVEN THOUGH HE WAS HIDING BEHIND MY CAR.]THE DOG WENT FOR IT UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONTTIRE. HE PUT THE DOG AWAY AND SAID THE DOG ALERTED ONMY TRUNK. HE CLAIMED THAT GAVE HIM THE RIGHT TO SEARCHMY CAR WITHOUT MY CONSENT. HE SEARCHED MY CAR AND BOATVERY CLOSELY, AS SEEN ON THE TAPE. [#3 ILLEGALLYSEARCH.]

HE ASKED ABOUT DRUGS BUT I POINTED OUT DRUGSGO FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. LATER I REALIZED HE WASLOOKING FOR MONEY. HE SHAKES ALL THE DOORS, LOOKS INALL THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES. GOES THROUGH ANTIQUES FROMMY GREAT-GRAND MOTHER, MY CLOTHES, KNAPSACK AND FRUITAND VEGETABLES. I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF HE STOLEANYTHING AS I AM NOT HOME TO UNPACK YET. HE WAS KINDENOUGH TO GIVE ME A WARNING THAT HAS ALL THEINFORMATION ON IT, [#4 FILING A FALSE POLICE REPORT.]AND TOLD ME HAVE A NICE THANKSGIVING. I STOPPED IN THENEXT TOWN AT- LUNDSFORD AUTO SUPPLY AND GARAGE- TOHAVE MY LIGHTS CHECKED. THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTERCHECKED MY LIGHTS, THEN STEPPED ON THE BRAKES SO ICOULD SEE FOR MYSELF THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH MYLIGHTS. THEY JOKED ABOUT MY HAVING MET BARNEY, SO THISMUST HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITHEVERY ATTORNEY IN THE AREA TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLESLIVES HE HAS MESSED UP WITH HIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.THERE WAS ANOTHER MALE IN THE CAR WITH HIM. HE HAD A SHERIFF'S SHIRT ON.

THEY CHECKED ME THROUGH THE SYSTEM SO IT WILL NOT BE HARD TO VERIFY MY STORY. IF THEYDESTROY THE EVIDENCE ON THE TAPE THAT IS A SIGN OFRICO ACTIVITY. THE CAR, BOAT AND TRAILER BELONG TO MY DAD AND HAVE NEVER HAD SO MUCH AS A CIGARETTE INSIDE.THE DOG TOLD HIM THAT. HE STILL WANTED TO SEARCH FORMONEY SO HE MANUFACTURED AN EXCUSE. BEING OUT-OF-STATE HE THINKS JUST NOT BEING FINED IS ENOUGH TO HAVE MEFORGET ABOUT MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. CHECK OUT THEFILM AND SEE HOW MANY LAWS HE BROKE. I WILL BE MORETHAT WILLING TO TESTIFY AT HIS TRIAL. TARGETINGOUT-OF-STATERS, I BET THE MEXICAN CONSUL WILL HAVEREPORTS OF HIS CRIMINAL ACTS. THIS REPORT WILL BE SENTTO EVERY EMAIL I CAN FIND IN RUSK COUNTY, THE DPS,RANGERS, FBI, EVERY ATTORNEY IN EVERY COUNTYSURROUNDING RUSK AND EVERY MEXICAN CONSUL IN THESTATES AND MEXICO AS WELL AS EVERY COUNTRY IN CENTRALAMERICA. I AM WILLING TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH, ANYTIMEANYWHERE. STEVE BANYAI TDL# 02454464.

Open response to Steve on Bad Cop News:

Steve, I can relate to your story you posted. I lived in East TX for 25 years and had to leave because of the systemic corruption coming out of the area. I have had friends go through the same ordeal. Sheriff Biggs, or whoever this guy is, does exactly what most of these small town cops do. There are a handful of decent folks up there, but often wonder how many truly honest ones are left. I would post your dealings with the Rusk Co. boys in other places.

The problem is there is very little initiative for the US attorney's office, TX Rangers or FBI to reign in the redneck mafia that wear badges. They work together, in co-hoots with each other. The later provided meaningless drug busts, and the former getting Federal grant money to do as they wish.

This only skims the surface of the corruption of East Texas law enforcement. Just last year in 2006, down in Cherokee County, TX a 60-year-old veteran chief of police officer was busted by out of county law enforcement for selling meth and drugs off the steps of the Troup, TX city hall.
Read at :
http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=156663

Editor’s footnote: Chief Chester Kennedy was arrested and convicted of evidence tampering. Sgt. Mark Turner was arrested and convicted for taking drugs from the police locker. Other links verify the trafficking of crystal meth in Cherokee County by others. As of March 2009, Kennedy was appealing the theft conviction.
Why does this take place, in broad daylight and under the noses of Federal prosecutors? Some conspiracies say the feds have signed off on them and given them accommodations, so it would make those districts look bad in the eyes of Congress (follow the money). That's one theory. Here is mine--- this stuff happens because these “men” enjoy violating the law everyday and every fashion they see fit. They pull people over going “southbound” even though the city limits of the rat hole town is only on the Northbound and they have no jurisdiction on the southbound lanes. So they catch you going out of town so you are outside the city limits and away from help. They tape record the calls coming from the phone booths at the local Shop-A-Lot, pretending to put a dent in the out of state drug trade; but these lowlifes are actually just getting their jollies illegally eavesdropping on the town’s populace. And they get paid to do it.

They also have no compunction about lying under oath, fabricating evidence and will even murder people for insurance money. In neighboring Cherokee County, just south down the road from Henderson, the former District Attorney named Charles Holcomb is now a sitting Justice in the highest criminal court in TX, in Austin, on the TX Court of Criminal Appeals. He convicted an innocent man back in the 1990s on a murder for hire scheme in Alto, TX. No investigation by the authorities needed after the man Holcomb convicted was freed.

There aren't many articles dating back to the heyday of the Hwy 59 posse that got their revenue from “drug busts” and basically holding up out of state drivers. They don't have to prove anything during a trial, the accusation is simple enough for a conviction.

Of course, officials such as Justice Charles Holcomb portray themselves now as a privacy advocate, in Holcomb's case even ruling against his Republican Chief Justice when it comes to drug seizures. And the remainder East Texas state prosecutors like Cherokee County's Elmer C. Beckworth, Jr. salivate over the next small town homicide to brand themselves as "victim rights advocates." Then they top it off by misleading their colleagues in the Texas State Bar and TCDAA about their own personal involvement. Rusk County may be heavy handed in their "war on drugs," but at least they aren't selling drugs to undercover federal agents, like Cherokee County's Constable Precinct 3 Randy Thompson or raping women during traffic stops like Larry Pugh of the Jacksonville, TX police department.

As for Sheriff Biggs of Rusk County, how bad can he be? Don’t get me wrong though, these men are extremely dangerous. As a former East Texan, I am embarrassed to see the beautiful place turn into such a cesspool of drug dealing and corruption. If traveling south, I would take I45 to Huntsville and down to Houston, and totally avoid the backwoods cretins. And make sure you bring a cell phone and log in with a loved one when traveling through the area so they know where you are periodically. And lastly, of course never use a pay phone in these small towns, unless you want Constable Billy Bob Dipshit to intercept it.

Good luck, sir.
name and address withheld on private blog.

Steve Banyai return email:


withheld, THANKS FOR THE INTERESTING READING. I WILL PASS IT ALONG TO ALL MY FRIENDS UP NORTH. I LIVE IN SOUTHTEXAS NOW, PORT MANSFIELD. THE RANGERS SAID THEY DONTHELP IN SUCH CASES [BIGGS]. WE ARE IN THE BOONIES, BUT THE BORDER IS JUST A DRY EAST TEXAS. COPS THERE CAN'T RESIST THE DRUGS. STEVE BANYAI

Editor's comment:
Even the Texas Rangers turned their backs on Banyai's request for an investigation.
Rusk County, county seat Henderson, has had its racially motivated lawsuits and firings a'la Cherokee County in recent years. 2004 news article titled "OUTGOING RUSK COUNTY SHERIFF SUED OVER INVESTIGATOR'S FIRING" illustrates the redneck and racist mentality of East Texas law enforcement. A black District Attorney was called racial epithets by former Rusk County Sheriff after refusing to violate a citizen's civil rights.

In the posting, Steve Banyai is describing Henderson County Narcotics/K9 officer Kenneth Biggs, who in 2005 actually pulled over a Harris County Sheriff's Deputy and charged him possession of cocaine. Deputy Biggs gets his name in the police misconduct blogs for busting a Harris County deputy for crack and cocaine, then gets his name in the illegal search and seizure records.

As of late, Rusk County has seen its jailers busted with child porn, a deputy comitt suicide and the FBI do internal investigations stemming from charges of corruption. Rusk County and the current Sheriff's Department is attempting to clean house. Hopefully, Cherokee County will be next on the FBI's and US Attorney's office for house cleaning.

Footnote: Shelby County, TX constables and prosecutors working the Tenaha area and US 59 are facing federal lawsuits for illegal search and seizure practices. In the Eastern Texas Federal District Court, several class action and civil rights suits, such as Morrow v. City of Tenaha are being heard for the "money shakedown operation" of over 200 motorists. As KTRE reports on July 30, 2008, detained motorists were forced to sign waivers of forfeiture of their property and wallets to avoid being charged with "money laundering." Shelby County has seized over 3 million dollars from traveling motorists over the last 2 years.

Refer to case: Morrow v. City of Tenaha Deputy City Marshal Barry Washington, et al

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Deputized Phonemen Wanted

Posted by Cherokee County, Texas District Attorney uses illegal “party lines” on November 17, 2002 at 09:52:58:

In a fight on the war on drugs (and to remain elected), Rusk, Texas jails are monitored by local Cherokee County Sheriff’s office with FBI consent. Several local LCTX linemen are deputized giving District Attorney’s office telephone tapping discretion. Cherokee County Sheriff Department provides annual mediocre drug busts for Tyler/Longview FBI and DEA agents via phone taps, and has access to and “owns” all rural telephone lines. Phone lines of suspects and political enemies are spliced into the spare lines of “informants.” VOX tape recorders are hooked up to spare lines, i.e. “extension” and run into homes of District Attorney’s political allies.

Informants are usually reserve Deputies who live in rural areas of Cherokee County often in the same area as the home being surveyed. Junction boxes in front of “informant’s” house are used as switching stations and the spare lines on their phone drop are used as “slave” or piggy-back extensions.

Many informants have 24 conductor cables as phone drop that is run into their home and serviced by Lufkin Conroe Telephone Exchange. These “extensions” from unsuspecting homeowners are undetectable, unless granted access by court order to examine telephone junction box. Hence, anyone complaining about the neighbors intercepting their phone calls to Sheriff’s Department and FBI Tyler office are charged with Felony Criminal Mischief, for ostensibly opening telephone pedestals/junction boxes and tracing their lines into their neighbor’s house.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputies who pick up the tapes pay informants a monthly monitoring “donation.” The money comes from mainly from the District Attorney's fund. Current and former District Attorney Investigators are custodian of cassette tapes used in voir dire and selection of grand jury pools. Tyler and Dallas FBI offices, the US Attorney's office in Lufkin, as well as the Department of Justice office in Beaumont have been notified of over 15 years of illegal phone tapping activities of current and former District Attorney’s office.
Federal grant monies are distributed to local precincts for drug enforcement. Instead, substantial Federal dollars are used by Cherokee County Commissioners and Constables to pay Southwestern Bell and GTE linemen and their families to monitor “party lines” established by District Attorney’s Investigator.
County Commissioners routinely vote down installation of fiber optic phone line for Cherokee County because “party lines” cannot be created on fiber.
  
Old news articles highlight the ongoing harassment of minorities, a tactic of falsely generating 911 calls, in order to have a Cherokee County deputy knocking on the doorstep in the middle of the night.
This overt intimidation tactic, after being discovered, was quickly reported as the telecommunications miracle of "lightning strikes generating the 911 calls." This during the time period of record drought and 0.0 inch rainfall records. A typical Cherokee County intimidation tactic highlighted by the Cherokeean Herald. Precipitation loggers and historical data indicate no lightning strikes nor rainfall for this time period.
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Department would have those (who had been harassed by a deputy arriving unwelcome, unannounced and unsolicited) actually believe lightning could strike and send pulse phones to dial out "9," "1" and then "1" again. Even on phonelines that were not in service. For tone dialing, the actual frequency would have to be achieved in order to do what?
The hand of God dialed the 911 preset? Another lie because Cherokee County did not offer tone dialing until 1998; all telephone exchanges operated on pulse. It takes 9 electrical pulses to 'click' the relay at the telephone exchange, then 1 more, then 1 more. The Cherokee County Texas Sheriff's Department should have had the headline "Lightning Strikes Same Place 11 times in 3 Seconds... but doesn't burn up the phoneline..." Transient voltage in the air? Lies.
There is nothing more jarring than having an unannounced visit from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department during your late night house party...or as they call it "exigent circumstances" allowing for a warrantless search.
This type of civil rights violations has been operating in Cherokee County, Texas for decades.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Murder quota needed for small town prosecutor


Does a district attorney need to meet a quota of capital murder convictions to declare himself a "victim's rights advocate?" Simple trials, as the Richard Cobb case in 2002 can make a big impact in a small town.

And even easier to give yourself a "Law and Order Award" immediately afterwards.
According to Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth, "juries pay attention to evidence and details."

What about the evidence that has been fabricated or tampered decade after decade in Cherokee County, Texas, a la Troup Chief of Police Chester Kennedy?
Veteran police officer Chester Kennedy was in East Texas law enforcement for 12 years, while he stole pistols from the Troup city hall. How many similar search warrants, grand juries and drug seizures has Elmer Beckworth, Chester Kennedy, et al sign off on, during Kennedy's 12 year tenure? In a town of 2000 in northern Cherokee County, it takes Smith County and federal agents to stop the blatant miscarriage of justice.

To stave off the stench of the corruption within his district, Todd Staples (R), Palestine and District Attorney Elmer Beckworth co-wrote and sponsored the meaningless "Faye Harris Amendment" otherwise now known as Proposition 4. East Texas is not known for championing the 4th Amendment, rather pulling the wool over the eyes of the populace.

This bill allows district attorneys to set the conditions and amount of bail, based on the nature of the accusation, without the messiness of waking up a district judge and having a hearing. Why not save the taxpayers some more money and just let Texas' district attorneys try murder cases in their heads, and forego the ruse of having an untainted/unbiased jury? Out of 20,000 registered voters, only a handful have served on Cherokee County grand and petit juries in the last 20 years. Small case load.
From 2002 to 2004 there have been only 2 murders committed in Cherokee County, the Vandeer case and the Faye Harris case. Larger counties like Travis, Tarrant and Harris counties see hundreds of murder trials in their respective district courts. Cherokee County has one or two every 2 to 3 years. And these murder trials are exploited by the locals to make it seem like they were living in the homicide center of the universe, instead of a drug dealing pile of microscopic sh*t.

As in the Faye Harris case in 2003, her estranged husband Michael Harris was repeatedly arrested and placed on bond for threatening to kill his wife. Arrested repeatedly, though his initial bond for a pending felony arson trial (Harris allegedly burned down his ex-wife's home) was never pulled by the Cherokee County district courts. Perhaps in hope that Harris would gun down his wife and the locals could again get their names in the paper for being 'victim rights advocates.' It's easy to prove murder in the first degree when the continual pleas from Faye Harris to "lock up her soon to be ex-husband" were deliberately ignored and his bond not rescinded.


Was it that Michael Harris was too valuable an asset to have arrested, being that he was seeking drug treatment at the Rusk State Hospital, under guard and escorted by the Cherokee County Sheriff Department? No reports of Michael Harris being a Confidential Informant for local law enforcement either. Habitual drug addicts face a revolving door sentencing process when they cop pleas with the district attorney's office.

Notice Beckworth had to take the case to another grand jury to get drug informant Michael Harris to cop a plea.

Every 6th grader knows that if the conditions of bail are violated, as in Michael Harris re-arrested for harassing his wife REPEATEDLY, not to mention his drug charges, then he would have been locked up the first time FOR VIOLATING HIS BOND. Bond would have been denied after he was caught spitting on the sidewalk. Does this impress the misinformed?
Knowing that a potential murderer is repeatedly attacking your daughter does not a Christian make, Mrs. Bell.

Your daughter would be alive if the Cherokee County district attorney's office was not more interested in keeping Michael Harris out of jail and on the streets of Jacksonville, than revoking his bail with one phone call to the district judge. Better to have a dead woman to champion, than a convicted drug addict not giving up his contacts to Cherokee County law enforcement. Maybe Michael Harris was one of bailiff Randal Thompson's dealers.

Only a county that corrupt would produce a district attorney so arrogant as to tell the world that he alone, found a "flaw in the Texas Constitution." With Proposition 4 still fresh in their East Texan minds, they have collectively butchered the Fourth Amendment. And they are eagerly waiting for the next Cherokee County homicide to grand stand on.