Transcript
Brazoria County, Travis County: Comparing, contrasting two
drunk driving tales - Austin Legal News
If affirmed, Lehmberg could have faced third-degree felony obstruction charges.
Austin's KOKE-FM compiled booking footage associated with Travis County's top prosecutor.
The civil jury trial seeking to remove from office Travis County District Attorney Rosemary
Lehmberg based to end up being together with her drunk driving a car arrest has additionally been
cancelled.
Upon getting arrested simply by Houston police on a driving while intoxicated charge, a new
Brazoria County prosecutor provides resigned. 19 following a Houston officer responded to some
call in regards for you to a swerving vehicle the Houston Chronicle reports. This development gets in
order to be specifically notable as
https://plus.google.com/b/113756983498904269613/events/ch7t8qjp93ifpksqrkjbqv60s38
controversy continues related to the April drunk generating arrest regarding Travis County District
Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg along with four weeks later on those of Assistant District Attorney
Brandon Grunewald.
Michael A. the grand jury review ended up being according to the criticism filed by attorney Rick
Reed, the former Lehmberg political opponent. Reed's complaint alleged Lehmberg dedicated 16
counts associated with official misconduct which range from coercion of your public servant for you
to retaliation. 4):
"All employees are anticipated in order
to adhere towards the highest
standards involving conduct
throughout both their expert and
private lives. Just About Any illegal acts
as well as virtually any carry out
bringing disrepute about the office are
generally grounds regarding immediate
termination."
So Lehmberg doesn't "usually fire
employees for a first-time DWI
offense"? Provides it happened
consequently many occasions to get developed such a specific span of action? As Well As if so, what
of the DA's "standards regarding conduct" and just how do DA staffers maintain credibility
throughout prosecuting additional DWI offenders or perhaps offenses that will involve drunk
driving?
Also really worth noting, however, almost all news pertaining to Lehmberg just isn't grim.
A 12-member Travis County grand jury recently declined in order to indict your district attorney
about charges relating in order to the girl jail carry out in the aftermath of the drunk driving a car
arrest. Abner along with I had a discussion," your woman said.
Yenne stated her workplace has a policy regarding zero drinking along with driving.
"I came to the conclusion in many years past that will you will find specific standards you've to get
whenever you prosecute people for DWI," she said. This kind of cancellation prompts significant
questions involving if this development can always be a move to save taxpayer funds and much more
effectively move forward the legal process? As Well As will be merely any tactic which usually may
later on be used to assist the district attorney stay away from removal?
As Brazoria County taxpayers could take a level of
satisfaction that their pursuits have been protected a
minimal of within this instance, Travis County
taxpayers still deservedly have got reputable
questions on the particular operations of their
particular district attorney's office and also its
impact around the county's entire legal process.
. The Lady has been then sentenced for you to 45 days inside jail using her license suspended for
180 days. 11 to always be able to Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. Credit Rating once and
for all behavior allowed Lehmberg's launch right after serving half your time.
Adding insult to end up being able to injury, it had been later discovered that Lehmberg continued
receiving her salary while within jail along with stored the nearly $10,000 of public
https://plus.google.com/b/113756983498904269613/events/ch7t8qjp93ifpksqrkjbqv60s38 dollars
paid out for you to her. 11 on the misdemeanor drunken driving a car cost within link having a
visitors accident in Austin.
The Austin American-Statesman reported Lehmberg stating "her workplace doesn't typically fire
employees for any first-time DWI offense as well as she will hold again until 'all the dui attorney
riverside actual facts are known' prior to always be able to making any final decisions."
The Remove Rosemary Lehmberg Facebook web page offered this quote reportedly from Lehmberg's
Travis County District Attorney Employee Handbook (dated 09/03/10, p. by statute, most DA
employees work at the need in the District Attorney. "I don't at any time want somebody to say, 'You
do the same thing.' no great could actually come from drinking and also driving, anyway."
Yenne stated she has had the policy in writing since 2011.
"It is my sincere hope which everybody which functions for me personally complies together with it,"
your woman said.
Travis County, about one other hand, approaches drunk driving associated with district attorney's
office employees significantly differently.
Despite repeated calls along with ongoing legal actions stemming from the arrest, Lehmberg offers
refused to step down. Hypocrisy as well as diminished credibility overshadow the district attorney's
office along with its effectiveness as the county's chief prosecutor associated with some other DWI
offenders or even offenses that will involve drunk driving.
Shortly after the woman's April arrest, Lehmberg entered a new guilty plea to end up being able to
intoxication plus an open up container violation. Abner, 30, had been arrested Oct. Rick Perry as the
state's leading official created excellent upon his threat of your line product veto regarding state
funding for the district attorney's Public Integrity Unit (PIU) when Lehmberg refused for you to
resign in the wake associated with controversy surrounding the woman's drunk driving arrest.
The Public Integrity Unit investigates and also prosecutes state officials and politicians. 4.
Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne told the Chronicle Abner resigned final week.
"After his arrest became known, Mr. Weeks later on upon discovery of this information by simply
attorney Kerry O'Brien that has furthermore filed a new removal from workplace civil action, the
embattled district attorney rapidly announced any donation to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
(MADD) claiming there "isn't truly a new mechanism" to pay again the public.
In June, Lehmberg entered into a political showdown using Gov. Its Travis County place and also
manage through Lehmberg comes as ethics violations often middle on activities across the Capitol or
perhaps at other Austin-based state agencies.
Travis County residents are actually on the hook pertaining to a fresh $1.8 million expense right
after county commissioners voted inside August to finance a new part with the PIU whose funding
was cut right after Lehmberg refused in order to resign.
Meanwhile, Travis County Assistant District Attorney Brandon Grunewald was arrested Aug. He
ended up being later on introduced via jail on a $500 bond and can be also scheduled to go back Nov