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Brazoria County, Travis County: Comparing, contrasting two
drunk driving tales - Austin Legal News
11 in order to Harris County Criminal Court from Law No. Its Travis County location along with
control through Lehmberg will come as ethics violations often center on actions around the Capitol
or perhaps with other Austin-based state agencies.
Travis County residents are actually on the hook pertaining to a brand name new $1.8 million
expense following county commissioners voted in August to advance a portion of the PIU whose
funding has been cut following Lehmberg refused to resign.
Meanwhile, Travis County Assistant District Attorney Brandon Grunewald ended up being arrested
Aug. Reed's criticism alleged Lehmberg committed 16 counts regarding official misconduct
including coercion of your public servant to retaliation. He was later on introduced from jail on a
$500 bond and is scheduled to occur back Nov. credit once and pertaining to all behavior allowed
Lehmberg's launch following serving half the actual time.
Adding insult to always be able to injury, it was later learned that Lehmberg continued receiving her
salary although inside jail and also stored the actual almost $10,000 involving public money paid out
to end up being able to her. 19 after having a Houston cop responded to some call about a swerving
vehicle your Houston Chronicle reports.
Upon being arrested simply by Houston police on a generating whilst intoxicated charge, a Brazoria
County prosecutor provides resigned. This kind of cancellation prompts serious concerns regarding
if this development is actually a transfer in order to always be able to save taxpayer funds plus more
efficiently transfer forward the particular legal process? or is actually merely a new tactic which may
later on always be employed to assist the actual district attorney steer clear of removal?
As Brazoria County taxpayers can take a degree of fulfillment which his or her pursuits are already
protected at least within this instance, Travis County taxpayers nonetheless deservedly have got
legitimate questions on the operations regarding his or her district attorney's workplace as well as
its impact about the county's entire legal process.
. Abner, 30, was arrested Oct. In case affirmed, Lehmberg could get faced third-degree felony
obstruction charges.
Austin's KOKE-FM compiled booking footage involving Travis County's top prosecutor.
The civil jury trial seeking for you to remove through office Travis County District Attorney
Rosemary Lehmberg based on her drunk driving arrest in supplement has been cancelled. "I don't
ever want somebody to be able to say, 'You do the identical thing.' Zero great could ever originate
from drinking along with driving, anyway."
Yenne said she's got had the actual policy
written since 2011.
"It will be pasadena dui attorney my sincere
hope that everyone who functions for me
complies together with it," your woman said.
Travis County, about another hand, approaches
drunk generating involving district attorney's
workplace employees a lot differently.
Despite repeated calls and also ongoing legal
actions stemming from your arrest, Lehmberg
provides refused to become able to step down.
4):
"All employees are expected in order to adhere
for the highest standards associated with carry out throughout each their particular professional and
also private lives. Weeks later upon discovery of this information by attorney Kerry O'Brien who has
additionally filed a new removal through office civil action, the embattled district attorney swiftly
announced a new donation in order to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) claiming there "isn't
truly any mechanism" to pay back the particular public.
In June, Lehmberg entered into a political showdown using Gov. 11 on the misdemeanor drunken
driving a car charge within link with a visitors accident in Austin.
The Austin American-Statesman reported Lehmberg stating "her workplace doesn't generally fire
employees to get a first-time DWI offense and also that they will hold again until 'all the facts tend to
be known' before making any final decisions."
The Remove Rosemary Lehmberg Facebook page offered this quote reportedly coming from
Lehmberg's Travis County District Attorney Employee Handbook (dated 09/03/10, p. Hypocrisy and
also diminished credibility overshadow the actual district attorney's dui defense attorney Huntington
Park workplace along with its effectiveness because the county's chief prosecutor regarding various
other DWI offenders or even offenses that will involve drunk driving.
Shortly right after the girl April arrest, Lehmberg entered the guilty plea for you to intoxication plus
an open up container violation. any illegal acts as well as any perform bringing disrepute about the
workplace are usually grounds pertaining to immediate termination."
So Lehmberg doesn't "usually fire employees for any first-time DWI offense"? has it happened
consequently many occasions to get developed this kind of specific course of action? As Well As if so,
what in the DA's "standards regarding conduct" and the way do DA staffers maintain credibility
inside prosecuting various other DWI offenders or perhaps offenses that involve drunk driving?
Also really worth noting, however, just about all news regarding Lehmberg isn't grim.
A 12-member Travis County grand jury just lately declined to indict the particular district attorney
upon fees relating to the woman's jail carry out inside the aftermath of the drunk generating arrest.
This particular development gets to end up being able to be particularly notable as controversy
continues related for the April drunk driving arrest involving Travis County District Attorney
Rosemary Lehmberg and also 4 weeks later that of Assistant District Attorney Brandon Grunewald.
Michael A. by statute, most DA employees just perform at the need dui attorneys Bell Gardens in the
District Attorney. Your Woman has been then sentenced in order to 45 days throughout jail with her
license suspended with regard to 180 days. Rick Perry because the state's leading official made
excellent on his threat of a line merchandise veto associated with state funding for the district
attorney's Public Integrity Unit (PIU) when Lehmberg refused to resign inside the wake associated
with controversy surrounding the woman's drunk driving arrest.
The Public Integrity Unit investigates as well as prosecutes state officials and politicians. 4.
Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne advised The Actual Chronicle Abner resigned last week.
"After his arrest became known, Mr. Abner as well as I stood a discussion," the lady said.
Yenne mentioned the girl office has a policy involving zero drinking as well as driving.
"I came to the conclusion years back that you will find specific standards you've to get once you
prosecute individuals for DWI," she said. The Particular grand jury review has been according to any
criticism filed through attorney Rick Reed, a former Lehmberg political opponent