The Llano Ledger


Newsletter Text V28

This Website Is Full. Starting With The December 25, 2000 Newsletter, All Future Editions Will Be Posted In The Llano Ledger 2, Found By Clicking http://maxpages.com/llanoledger2.

**************February 22, 2000**************

Last week, Llano County officials held a series of four town meetings cleverly designed to promulgate the supposed need of a new law enforcement center. Before fully addressing this issue, however, readers are advised I've begun publishing Judge Sam Sparks Summary Judgment Order. It will be posted in its entirety as quickly as possible, and can be found on Jail V1 and V2.

The Order was rendered shortly before the start of the Tina Wisdom jail-rape civil lawsuit trial heard in Austin. This document will provide interesting insight into how our jail was managed, and will illuminate the abuses and inappropriate improper activities tolerated. In the near future, excerpts from the Sheriff's deposition by Austin attorney Iris Jones will also be presented. This material will provide an interesting look into how our officials think and operate.

The saga of LISD Superintendent Jack Patton goes on and on and on.... A letter from our fine feathered friend can be found on Reader Letters V2. Two additional letters have also been posted, -- one to Patton and the other to School Board President Tere Hutto, both in response. The complaint filed with the Open Records Division has also been published. ... Jack, you're making this much TOO easy my friend....

Hear about the recent Llano Chamber banquet extravaganza? Truly glitzy stuff, no? Fluff taken to a remarkable new level. Sadly, where's the substance, Regina?

With all the activity going on, I've been updating this publication nearly daily. Be sure to check other _Ledger pages during the week for the latest. Now, on to the main thrust of this edition, -- the proposed jail.

I attended the Kingsland town meeting Wednesday evening. County Judge J.P. Dodgen emceed the festivities. A computer-assisted slide show was presented with the Judge providing narration. Obviously, quite a bit of effort was put into the pageant. Jail Standards Commission Director of Operations Terry Julian argued the supposed necessity of a new facility. Architect Lamarr McDonald of Huckabee & Associates outlined plans for the building. Interestingly, he had nothing to say of the Travis County Criminal Justice Center boondoggle, and more importantly, how those problems might be avoided here.

The Sheriff also spoke and answered a few questions. No new ground was broken at the meeting. It was a re-hash of what has already been presented in the media. Some 30 people attended in Horseshoe Bay. There were approximately 7 in Kingsland, and 40 at Lakeshore. I don't know how many were in Llano.

Although the presentation was well-prepared and slick, it failed to make the case. According to the booking records, there were 615 prisoners held in the jail from Jan. 1 to 11:00am Nov. 10, 1999. Of those, and as reported earlier, AT LEAST 130 were incarcerated on warrants and complaints involving minor charges such as No Driver's License, No Liability Insurance, Speeding, Reckless Driving, etc.. Most of these people should not have been jailed in the first place. Readers should understand this amounts to 21% of the jail population. Indeed, there are other better ways of handling non-violent offenses, such as towing the vehicle and imposing a substantial storage fee, stiff community service, etc..

There were AT LEAST 60 prisoners incarcerated on drug charges during the reporting period. That amounts to 10% of the jail population. These 60 inmates racked up 534 prisoner-days. Why? Outrageous bail. Were most wealthy, powerful dealers and pushers? Certainly not. Otherwise, they would have quickly posted egregiously excessive, unconstitutional bonds imposed by our magistrates. ... A deliberate overloading of the jail? You bet. In the coming weeks, much more will be presented. Sadly, most of it quite unflattering to the Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET).

Just as importantly, readers should understand the Kerr County prisoner population figures and projections used by the County Judge at the town meetings were conveniently distorted and irreconcilable to the figures published earlier in the media. The Kerr population has indeed dropped drastically from late April 1999 through the end of the year and on into January of this year.

Coincidentally, the figures started dropping after this publication started pounding the Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Sheriff's Department on this website last spring for deliberately overloading the jail. I'll present additional Kerr population analysis in the near future. Suffice it to say for now, our officials are deliberately distorting their own figures.

Our illustrious County Judge disingenuously asserted a new facility was indeed required to prevent a successful future federal lawsuit similar to the one the County was supposedly fortunate enough to "win" the last time. Mr. Dodgen was alluding to the Tina Wisdom jail-rape civil suit. His assertion was blatantly false for two reasons.

First, Llano County didn't "win" the lawsuit. The jury found that a rape had indeed occurred in the jail. Most pointedly Judge, this fact was widely reported in area media at the time. Sadly and unjustly, the jury awarded no cash to Ms. Wisdom, however, because of egregiously outrageous sovereign immunity statutes that blatantly protect and grant carte blanche to corrupt and abusive officials such as ours.

Secondly, Mr. Dodgen's outrageous assertion a new facility is required to prevent a similar future lawsuit, is also false due to the fact the rape was more a function of corrupt, abusive, and incompetent jailers than the physical security of the current facility itself. Sadly, a new building will do nothing to correct the jail personnel problem.

Once I've completed posting the entire Summary Judgment Order, it will be fully analyzed on this website. From what has already been presented, however, it is clear the federal judge threw out most of the plaintiff's claims due to sovereign immunity issues. Sadly and outrageously those claims were never heard by the jury during the subsequent trial. Just as sadly, our sovereign immunity laws clearly support and protect corrupt and abusive officials at the expense of those aggrieved by their outrageous abuse. ... Or do prisoners get what they "deserve"?

Ever wonder what happened to the jailers? Chief Jailer Melvin Lawson "retired". He is now a Llano County Deputy. Interesting, isn't it? From the jail booking records as well as a personal conversation I've had with this officer, Lawson has little understanding of the Fourth Amendment and its probable cause requirements. Apparently, this may be attributed to his relative lack of recent experience as a police officer, as well as the police state mentality fostered by upper management, i.e. the Sheriff.

Donny Stewart was promoted to Chief Jailer after Lawson's "retirement". John Overstreet has been recently promoted to Sergeant. According to the Sheriff, "John has done an excellent job for us." ... Like he did the night of the rape? Mr. Overstreet is married to Llano County Deputy Aimee Overstreet. As asserted in an earlier edition, Aimee is one of the best officers in the Department. I have yet to hear of any complaints against her, and she is indeed an asset to our community.

Readers should carefully examine the Summary Judgment Order. Judge Sparks has painstakingly described in great detail the horrendous abuse by former jailer Holland Ligon. Ligon was given the boot several months after the rape for having had sex with an inmate. What the hell took the Sheriff so long? Couldn't be he was pressured to look the other way by his predecessor, could it? Readers will recall the former Sheriff is Gale Ligon. Sadly, the vestiges and legacy of "Ligon's Law" survive to this day within the Department. For those who may not know, the former Sheriff is the grandfather of Holland Ligon, the fired jailer. ... My, my, my... What webs we weave. Indeed.

Most pointedly, why wasn't the former jailer prosecuted? Excellent question. Ask Mr. Garrett and District Attorney Sam Oatman. To date, their explanations ring hollow and are indeed self-serving. ... After all, this is Llano County, isn't it?

What indeed were the consequences to our illustrious jailers? Bottom line? Keep your mouth shut, tow the mark, lie like hell as necessary, and guess what? You get promoted. What about both rape victims? Who cares? Right? Both women are "trash", aren't they? Isn't that right, Mr. Dodgen? They got what they "deserved", didn't they?

What about it dear readers? ... Think it couldn't happen to YOUR wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, daughter, cousin, aunt, grandmother, etc.? Think again. People in Llano County don't have to be guilty of anything to get hauled to jail. Time to wake up.

There will be much more to come in the near future on this issue and others closely related. -- Including the failure of our illustrious DA to fully prosecute former inmate trustee Johnny Joe Pesina of the rape of a second female inmate.

At the town meeting Wednesday evening, a County official privately remarked to me "We really need this facility". From HIS perspective and that of his cronies, sadly, he's absolutely right. Certainly, THEY do need it. The more jail beds in the County, the more money to be made. After all, the jail and local courts are indeed the cash cows for the County. Sadly, justice has little to nothing to do with the current system. Truly, it IS the money. Time for citizens to wake up to the corruption and demand an independent audit of ALL County finances.

Before we even THINK of building a new facility, we should first demand an end to the egregious abuses in the Sheriff's Department and the courts. At least 21% of our inmates were incarcerated on petty non-violent charges that could be better adjudicated by other methods such as the expensive towing and storage of offenders' vehicles, by imposing hefty community service sentences, requiring restitution and victims' compensation amounting to several times actual damages, -- while giving all of it to the victims, etc.. Shift the burden to the non-violent offender, rather than the taxpayers. Our officials want no part of it. After all, there would be far less to steal.

As our County Judge quipped Wednesday evening at the town meeting: "We have no objection to offering DPS space in the new facility. The County GETS 75% of every ticket they write." Again, as our corrupt and abusive officials might say: "It's the MONEY, stupid."

Worse yet, many of our prisoners are held on bogus charges designed to increase the County's cash coffers. Public Intoxication is an egregious example. Why are PI prisoners who demand a Breathalyzer or blood test to prove their innocence denied? Couldn't have anything to do with the $600 fine, could it? Most pointedly, whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? ... In Llano County? What do I want, the world or what?

If you're a passenger in a vehicle whose driver is arrested for DWI, better not have the smell of alcohol on YOUR breath. -- Not even one drink. If you do, it's highly likely you'll spend the night in jail on a Public Intoxication charge. You'll also contribute $600 to the County's cash coffers. Again, you will NOT be given the opportunity to prove your innocence with a Breathalyzer or blood test. Wouldn't want the County denied 600 bucks, would you? Sadly, I've only scratched the surface on this type of abuse. There'll be more reported in the coming weeks.

Public thanks to the Sheriff for providing a ride Wednesday evening as I thumbed home from the town meeting In Kingsland. ... Indeed, life is ALWAYS most interesting, isn't it? -- Certainly, never a dull moment. All joking aside and sadly, a lot more will be presented in the near future as promised. -- Most of it unflattering to the Sheriff and other County officials.

Hmmmm..... Courage? What the hell is that? In Llano County? Again, what do I want, the world or what? Dear readers, WHERE indeed is YOUR courage? With a visitor count in excess of 7900 (another record-breaking week), this publication is apparently considered good enough to be read by many. Yet, it is NOT being financially supported. Besides beans in the pot, there are other expenses. Since area businesses are apparently too cowardly to advertise here, this publication has to be a grassroots community effort if it is to go to hard copy. I will not go into debt. This has to pay for itself as it goes. To be truly effective, _The Llano Ledger has required 16-18hrs. daily, 7 days/wk. since launch nearly 11 months ago.

Sadly, this community is apparently COWARDLY willing to allow this writer to take the risk, do all the work, put up with the harassment, and swing in the wind. Alone. Damned pitiful and incredibly selfish. As long as you get yours, no problem. Right? -- Take what you can get, and the hell with the other guy. Truly sad. Then again, this is Llano County. Isn't it clear our corrupt and abusive "leaders" are no more than a reflection of ... who else? ... We, the people? Regardless, it doesn't excuse them anymore than it excuses each of you. While I'm more than willing to take the risk, do all the work, put up with the harassment, and swing in the wind, I NEED your financial support.

As repeatedly asserted, the pop-up and banner advertising belongs to Maxpages. _The Ledger receives no income from either, and remains non-profit. As always, this publication needs and appreciates donations from readers. Sadly, no other publication is willing to challenge corrupt and abusive officials. Readers can expect continued aggressive, relentless, officious, tireless pursuit of our most egregious offenders. -- Figuratively speaking, a "take no prisoners" approach, regardless of whose toes are stepped on, feathers ruffled, tail feathers plucked, or beak tweaked. Things can change in our community. Be part of it. Help me to help you. Support this publication.

Tim Chorney, Publisher



Tim Chorney, Publisher
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam Tx. 78609

llanoledger@mailcity.com

Page Updated Tue Oct 9, 2001 1:25pm EDT