The Llano Ledger


Newsletter Text V44

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.

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Publisher's Note: Accessing _The Llano Ledger website without generously providing financial assistance to this non-profit publication not only denies desperately needed funds for investigative expenses, but amounts to theft of this writer's labor. T.C.

*************June 12, 2000*************

Wednesday, June 14, is Flag Day. Be sure to proudly display the Colors.

The following complaint against County Judge J.P. Dodgen was recently sent to the General Services Commission:

General Services Commission
Open Records Section
P.O. Box 13047
Austin, Tx. 78711

Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://maxpages.com/llanoledger
Rt 2 Box 464A
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609

Re: Overcharge Complaint

Dear Sir or Madam:

Since the Office of the Attorney General lacks statutory authority to enforce the cost provisions of the Public Information Act, I have been referred to you by the Open Records Division. Ch.552.269(a), Gov't Code, Public Information.

In an apparent attempt to thwart the Public Information Act, Llano County Judge J.P. Dodgen asserts there is a $1.00/copy charge in all County offices. This seems to violate Ch.552, Gov't Code, Public Information statutes regarding "reasonable" photocopying charges. At the very least, it runs counter to the spirit of the Act.

Although not an attorney, my reading of the recently updated Handbook indicates there is an exception for the County Clerk. My question to you is does that apply only to the Clerk, or does it also apply to all County offices? Simply put, can they legally charge whatever they want in an effort to discourage open records requests?

Be advised I own no copier and have been transcribing County records longhand to avoid paying these outrageous charges. Other entities subject to the Public Information Act such as LMHS and the School District charge a more reasonable $.10/copy. Thank you for consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
cc: File

The following complaint against LISD Superintendent Jack Patton was filed recently with the Open Records Division:

David Mendoza, Legal Assistant
Open Records Division
Texas Attorney General's Office
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, Tx. 78711-2548

Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://maxpages.com/llanoledger
Rt 2 Box 464A
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609

June 10, 2000

Re: Open Records Complaint

Dear Mr. Mendoza:

This is an open records complaint filed against Llano Independent School District (LISD) Superintendent Jack Patton. Kindly find attached: 1. The open records request dated May 25, 2000; 2. A second bogus billing "Statement" from the Superintendent dated May 30 sent in response, received May 31; 3. A follow-up letter sent to the Superintendent dated June 1; and 4. Patton's apparent response, dated earlier, but received June 3. Kindly be advised it contained no "enclosure". The staple mark on the copy is due to my policy of immediately attaching the envelope to the back of all received correspondence.

The Superintendent has repeatedly attempted to dishonestly and unethically charge for copies and "research" never requested nor agreed to. For nearly one year, Mr. Patton has vigorously stonewalled and obfuscated all information requests, whether formal or informal, in an effort to forestall legitimate inquiry into egregious waste and apparent corruption within the School District.

The Superintendent has essentially refused access to records germane to determining whether or not taxpayer funds have been properly spent. Currently, he is outrageously attempting to implement this policy by arrogantly and arbitrarily imposing artificial, bogus fees for access to public documents in an effort to thwart the Public Information Act and avoid required disclosure.

Equally pointedly, no "research" is required to provide access to recent LISD documents. Mr. Patton is simply desperately trying to keep taxpayers from knowing the true extent of waste and apparent corruption in the School District. He is well aware this publication is non-profit, unfunded, and in no position to file an open records lawsuit to force compliance.

He is also quite aware our District Attorney and County Attorney are apparently corrupt and abusive and will take no action should the Open Records Division balk. Both officials are highly selective in their "prosecutions" and "protect their own." Worse yet, the District Attorney himself attempted to dishonestly and unethically charge for unrequested copies in an earlier open records request he apparently failed to fully comply with. While his attempt at intimidation was not successful, access to vouchers was not provided.

Consequently, no time nor effort will be wasted filing a complaint with either the DA or the County Attorney should your office balk and refuse to take action in the current matter. Should the Superintendent prevail by the refusal of the Open Records Division to act, however, the issue will provide additional fodder for the website and further indication of insidious, pervasive corruption within the entire system.

Sincerely,
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
cc: File

Continuing critique of the Garrett Deposition, Austin attorney Iris Jones hammered away at the Sheriff's lack of recall and knowledge regarding the jail-rape investigation:

pp.102-103
Q. Has Joey Gordon been called in before to help investigate matters relating to your jail?
A. I don't know.
Q. To your knowledge, has he ever come in to help investigate a matter involving the jail?
A. I -- I don't recall.
Q. After you met with Tina Wisdom in the rec area and you completed your communication with her, what did you do after that?
A. I went back downstairs.
Q. To the second floor?
A. Yes, ma'am.
Q. And what did you do then?
Page 103
A. I talked to Ranger Gordon and -- I talked to Ranger Gordon, and he said they were going to get a statement from Johnny Pesina and they were going to interview Tina--
Q. All right. Do you know if they got --
A. -- and get a statement.
Q. Oh, I'm sorry.
A. Get a statement from her.
Q. Do you know whether or not they actually interviewed Johnny Pesina and obtained a statement from him?
A. Yes.
Q. Where is that statement?
A. I don't know.
Q. Did you ever see it?
A. No.
Q. Did you participate in the interview with Pesina wherein they obtained a statement from him?
A. No, ma'am.
Q. What happened after that, after they told you they were going to obtain statements from Pesina and Tina?
A. I let them continue the investigation.
Q. And?
A. And I left.

Mr. Garrett's glaring lack of interest in ensuring the jail-rape investigation was properly conducted is stunning:

Page 104
Q. Did anyone discuss getting Tina Wisdom to the hospital for a sexual assault examination?
A. I'm -- I'm not sure.
Q. Did you not inquire about that?
A. I didn't inquire about it, but that's standard procedure.
Q. Standard procedure for whom?
A. For anytime we have a sexual assault.
Q. So why didn't you order one to be done for Tina Wisdom?
A. I didn't feel like I needed to order one when the Texas Ranger and my two investigators -- that's what they're being paid for to take care of.

Yes, Sheriff, your investigators are indeed paid to properly investigate. As Sheriff, however, it's your responsibility to ensure that they're properly doing their job. -- Especially since the "incident" occurred in your own damned jail.

Although confronted with a sexual assault in his own facility, Mr. Garrett spent no more than two minutes talking to the victim attempting to determine for himself what had happened and didn't even know whether or not she had been taken to the hospital for a sexual assault examination:

Page 105
Q. How long did the interview last with Ms. Wisdom, between yourself and Ms. Wisdom?
A. Maybe a minute, two minutes. I have no idea.
Q. It wasn't very long?
A. Wasn't very long.
Q. Do you know whether or not Ms. Wisdom was taken to the hospital for a sexual assault exam?
A. I don't know.

Apparently unsatisfied with the Sheriff's lack of responsiveness to questioning regarding Jailer Holland Ligon's sexual activity with inmates, Ms. Jones continued the pounding, finally eliciting a statement from Mr. Garrett that was simply not true:

pp.113-114
Q. Did you ever discipline Holland Ligon -- prior to his termination, did you ever discipline him for any reason during his term of employment as a jailer?
A. Just that once.
Q. Just that once. And the once was a termination?
Page 114
A. No.
Q. The incident involving the DEA agents?
A. Right, verbal.
Q. And that was the only time?
A. And then when I found out that he had had sex with one of the inmates, then I terminated him.

The Sheriff's last statement is blatantly false. He fired Ligon months AFTER learning of his sexual activity with inmates:

pp.29-30
Q. Did you terminate Mr. Ligon?
A. Yes.
Q. When did you terminate him approximately if you can't remember exactly?
A. A month ago.
Q. A month. What was the reason for the termination?
A. He had sex with one of the prisoners.
Q. And who was that prisoner?
A. Jeannie Lee Rowley.
Q. And when did you find out about that incident?
A. From a Texas Ranger.
Q. Who is that Texas Ranger?
A. Joey Gordon.
Q. Joey --
A. Gordon.
Q. -- Gordon, G-o-r-d-o-n?
A. Yes, ma'am.
Page 30
Q. And when did Joey Gordon tell you that Holland Ligon had sex with Jeannie Lee Rowley?
A. The day I fired him.
Q. About a month ago?
A. Yes.
Q. Were you aware that this information came out during the time that the Grand Jury met in January of 1998?
A. What -- I don't understand.
Q. Maybe -- let me make my --
A. Okay.
Q. I can clarify. Were you aware that the information relating to Holland Ligon having sex with Jeannie Lee Rowley came out in the open in January, 1998 when the Grand Jury met?
A. I had heard some rumors.
Q. Sam Oatman didn't tell you about that in January?
A. I read the statement.
Q. In January?
A. Yes.
Q. Was that statement provided to you by Sam Oatman?
A. Yes.

Mr. Garrett apparently lied on Page 114 of his Deposition: "A. And then when I found out that he had had sex with one of the inmates, then I terminated him." The Sheriff had in fact delayed firing Ligon for months after learning of the jailer's sexual activity in the jail. Why? Simply put, he was apparently beholden to the jailer's grandfather, -- former Sheriff Gale Ligon. ... Garrett's immediate predecessor. If you haven't done so yet, be sure to read the Ligon Deposition. It's quite an eye-opener and will be critiqued in detail after completion of Garrett Deposition commentary. More to come.

Since the point has been finally driven home to readers and the County Judge, the earlier pounding regarding a lack of financial support for this publication is no longer necessary. The truth, however, is still the truth, -- and it isn't very pretty nor will it be muzzled by our self-serving officials. With that in mind, the visitor count stands in excess of 18,200.

Another excellent week. With rare exception, however, this publication receives no financial support from the readership it serves due to greed, gut-wrenching fear, and the continuing intimidation of our abusive officials. Regardless, _The Llano Ledger remains beholden to NO ONE, and will continue to firmly and aggressively hold the feet of our worst offenders to the fire, -- with or without the financial support of the community.

Tim Chorney, Publisher
_The Llano Ledger



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

llanoledger@mailcity.com

Page Updated Tue Oct 9, 2001 1:14pm EDT