Prosecutor who sent innocent man to death row is disbarred

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Prosecutor who sent innocent man to death row is disbarred

Updated 7:06 am, Tuesday, February 9, 2016

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A former prosecutor who used false testimony and withheld evidence to send a now-exonerated man to Texas' death row has lost an appeal to overturn his disbarment.

The Dallas Morning News (http://bit.ly/1TPB1fq ) reports that the Board of Disciplinary Appeals on Monday upheld the decision of the State Bar of Texas to disbar Charles Sebesta. The board's decision is final.

The bar revoked the Burleson County district attorney's law license in June, finding he had engaged in prosecutorial misconduct in the case of Anthony Graves.

Graves was sentenced to death in 1994 in the slayings of six people in South Texas two years earlier. A federal appeals court reversed his conviction in 2006.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Disbarment-of-Texas-prosecutor-of-ex-death-row-6817120.php

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[center]

Charles Sebesta



Anthony Graves [/center]

[bemildred]

1. Good. We need a whole bunch more of that. nt

[roguevalley]

29. its a miracle the vicim still knows how to smile. How about the prosecuror serving the

rest of the sentence?

[SamKnause]

2. Disbarred ???

How about this asshole sits on death row until he dies from old age.

The fucking justice system in this country is atrocious.

[Xipe Totec]

4. I'm with you. What Sebesta did was attempted murder. nt

[RKP5637]

7. Exactly! We have quite a few wacko judges in this country IMO! n/t

[JimDandy]

35. I am against the death penalty and if the DP is in play, then our laws must change to prosecute

the prosecutors for attempted murder when they withhold exculpatory evidence that puts someone on death row. And charges of murder if the wrongly convicted is actually executed.

[geardaddy]

19. +1

[awoke_in_2003]

31. The line "if you cannot afford an attorney...

one will be provided for you" is one of the sickest jokes in the system.

[SamKnause]

32. The entire justice system is a sick fucking joke.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. True. nt

[Xipe Totec]

3. Sebesta should be required to take Grave's place on death row.

[JimDandy]

36. No, but he should be charged with attempted murder. n/t

[NurseJackie]

5. "Charles Sebesta Setting The Record Straight"

It appears that his "my-side-of-the-story" and "Hey! I'm the real victim here" website didn't help him any.

http://charlessebesta.net/

[JimDandy]

37. And he had the nerve to state the following in his defense after what he did to Anthony Graves:

"The “Scales of Justice” symbolize a ‘Level Playing Field.’ And this playing field isn’t level."

[thereismore]

6. This is why Bernie is right on the DP. nt

[Diclotican]

8. Judi Lynn

Judi Lynn

It is a start - but what he deserve, is 20 years on death row, just to remain him about the cruelty he inflicted on another, innocent man... Then justice Will be served in full...Of course not executed, but just sit there for 20 years, complementing what he did.. He is still a free man, and will more than possible just live the rest of his natural life, in retirement, with the conviction he was "guilty" of just holding back information - not being a bloody criminal...

At least, it is not like in Hamurabis time, who in his famous law, made it posible for anyone who have accused someone of a crime who could end in death, to be forced to be excecuted, if the the accused was proven innocent - that put an end to unjust court justice...

Diclotican

[mountain grammy]

9. We need a Supreme Court that will, at long last,

strike down state sanctioned murder. Our Constitution demands it.

[lastlib]

17. Like!

it is ridiculous that we give the State the power to take life! This barbaric practice needs to end NOW.

[Zambero]

10. Just the tip of the iceberg

A good prosecutor is more intent on making a case based on sound evidence and factual testimony. If facts arise that suggest false testimony has been given, or if evidence surfaces that would exonerate the accused, then the prosecutor needs to come clean. Winning solely for the sake of enhancing one's legal track record while suppressing the truth is an ethical and moral abomination, particularly when an innocent person's life is at stake. Merely disbarring Sebasta would constitute a slap on the wrist. Since he was willing to pursue and obtain a conviction that would have seen an individual executed for crimes not committed, he is guilty of attempted murder plain ans simple, and should be prosecuted accordingly.

[Kelvin Mace]

11. He should be charged with attempted murder in the first degree

also, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, perjury, abuse of civil rights under color of law, and just for the Hell of it, felonious mopery.

[JimDandy]

38. You get a righteous *Hell Yes* n/t

[Aristus]

12. "Neither truth, nor evidence, nor respect for law will keep these Texas prosecutors from the

swift application of the death penalty."

I'm sure that's an axiom right-wing Texans live by...

[GGJohn]

13. Did anyone notice that he bears an uncanny resemblence to Donald Rumsfeld? eom

[valerief]

14. He wasn't arrested and imprisoned? Oh, I see. Victim was black. That makes

it okay in Texas, I suppose.

[Akicita]

15. That's it? He just loses his law license? What the hell is wrong with this country?

[Calista241]

16. He has prosecutorial immunity.

Basically, he can't be charged for any duties or decisions pertaining to his job while in office.

[Akicita]

24. Immunity shouldn't apply if he knowingly withheld evidence and knowingly allowed perjury.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

27. +1. At least imprison him for violating civil rights and throw away the key. . nt

[Calista241]

30. I would agree. And it may just be a statute of limitations problem as well.

I looked it up and Mike Nifong did go to jail for what he did, so I'm guessing prosecutorial immunity isn't as all-encompassing as I thought.

[blackspade]

18. All of his cases should be re-examined as well.

There are without a doubt others.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. +1. No doubt. Criminals like Sebesta rarely stop at one, esp. when not discovered til later. nt

[jeff47]

20. He needs to be charged with attempted murder

among other crimes.

Yes, I know it's not going to happen. It should.

[rexcat]

21. Sebesta should go to jail...

for the same amount of time Anthony Graves was in jail. Sebesta should be in a cell on death row and treated like any other death row inmate except the part about being executed.

As far as the death penalty, it should be abolished.

[Bernin]

22. Way past time

to get rid of qualified immunity.

[GoneFishin]

23. These crimes are not investigated and prosecuted aggressively. These assholes behave this way

because they can. Like any crime committed with no consequences it has spread rampantly.

[Gothmog]

25. This is great news

[Bernardo de La Paz]

26. Throw Sebesta in prison for triple penalty: 3x length served by Graves

Also, note how Sebesta is white and Graves is black. Coincidence?

[fun n serious]

34. Congrats to the defense attorney..

who likely pushed for disbarment.