September 25, 2015

Ted Cruz calls out Pope Francis over the death penalty

Pope Francis doesn’t like the death penalty, calling every life sacred. Ted Cruz dislikes the pope’s opinion because he says that same preciousness of life justifies the ultimate punishment for the worst criminals.

The pope’s anti-capital punishment views won’t jibe with what too many Republicans believe. Cruz has voiced his disagreement to Politico shortly after Francis spoke to Congress on Thursday morning.

“I spent a number of years in law enforcement dealing with some of the worst criminals, child rapists and murderers, people who’ve committed unspeakable acts,” Cruz said. “I believe the death penalty is a recognition of the preciousness of human life, that for the most egregious crimes, the ultimate punishment should apply.”

The Texas senator – who has praised Francis and tried to paint the progressive pope as a social conservative in the run-up to his first U.S. visit – said he respects the Church’s teachers but disagrees on the death penalty as a policy matter.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/nation-world/washington/article/Ted-Cruz-calls-out-Pope-Francis-over-the-death-6527483.php

September 25, 2015

Family of man killed by Grapevine cop files federal civil rights suit seeking more than $1 million

GRAPEVINE -- The family of a Mexican national who was fatally shot in February by a Grapevine police officer on the side of a Euless freeway has filed a civil rights suit in Dallas federal court.

Rubén García Villalpando, 31, of North Richland Hills had been pursued by Grapevine police officer Robert Clark for a few minutes on Feb. 20 until Garcia pulled over on Texas 121 in Euless.

Garcia, who was unarmed, did not immediately respond to Clark’s shouted commands and asked if the officer was going to kill him, according records obtained by the Star-Telegram.

On Wednesday, García’s widow, Martha Anjelica Romero, sued the city of Grapevine, Grapevine Police Chief Eddie Salame and Clark.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/northeast-tarrant/article36499365.html#storylink=cpy

Earlier threads:
Protesters chant ‘hands up, don’t shoot!’ to Grapevine council March 4, 2015
Tarrant County DA’s office requests Grapevine police not release video of shooting of Mexican nat'l March 5, 2015
Hundreds march in Grapevine to protest police killing of unarmed man March 22, 2015

September 25, 2015

2014 SXSW crash suspect Rashad Owens pleads not guilty of capital murder

Rashad Owens, charged with killing four people and injuring more than 20 others during the South by Southwest Music Festival in March 2014, pleaded not guilty to capital murder and four counts of murder.

The 23-year-old made a brief appearance Thursday before Travis County state District Judge Cliff Brown, who scheduled a final hearing Oct. 15 before Owens’ trial takes place.

Jury selection has been scheduled for Oct. 26, and testimony is expected to begin Nov. 2.

Owens has been incarcerated at the Travis County Jail, with bail set at $5.5 million, since the deadly crash on March 14, 2014. He stands charged with capital murder and 24 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Read more: http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/crime-law/sxsw-crash-suspect-rashad-owens-pleads-not-guilty-/nnnFL/?icmp=statesman_internallink_referralbox_free-to-premium-referral

September 25, 2015

Kim Davis To Speak At Anti-Gay 'Family Values' Conference

Kim Davis will join fellow right wing religious liberty "victims" of same-sex marriage at the Family Research Council's annual conference this weekend.

Capping off a week spent giving interviews to ABC and Fox News, Kim Davis on Friday evening will deliver a speech as she accepts an award for being a religious liberty role model.

Davis, the Rowan County clerk who refuses to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, will receive the Family Research Council's Cost of Discipleship award at this weekend's Values Voter Summit.

Also participating at that award ceremony will be Casey Davis, Kim Davis' fellow Kentucky county clerk who has taken the same stand, and Aaron and Melissa Klein, who are falsely listed as "Former Owners, Sweet Cakes Bakery." They still own Sweet Cakes, and it very much is still in business.

Read more: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/kim_davis_to_speak_at_anti_gay_family_values_conference

September 25, 2015

New Braunfels police dep't. driving seized Corvette Z06 named 'Coptimus Prime' with ties to cartel

SAN ANTONIO — The New Braunfels Police Department is rolling out the sleekest member of its vehicle fleet: a seized 2007 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 named "Coptimus Prime" that previously belonged to a San Antonio-based drug trafficker with Mexican cartel ties.

Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Comal County Metro Narcotics Task Force, which includes the police department, seized the Corvette during a 2011 raid on a methamphetamine trafficking cell linked to the Mexican drug cartel La Familia Michoacana.

The cell was responsible for moving 25 pounds of nearly 100-percent pure meth each month that sold for a maximum of $20,000 per pound, mySA.com archives show.

Law enforcement agents estimated that the cell brought in $4.5 million a month for the cartel.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/crime/article/Texas-police-department-awarded-Corvette-from-6524250.php

September 25, 2015

Quick question. What's wrong with this picture?

September 25, 2015

HS kicker boots ball off ref's head, through uprights

The video won't embed so you'll have to click the link:

http://video.statesman.com/HS-kicker-boots-ball-off-refs-head-through-uprights-29739784?playlistId=507

ETA: That's using the old noggin'.

September 25, 2015

Charges dismissed for 2 in Southwest Airlines flight interference case (Chaldeans from San Diego)

AMARILLO -- Two of six passengers charged with flight crew interference after a Southwest Airlines flight was diverted to Amarillo had their charges dropped Thursday.

The US Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss criminal charges against Saiman Hermez and Ghazwan Shaba, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Clinton E. Averitte granted the dismissal.

The remaining four, Jonathan Petras, Essa Solaqa, Khalid Yohana and Wisam Shaker, had their cases merged into a single, separate one. The outcome of that case is still pending.

The charges stem from an Aug. 31 incident. A federal criminal complaint alleged the men, who were sitting together on a flight from San Diego to Chicago, repeatedly refused to put up their tray tables and their seats and refused to comply with a flight attendant’s orders.

Read more: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2015-09-24/charges-dismissed-2-southwest-airlines-flight-interference-case#.VgSgupfziBY

September 24, 2015

Three more lawyers added to AG Ken Paxton’s defense team

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has expanded his legal team that will defend him against charges of securities fraud in Collin County.

The Republican announced on Thursday that he has selected three more attorneys to join Dan Cogdell of Houston and Terri Moore of Fort Worth, who were retained earlier this month. Paxton called the five lawyers among the best defense attorneys in Texas.

Houston attorney Philip Hilder will be joining Cogdell as co-lead counsel. According to a news release, Hilder had been special counsel with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Strike Force and also had worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. He is also co-chair of the American Bar Association’s National Institute on Securities Fraud.

Also added to the team is Heather Barbieri of Plano, who will serve as Paxton’s local counsel in Collin County. Barbieri was recently named 2015 Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, according to the release.

Read more: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/09/three-more-lawyers-added-to-ag-ken-paxtons-defense-team.html/

[font color=330099]There are also some other related links for these stories:[/font]
Collin County budgets for special prosecutors in AG Ken Paxton case without guidance from judge
Paxton addresses Williamson County Republican group, which tries to boot press from event

September 24, 2015

San Antonio John Jay HS assistant coach resigns amid UIL ban after football players assault referee

ROUND ROCK — Mack Breed will not be allowed to coach at any University Interscholastic League school until he meets with the organization’s State Executive Committee, the committee ruled Thursday.

Breed, who issued his resignation as a Jay assistant football coach on Wednesday night, according to the Northside Independent School District, allegedly told two Jay players to attack umpire Robert Watts during a game Sept. 4 between Jay and Marble Falls.

Breed’s attorney, James Reeves, said Breed told the committee he made “regrettable comments” but did not want Watts attacked. The committee ruled unanimously to keep Breed from coaching at a UIL-member school Thursday during a formal hearing on the incident at the Austin Marriott North.

“Mack never intended for the kids to hit or hurt the referee, but the result was the same,” Reeves said. “While Mack is moving forward, others have to accept responsibility for their roles.”

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/high_school/high_school_football/article/Jay-assistant-resigns-amid-UIL-ban-6527209.php