(Cheney indicted) Grand jury gives earlier indictments of high-profile officials a second look

[XXXMADAM]

Emma Perez-Treviño
April 8, 2009 - 10:22PM

BROWNSVILLE — A Willacy County grand jury is moving forward with its review of allegations that a former grand jury leveled in November against a coterie of public officials and a prison firm.

"It continues its work," Special Prosecutor Alfredo Padilla said Wednesday of the panel he has been working with since late January.

The public officials the former grand jury indicted included former Vice President Richard B. Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, The GEO Group Inc. - formerly called Wackenhut Corrections Corp. - and prison warden David Forrest.

The earlier grand jury - after reviewing evidence presented by then Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra - charged The GEO Group and Forrest with murder and manslaughter. The charges stemmed from the 2001 beating death of inmate Gregorio de la Rosa Jr. at the hands of two fellow inmates in a state prison Wackenhut operated in Willacy County.

Cheney and Gonzales were charged with profiting from private prisons, neglecting adverse conditions and stopping inquiries into assaults.

Padilla, formerly an assistant district attorney in Cameron County, began to work with the new grand jury after Judge J. Manuel Bañales appointed him last year.

Bañales removed Guerra from the case and dismissed the former grand jury's indictments, ruling that they were not returned properly.

Padilla would not say Wednesday which cases the new grand jury is reviewing.

"All I can say is that I have appeared twice (with the grand jury)," he said.

"I can't discuss what they are reviewing or considering or what they want to do with the investigation," he added, noting the information is privileged.

Padilla also would not comment on the scathing opinion that state's 13th Court of Appeals returned Thursday against Wackenhut and Forrest, affirming a 2006 civil judgment against them in excess of $40 million for negligently causing de la Rosa's death.

"I have not seen the actual appeal," Padilla said.

Former district attorney Guerra, on the other hand, said the appellate court's strongly worded opinion was vindication both for him and for the earlier grand jury.

"I am not surprised," he said of the ruling. "How many other people have to come to the same conclusion before something is done?"

David Oliveira, an attorney for Forrest and The GEO Group, has not been available for comment, but the company's position is found in recent public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Separate investigations conducted internally by us, the Texas Rangers and the Texas Office of the Inspector General exonerated us and our employees of any culpability with respect to the incident," The GEO Group states. "We believe that the verdict is contrary to law and unsubstantiated by the evidence."

Guerra counters that neither the Texas Rangers nor the Texas Office of the Inspector General can exonerate anyone.

"Only a jury can," he said.

The Texas Rangers and inspector general's office could not be immediately reached for comment.

Emma Perez-Treviño is a reporter for The Brownsville Herald.

[santamargarita]

1. Two kicks - I hope it sticks this time

:kick: :kick:

[Optical.Catalyst]

2. Do you have a link for this?

The public officials the former grand jury indicted included former Vice President Richard B. Cheney,

Cheney and Gonzales were charged with profiting from private prisons, neglecting adverse conditions and stopping inquiries into assaults.

This is huge. If Cheney is indicted, he will have to testify under oath. The next step is to charge Cheney with perjury after he lies under oath.

The discovery phase of Cheney's trial could be quite interesting, if not productive for further Grand Jury investigations.

[Soylent Brice]

6. i found this

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/brownsvilleherald_91922___article.html/attorney_stat

nevermind, it's from last november.

can't find anything recent regarding this.

[Festivito]

9. Yup: November 18, 2008 - 3:25 PM... No link yet, oh well.... /nt

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

10. Here's one

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/grand_96767___article.html/jury_former.html

[Soylent Brice]

11. EXCELLENT!!!

nice job!

[Optical.Catalyst]

13. We have got to keep on this until Cheney is behind bars

The public officials that the former grand jury indicted in November included former U.S. Vice President Richard B. Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, The GEO Group, Inc., formerly called Wackenhut Corrections Corp., and Warden David Forrest.

Cheney and Gonzales were charged with profiting from private prisons, neglecting conditions and stopping inquiries into assaults.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/grand_96767___article.html/jury_former.html

Cheney is guilty as sin of a whole range of crimes. If we can convict him on this one, we can get him under oath for questioning about the others.

The first conviction of one of the Bush Administration will be the biggest one. After that, they will turn on each other and all go down the path to prison.

[druidity33]

3. K&R, nt.

[Enthusiast]

4. K&R

I have very little confidence that Cheney will be held responsible for any action, no matter how egregious. He is truly above the law.

[formercia]

5. The Texas Rangers were the Blackwater of their day.

Killing Mexicans and protecting Big Ranch.

[seafan]

7. Grand jury gives earlier indictments of high-profile officials a second look

Grand jury gives earlier indictments of high-profile officials a second look

By Emma Perez-Treviño
The Brownsville Herald

April 8, 2009

BROWNSVILLE — A Willacy County grand jury is moving forward with its review of allegations that a former grand jury leveled in November against a coterie of public officials and a prison firm.

"It continues its work," Special Prosecutor Alfredo Padilla said Wednesday of the panel he has been working with since late January.

The public officials the former grand jury indicted included former Vice President Richard B. Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, The GEO Group Inc. - formerly called Wackenhut Corrections Corp. - and prison warden David Forrest.

The earlier grand jury - after reviewing evidence presented by then Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra - charged The GEO Group and Forrest with murder and manslaughter. The charges stemmed from the 2001 beating death of inmate Gregorio de la Rosa Jr. at the hands of two fellow inmates in a state prison Wackenhut operated in Willacy County.

Cheney and Gonzales were charged with profiting from private prisons, neglecting adverse conditions and stopping inquiries into assaults.

.....

Well, Al Capone was busted on tax evasion. Whatever it takes to incarcerate Richard B. Cheney and Alberto Gonzales is fine by me.

[pleah]

8. K&R

[rhett o rick]

12. One big kick for Cheney