Editor: Does anyone still believe that justice is even possible in Collin County? The unfortunate truth is that there are no "good guys" in what is happening...merely the corrupt against the corrupt. As they say, there is no honor among thieves. Truly pathetic and disgusting.
Special prosecutor appointed to investigate Collin County DA's office
06:54 PM CDT on Thursday, September 16, 2010
By ED HOUSEWRIGHT / The Dallas Morning News
ehousewright@dallasnews.com
A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate “possible criminal wrongdoing” in Collin County District Attorney John Roach’s office.
The grand jury that requested the prosecutor was impaneled by state District Judge Suzanne Wooten, who has been under investigation by Roach’s office.
Roach said Thursday, “I have the utmost confidence that every person in my office has acted honorably and within the bounds of the law in the performance of their duties.”
For more than a year, Roach said, the district attorney’s office has investigated Wooten, elected in 2008, for alleged campaign law violations.
Of the special prosecutor’s appointment, Roach said, “It is no wonder that I have concerns about the integrity of the entire process in impaneling Judge Wooten’s grand jury and its subsequent actions to date.”
Wooten’s attorney, Peter Schulte, said the judge recused herself from overseeing the grand jury in late June, when she learned that Roach was still investigating her. Another judge signed the order dated Wednesday appointing attorney Terence Hart of Dallas as special prosecutor. The judge’s signature on the order is unclear.
“Grand jury proceedings are supposed to be secret,” Schulte said. “I’ve talked to Judge Wooten. She has no idea what this is about.”
Hart, a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, has a history of being involved in high-profile investigations.
Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm appointed Hart in June to investigate the order for a police escort for the funeral procession for the son of Dallas Police Chief David Brown.
Hart said Thursday he didn’t know the scope of his investigation of the Collin County District Attorney’s office or how long it would take.
“I have not talked to the grand jurors,” he said. “I’m going to try and set up a meeting with them.”
He said had no information beyond what was contained in the court order appointing him.
It says the grand jury wants to “investigate the District Attorney of Collin County, Texas and/or members of his office for possible criminal wrongdoing and have requested that the Court appoint an attorney pro tem [special prosecutor] to assist the Grand Jury in their investigation.”
Richard Roper, a former U.S. attorney in the Northern District, said it’s highly unusual for a county grand jury to request a special prosecutor to investigate the district attorney.
“Grand jury proceedings are secret, so it would be pure speculation on the motives of the grand jury,” Roper said.
He said he and Hart worked together in the 1990s as federal prosecutors.
“Terry is certainly a qualified lawyer, and I think he’ll do an ethical, good job on the case,” Roper said.
Grand jury proceedings are secret, but the grand jurors’ names are not.
The grand jury investigating Roach has 12 members, including John Schulte, the father of Peter Schulte, Wooten’s lawyer. The younger man confirmed they are father and son.
The grand jury also includes Piper McCraw, a former prosecutor under Roach, and Deric Walpole. He represents Rebecca Littrell, one of six Collin County District Clerk supervisors who were investigated by Roach’s office and indicted on felony charges of engaging in organized criminal activity.
All six have pleaded not guilty to accusations that they falsified time and attendance records.
Wooten appointed five grand jury commissioners who selected the grand jurors, but she had no input on their choices, Peter Schulte said.
In his Thursday news release, Roach said he questioned the makeup of the grand jury.
“There is much more to this story, and there are many other relationships among the players that I have not mentioned but will at the appropriate time,” he wrote.
Roach didn’t elaborate and declined an interview request.
Peter Schulte said Roach didn’t object to the grand jurors when they were named in June. He questioned why Roach would issue a news release now.
“He’s blatantly trying to use the court of public opinion to do whatever he’s trying to do,” Schulte said.
Collin County has two grand juries currently in session. The other continues its investigation of Wooten, now under the direction of the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Schulte said.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said.
