Romonak,

How prey tell is the DPS any part of the "good ole boy" system in Victoria?  If any LE group fit that label it would be the LOCAL police not DPS, which is a state agency.  People, please learn how to properly apply labels.

Earnie...

Oops.  I forgot to answer one of your questions.  You asked if it would be counterproductive for the police to take their concerns about a case they believe to be mishandled to the same DA whom they believe to be mishandling it.  Yeah, it probably would.  But instead of taking it to the local newspaper, a far better destination for those concerns would be the Texas Rangers.  This is nothing against the newspapers, but the Rangers are supposed to investigate crime and provide evidence to either the local DA or a special prosecutor.  The newspapers are supposed to print their stories for all to read.  Now, as a purely personal matter, I don't have a problem with the newspapers finding out about investigations and printing all they know.  My concern is that they will find out only part, print that, and do great harm to people who should not be so harmed.

I have to agree that your observation is logical and well-written, Wind. It also reminds me of a grand jury proceeding. It's pretty simple to get an indictment when only one side of the story is being told. That's why an indictment is NOT a guilty verdict but simply an agreement that sufficient evidence exists to warrant an investigation of BOTH sides of the story and a trial to determine if guilt exists or if innocence can be proven.

I won't go into the alleged victim's "late breaking" story of his violation. The psychology of that situation has been discussed all over this place. Likewise the grand jury indictments. Sufficient evidence to warrant a full investigation. And the newspaper reported both the victim's story and the GJ indictments. As you said, that's their job. So there's a quandary. Does the victim remain quiet if he's afraid he can't "prove" his allegations? Or does the newspaper fail or even refuse to publish that news because they can't risk ruining an official's reputation based on an unfounded claim? It's counterintuitive to expect the allegation to be proven before it's even alleged but turn around and claim in the very next breath that it can't be proven except in a court by a judge and jury. Talk about your conundrums!

" If they [the police, city officials, etc.]  think it [an investigation] is being handled in a slipshod manner, it is their responsibility to take those concerns to the DA, not the local newspaper."

Again, wouldn't it be counterproductive to report a suspected slipshod investigation to a DA you suspected to be involved in the mishandling of that very investigation??

I wholly agree with your premise that all the players in this scenario must be considered innocent until proven guilty in the proper venue.  I agree that too many people on both sides of these issues have been much too hasty to rush to judgment. I'll state that if any or all of players are proven innocent when everything shakes out, I'll be at the front of the line to apologize for any inconvenience *my* actions have caused. I won't, howver, apologize for taking the actions that I've taken in good faith based on the evidence I've had access to and that I and others have submitted to the courts.

Ernie

romonak...I'm not blaming the victim.  I said that if the victim wants justice, he -- or any victim of any crime -- has the responsibility to report the crime.  THAT is the first step in getting the justice system involved.  I understand that it is not a pleasant thing to do, but it is necessary.  You want justice, you need to let somebody know.  For those who never come forward, they never get the justice they seek and deserve. 

There is something I left out of the original post.  That is the responsibility of the citizens to remember that in this nation, the defendant in a criminal proceeding is ALWAYS to be presumed innocent.  Not just not guilty but INNOCENT until the prosecution proves his guilt beyond that famous reasonable doubt or there is a guilty plea.

WAYWARD, first off you can not blame a victim for not coming foward...some victims NEVER come foward, at least he finally did. you think it is easy for a man to accuse a former SHERIFF of sexually abusing him? are you kidding?? but yeah, let's put the blame on the VICTIM.

So far there has been to no trial to proove those accusations, as well as the accusations regarding the supposed interfering of the police in the matter.......

If DPS had the case for a whole year and didn't get anywhere with it, the police get involved and there's a warrant in such a short amount of time, is it not feasible then, that prior to police involvement nothing was being done? Talk about good 'ole boy system.