Committee says lack of communication, training led to thousands of dropped cases by Houston police

HOUSTON (AP) — A breakdown in communication, a lack of training, inconsistent protocols and an ineffective records management system were some of the reasons that led to Houston police dropping more than 268,000 cases over nearly the past decade, a committee said Wednesday.

The cases, whose existence was made public earlier this year, were never submitted for investigation as officers assigned them an internal code that cited a lack of available personnel. Among these cases were more than 4,000 sexual assault cases and at least two homicides.

“It’s a new day in Houston dealing with public safety,” Mayor John Whitmire said after members of the independent committee, which he formed in March, detailed their findings to Houston City Council at its weekly meeting.

Christina Nowak, one of the committee’s five members, told city council that the group found “significant issues” within Houston police’s case management and operations, including understaffing and inadequate communications between divisions and executive leadership. There was also a lack of adequate training for supervisors at all levels.

The committee found the Houston police department’s various investigative divisions were “operating in near total autonomy, leading to inconsistent and outdated case management practices,” Nowak said. The department’s current records management system is outdated, with information on investigations scattered across multiple systems, making it difficult to analyze and share. A new, improved system is set to be operational next year.

The committee said the police department also does not adequately use technology to help officers with their investigations and has a shortage of civilian staff who could help officers in their casework.

The committee recommended Houston police standardize its case management procedures, implement its new records management system, increase training for officers and department leadership and increase and retain its civilian staff.

“The committee wants to acknowledge that (Houston police) has recognized the severity of these issues, and is taking proactive steps to prevent further recurrence,” Nowak said.

Ellen Cohen, the committee’s chairperson, said the recommendations are focused on enhancing the transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of the police department’s case management practices.

“We realize that these recommendations require significant, significant investments in resources, technology and infrastructure,” Cohen said.

Whitmire said it was still shocking to him that Houston police had used this policy of dropping cases for lack of personnel for nearly 10 years. “We’re going to improve (Houston police) based on the recommendations,” he said.

The controversy and criticism involving the dropped cases resulted in the sudden retirement in May of then-police chief Troy Finner. A new police chief, J. Noe Diaz, was appointed earlier this month.

Finner had first made public the existence of the dropped cases in February. An investigation revealed a code first implemented in 2016 to identify why a case was dropped later became a way for officers to justify decisions to stop investigating all manner of crimes, including when violence was involved.

Finner previously told the Houston Chronicle that he regrets failing to grasp the extent of the dropped cases earlier. He said the department and its leaders — himself included — were so busy, and the use of the code was so normal, that the severity of the issue didn’t register with anyone in leadership.

Whitmire said Houston police were still working through the backlog of dropped cases.

“I am currently reviewing the committee’s detailed report and am carefully considering its recommendations. We believe this report will help us become better servants to the community and improve our department for generations to come,” Diaz said in a statement.

Man sentenced for diesel thefts across Texas

Man sentenced for diesel thefts across TexasSMITH COUNTY — A Mesquite man who was a part of an organized criminal ring accused of stealing 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. According to our news partner KETK, Ramon Perez-Torres was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity on Tuesday. The criminal group is accused of using fraudulent credit card information and using pulser tampering devices on motor fuel dispensers.

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation said in a release, “A pulser is part of the motor fuel metering system that counts fuel flow and determines the amount of fuel flow per penny. The criminal tampering device slows down the pulser, allowing suspects to pump hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel for pennies on the dollar.”

The group is accused of stealing more than 10,000 gallons of fuel from gas stations in nine different counties across Texas. Authorities suspect a large number of people to be a part of the group and eight have been indicted.

Man sentenced for organized diesel theft

Man sentenced for organized diesel theftSMITH COUNTY, Texas – A Mesquite man who was a part of a “sophisticated” organized criminal group accused of stealing 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Our news partners at KETK report that Ramon Perez-Torres was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity on Tuesday. Duniesky Gonzalez, the suspected ringleader, was sentenced to 50 years for engaging in organized criminal activity. His confinement began in June. Two others were also convicted with multiple also believed to be at-large. 12 departments, including nine from the East Texas area assisted the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center.

Caldwell Zoo: successful hatching of Texas state reptile

TYLER — Caldwell Zoo: successful hatching of Texas state reptileThe Caldwell Zoo announced on Wednesday a big hatch of Texas Horned Lizards as a part of a dedicated conservation effort according to our news partners at KETK. According to the zoo, the Lone Star State’s official state reptile was almost threatened to extinction, which led to the Texas Parks and Wildlife department reaching out to Caldwell Zoo for conservation efforts. Caldwell Zoo said they established a Texas Horned Lizard Conservation which is now in it’s fifth year of operation, according to our news partners at KETK. Continue reading Caldwell Zoo: successful hatching of Texas state reptile

Heat dome moves into Texas

TEXAS (AP) – A heat dome that has led to nearly 90 consecutive days of triple-digit high temperatures in Phoenix moved into Texas Wednesday, with high temperature records expected to fall by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

A major heat alert is in place for Texas, reflecting what the weather service called “rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief.” An extreme heat alert was issued for eastern New Mexico.

A heat dome is a slow moving, upper-level high pressure system of stable air and a deep layer of high temperatures, meteorologist Bryan Jackson said.

“It is usually sunny, the sun is beating down, it is hot and the air is contained there,” Jackson said. “There are dozen or so sites that are setting daily records … mostly over Texas.”

Record high temperatures were expected in cities such as Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Amarillo. In Phoenix, monsoon rains have provided brief respites since Sunday, although daytime highs continue to top 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius).

The dome was expected to move into western Oklahoma and eastern New Mexico beginning Saturday, then into the mid-Mississippi Valley, where it was forecast to weaken slightly, Jackson said.

About 14.7 million people are under an excessive heat warning, with heat indexes expected at 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) and above. Another 10 million people were under a heat advisory.

Hundreds have already sought emergency care, according to MedStar ambulance in Fort Worth, Texas. The service responded to 286 heat-related calls during the first 20 days of August, about 14 per day, compared to about 11 per day in August 2023, according to public information officer Desiree Partain.

Austin-Travis County EMS Capt. Christa Stedman said calls about heat-related illness in the area around the Texas state Capitol since April 1 are up by about one per day compared with a year ago, though July was somewhat milder this year.

“The vast majority of what we see is heat exhaustion, which is good because we catch it before it’s heat stroke, but it’s bad because people are not listening to the red flags,” such as heat cramps in the arms, legs or stomach warning that the body is becoming too hot, Stedman said.

“It’s been a hot summer, but this one does stand out in terms of extremes,” said Jackson, the meteorologist.

Earlier this month, about 100 people were sickened and 10 were hospitalized due to extreme heat at a Colorado air show and at least two people have died due to the heat in California’s Death Valley National Park.

Globally, a string of 13 straight months with a new average heat record came to an end this past July as the natural El Nino climate pattern ebbed, the European climate agency Copernicus announced Thursday.

Oath-Keepers attorney pleads guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) — An attorney who represented the far-right Oath Keepers pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges stemming from a mob’s Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including members of the extremist group.

Kellye SoRelle, who was general counsel for the antigovernment group and a close associate of its founder, is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 17 by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C.

SoRelle answered routine questions by the judge as she pleaded guilty to two charges: a felony count of obstructing justice and a misdemeanor count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. The felony carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, but her estimated sentencing guidelines recommend a maximum of 16 months behind bars.

SoRelle was arrested in Junction, Texas, in September 2022. Her case remained suspended for months amid questions about her mental health.

More than a year ago, medical experts concluded that SoRelle was mentally incompetent to stand trial. In November 2023, she reported to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility for treatment. Last month, Mehta ruled that SoRelle had recovered to an extent that she could understand the nature of her charges and could assist in her defense.

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes is serving a 18-year prison sentence for orchestrating a plot to keep Donald Trump in the White House after the 2020 presidential election. After Rhodes’ arrest, SoRelle told media outlets she was acting as the president of the Oath Keepers in his absence.

SoRelle was photographed with Rhodes outside the Capitol on Jan. 6. The night before the riot, she joined Rhodes in meeting with other extremist group members in an underground garage in Washington, D.C. The meeting also included former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio, who is serving a 22-year prison sentence for his role in a separate plot to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump to Joe Biden after the election.

Rhodes, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, founded the Oath Keepers in 2009. The group recruits current and former military, police and first responders and pledges to “fulfill the oath all military and police take to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

During the trial for Rhodes and other Oath Keepers charged with seditious conspiracy, jurors heard testimony that SoRelle had a romantic relationship with Rhodes. She was with him outside the Capitol on Jan. 6 but wasn’t accused of entering the building.

SoRelle pleaded guilty to obstructing justice for encouraging others to destroy electronic evidence of their participation in the plot. She was indicted on other charges, including conspiring with Rhodes and other Oath Keepers to obstruct Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote. But she did not plead guilty to the conspiracy charge.

Tyler Animal Services issues rabies advisory

Tyler Animal Services issues rabies advisoryTYLER – On Wednesday, Tyler Animal Services was alerted by the Texas Department of State Health Services that one bat submitted for analysis tested positive for rabies. The bat was found near the 2200 block of Bateman Avenue and Troup Highway. The known individuals and animals with possible exposure have been identified and addressed.
 
Tyler Animal Services Director Shawn Markmann reminds people not to handle bats, skunks, raccoons or other wild animals. It is important for children to tell their parents of any contact with wild animals or any sick animals. If a person is bitten by an animal, it must be reported to the Local Rabies Control Authority to be investigated
 
Tyler Animal Services advises all pet owners to confirm their dogs and cats are currently vaccinated for rabies. Preventative immunization for rabies is the only effective defense against the fatal disease.
 
Anyone with questions on rabies control may contact Tyler Animal Services at (903) 535-0045.

Harris County sues gas stations for alleged price gouging during Beryl

HOUSTON – Houston Public Media reports that Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee on Monday filed lawsuits against two Houston-area gas stations for alleged price gouging during Hurricane Beryl. According to Menefee, his office received more than 250 complaints of price gouging following the hurricane, which left millions without power throughout the Houston region. A majority of these businesses — a mixture of hotels, gas stations and convenience stores — were sent a cease and desist letter to get them to reduce their prices, Menefee said. However, only two businesses refused to comply: two Shell gas stations, one located in Bellaire and the other in Baytown. “The fact that these companies have refused to do the right thing, despite being given the opportunity to do so, shows why we need to hold them accountable,” Menefee said. “We need to make an example of them to make sure that during the next storm, our communities can be sure that they’re not going to be taken advantage of.”

Texans’ bid to stay cool lifts power use to new high

TEXAS – Bloomberg News reports that Texans set an unofficial record in electricity use Tuesday as soaring temperatures spurred homeowners, schools and businesses to crank up air conditioners. Power demand on the state grid rose to 85,559 megawatts at 6 p.m. local time, topping the August 2023 record of 85,508 megawatts, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. The amount becomes official after more accurate meters are calculated, the grid operator said. Northern and central sections of the Lone Star State contended with hazardous conditions as the heat index — a metric that takes into account the impact of humidity on the human body — surged, according to the National Weather Service. Electricity prices jumped to a two-week high as demand tested records. Thus far, the summer of 2024 hasn’t been as intense from a heat perspective as 2023, when power demand shattered all-time highs on 21 occasions. The riskiest hours for the grid come around sundown, when solar supplies plunge. Batteries have been a saving grace, kicking on during early evening to supplement power supplies from traditional sources such as natural gas-fired plants.

Abuse victims wonder when Abbott will keep his promise to them

HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle reports that when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced last spring that he would pardon former Army Sergeant Daniel Perry, who had just been convicted of murdering an armed Black Lives Matter protester, Jeana Lungwitz was shocked. But she also felt a glimmer of hope. Abbott said he pardoned Perry because he believed he had acted in self-defense. And Lungwitz, who directs the domestic violence clinic at the University of Texas at Austin, was representing a woman seeking a pardon for the same reason: she said she’d been acting in self-defense when she killed her abusive husband. “If Perry could get pardoned, surely she will,” said Lungwitz, who asked the Chronicle not to name her client in order to protect her privacy.

But last month, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, denied the woman’s application. She is now out of prison after serving 15 years for murder, but with the conviction on her record, she has been unable to get a job or find an apartment in her hometown of Fort Worth. “It’s just a blatant slap in the face,” said Dana Smith, a close friend of Lungwitz’s client. “The prisons are full of women that are victims of domestic violence and were in self-defense mode somehow. Their lives are ruined.” Four years ago, the Republican governor announced a specialized pardon application for survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence, many of whom have criminal convictions as a result of what they endured. At the time, he said he wanted to provide a path to “redemption and restoration” for such survivors. But that hasn’t happened for the vast majority of applicants, who must provide exhaustive detail of their previous criminal record and proof that it is linked to their abuse.

Ex-officer convicted in George Floyd’s killing is moved to new prison months after stabbing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of killing George Floyd, was transferred to a federal prison in Texas almost nine months after he was stabbed in a different facility, the federal Bureau of Prisons told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Chauvin, 47, is now housed at the Federal Correctional Institution in Big Spring, a low-security prison. He was previously held in Arizona at FCI Tucson in August 2022 to simultaneously serve a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights and a 22 1/2-year state sentence for second-degree murder.

The transfer comes nearly nine months after Chauvin was stabbed 22 times in prison by a former gang leader and one-time FBI informant.

Another former Minneapolis officer, Thomas Lane, who held down Floyd’s legs as the man struggled to breathe, was released from federal prison in Colorado on Tuesday, the Bureau of Prisons said. Lane, 41, was serving a three year sentence for aiding and abetting manslaughter.

When Lane pleaded guilty, he admitted that he intentionally helped restrain Floyd in a way that he knew created an unreasonable risk and caused his death. He admitted that he heard Floyd say he couldn’t breathe, knew Floyd fell silent, had no pulse and appeared to have lost consciousness.

Floyd, 46, died in May 2020 after Chauvin, who is white, pinned him to the ground with a knee on Floyd’s neck as the Black man repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. Lane, who is white, held down Floyd’s legs. J. Alexander Kueng, who is Black, knelt on Floyd’s back, and Tou Thao, who is Hmong American, kept bystanders from intervening during the 9 1/2-minute restraint.

Kueng and Thao are both set to be released in 2025. Kueng is detained at a federal prison in Ohio and Thao at a facility in Kentucky, according to Bureau of Prisons records.

The killing, captured on bystander video, sparked protests in 2020 as part of a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice.

Lane is the first of the four officers convicted of crimes related to Floyd’s killing to be released from prison. He served time for a federal sentence alongside his state sentence after being convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights.

Chauvin is making a longshot bid to overturn his federal guilty plea, claiming new evidence shows he didn’t cause Floyd’s death. If he is unsuccessful, he would not be released until 2038.

John Turscak, who is serving a 30-year sentence for crimes committed while a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, attacked Chauvin on Nov. 24, 2023. He told investigators he targeted the ex-Minneapolis police officer because of his notoriety for killing Floyd.

FCI Tucson, a medium-security prison, has been plagued by security lapses and staffing shortages. Chauvin’s lawyer at the time, Eric Nelson, had advocated for keeping him out of the general population and away from other inmates, anticipating he would be a target.

Turscak, who was charged with attempted murder, told correctional officers he would have killed Chauvin had they not responded so quickly.

___

Associated Press reporter Mike Balsamo contributed to this report from Washington.

FTC’s bid to ban noncompete agreements rejected by federal judge in Texas

A federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule from the Federal Trade Commission that would have made it easier for employees to quit a job and work for a competitor.

In a ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown granted a motion for summary judgement filed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other plaintiffs, and rejected the FTC’s own petition for a judgement in its favor.

In reaching his decision, Brown concluded that that the FTC “exceeded its statutory authority” in making the rule, which the judge called “arbitrary and capricious.” The judge also concluded that the rule would cause irreparable harm.

As a result of the court’s decision, the FTC won’t be able to enforce its rule, which was set to go into effect on Sept. 4, according to the judge’s ruling.

Still, the decision does not prevent the agency from addressing noncompete agreements through “case-by-case” enforcement actions, said Victoria Graham, an FTC spokesperson.

The FTC is also considering appealing the court’s decision, Graham said.

The FTC voted in April to prohibit employers nationwide from entering into new noncompete agreements or enforcing existing noncompetes, saying the agreements restrict workers’ freedom and suppress wages.

But companies opposing the ban argue they need noncompete agreements to protect business relationships, trade secrets and investments they make to train or recruit employees.

Apart from the Texas case, companies sued the FTC in Florida and Pennsylvania to block the rule.

In the Florida lawsuit, which was brought by a retirement community, the court granted a preliminary injunction, prohibiting enforcement of the rule just for the plaintiff, but not any other company.

In the Pennsylvania lawsuit, the court concluded that the plaintiff, a tree company, failed to show it would be irreparably harmed by the ban and that the company wasn’t likely to win the case.

The divergent rulings mean the issue could end up working its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Two killed in West Texas plane crash that set off a fire and injured a woman

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A small plane crashed in a West Texas neighborhood Tuesday, killing the pilot and a passenger and setting off a large fire on the ground that injured a woman, authorities said.

Witnesses said the plane struggled to gain altitude after taking off from an Odessa airport and then struck a power line before crashing in an alley at about 7 a.m., according to authorities. Both people aboard the plane died.

“It’s obvious the pilot attempted to avoid the houses,” Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said.

The large fire on the ground came after a couple of explosions after the plane crash, he said.

In addition to a couple of mobile homes, some outbuildings in backyards also caught on fire, said Odessa Fire Rescue Chief Jason Cotton. The woman who was injured had to be rescued from one of the burning mobile homes and was taken to a hospital, he said. There was also damage to vehicles, fences and a restaurant in the city of about 114,000.

The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the pilot as Joseph Vincent Summa, 48, of the Houston suburb of Bellaire, and the passenger as Joleen Cavaretta Weatherly, 49, of Orange, which is east of Houston.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a Cessna Citation business jet. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

East Texas boil water notices & burn bans

East Texas boil water notices & burn bans

Boil Water Notices

Gladewater – The City of Gladewater issued a boil water notice on Tuesday evening after a water main break affected a large area. According to our news partner KETK, city officials said, “We are issuing a boil water notice for the entirety of Gladewater.”

The release stated, that while repairs have been made to the water main and water pressure was restored after it decreased to below 20 psi. Samples will be taken and tested on Wednesday, after which the city said they’ll be able to lift the notice. Until then, residents are urged to bring water to a vigorous rolling boil for two minutes to destroy harmful bacteria and other microbes. Water should be boiled before drinking, cooking, washing hands or face and brushing teeth.

The City of Gladewater said they will update residents on their Facebook page when the boil water notice is lifted.

Arp – A boil water notice has been issued for the City of Arp. According to our news partner KETK, city officials say the notice was posted following a water line break. Residents are asked to bring water to a vigorous rolling boil for two minutes to destroy harmful bacteria and other microbes. Water should be boiled before drinking, cooking, washing hands or face and brushing teeth. However, those affected may use bottled water instead. The City of Arp said they will issue another notice when the boil water notice is rescinded. Those having questions cane call Arp Public Works Director Donnell Brown at 903-859-6131 or 903-360-5038.

Burn Bans:

With hot and dry conditions continuing throughout our region. Some counties in East Texas have enacted burn bans. Our news partner KETK has a list of those counties under a burn ban. You can find the list here.

White Oak ISD announces lone finalist for superintendent

White Oak ISD announces lone finalist for superintendentWHITE OAK – The White Oak Independent School District board unanimously named one person for the superintendent position on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, Jackson Parker, former White Oak High School principal and assistant superintendent, was named superintendent.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be named the lone finalist, and I will work each and every day to make it a place where all students thrive,” Parker said. “My job will be made much easier by the incredible staff at all campuses. The best is yet to come. Go Roughnecks!”

After a 21-day waiting period passes, per state law, Parker can be offered a contract. He is scheduled to sign the contract for the superintendent position on Sept. 5. Mr. Parker has been in education for a total of 33 years.

White Oak ISD students returned to class on Wednesday for the new school year.