Panola County officials accused of misconduct, racketeering
Posted/updated on: August 3, 2025 at 5:57 am
CARTHAGE — A lawsuit filed in Panola County accuses several officials of misconduct, racketeering and operating a “duck fund” to trade favorable trial outcomes for cash. According to our news partner KETK, the lawsuit was filed on July 8 in the 123rd Judicial District Court by Lisa and Steven Broomfield, joint permanent managing conservators of a minor child, amid ongoing family court proceedings.
The lawsuit was filed against current County Court at Law Judge and former Acting Assistant District Attorney for Panola County Eric Scott “Rick” McPherson, former Acting Assistant District Attorney for Panola County Joey Fenlaw, f ormer Panola County District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson along with 10 unnamed Panola County officials and agents.
“This petition seeks relief based on a coordinated pattern of official misconduct, prosecutorial fraud, suppression of criminal investigations, and concealment of incapacitation within the Panola County District Attorney’s Office,” the lawsuit complaint explained. “These actions obstructed justice, violated statutory duties, compromised custody proceedings, and endangered the safety of [the minor child].”
Key allegations from the lawsuit include:
The lawsuit alleges that Lisa submitted a sworn affidavit detailing misconduct but was ignored, and that a fake affidavit was entered into a criminal case, resulting in the dismissal of a felony charge.
Lisa claimed that multiple public records requests were delayed or ignored by Panola County officials and staff, and that Collin Underwood, City of Carthage Attorney, was hired for $6,000 to handle records requests, a potential misuse of public funds.
The lawsuit claims that Davidson was unable to medically or cognitively serve as District Attorney and that officials concealed Davidson’s alleged condition.
Broomfield alleged that during Davidson’s tenure as DA, there was a “discretionary prosecutorial fund” known as the “Duck Fund,” which allegedly took payments for favorable outcomes in cases.
The lawsuit also cites violations of the Texas and U.S. Constitutions, the Texas Penal Code, the Texas Local Government Code, Judicial Canons and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Conduct.
Further allegations include a violation of the federal RICO Act, accusing officials of engaging in a “pattern of racketeering activity” through obstruction, retaliation, misuse of funds and improper case dismissals within the DA’s office.
Lisa alleged that she asked Panola County Sheriff Cutter Clinton to investigate the District Attorney’s Office but that he declined by “stating either expressly or by clear implication, that initiating an inquiry into District Attorney Danny Buck was politically untenable and could jeopardize his career advancement.”
She then alleged that during Davidson’s tenure as DA, there was a “discretionary prosecutorial fund” that’s reportedly known as the “Duck Fund.” This fund is alleged to have taken payments for favorable outcomes in cases.
“Petitioner, upon information and belief, alleges that select local attorneys – to be identified through discovery – in conjunction with Danny Buck Davidson and/or his assistant district attorneys and a magistrate or judge, worked together to dismiss (primarily) DWI and drug charges, even for repeat offenders as the record and testimony will show,” the lawsuit alleged.
The lawsuit asks the court to issue injunctive orders, including prohibiting the use of outside counsel for statutory government functions without public approval or judicial oversight, and mandating independent reviews of cases resolved under Davidson’s last two years of service.
In an affidavit attached to the lawsuit, Lisa called for other cases to be examined in light of this alleged misconduct, including the Bernie Tiede case, which was depicted in the 2011 film “Bernie”, where actor Matthew McConaughey played former DA Danny Buck Davidson.
KETK reached out to the Panola County District Attorney’s Office about these allegations and received the following statement from current District Attorney Larry Fields:
“The allegations contained in the lawsuit occurred before I took office on January 1, 2025. As such, I have no personal knowledge of the facts surrounding the allegations,” Fields said.
Lisa is representing herself and Steven in the lawsuit and plans to try the case in a jury trial. A trial date has not yet been set, though citations have been served to the defendants.
In June, Sheriff Clinton and former Deputy Sheriff Jeffery Dale Martin came to a six-figure settlement in a lawsuit alleging that Clinton violated Martin’s First Amendment right to run for office during the 2024 Republican Primary for the Panola County Sheriff’s race.
