Posted on 07/06/2008 3:46:17 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
U.S Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee today said she has called for congressional hearings to investigate what she calls ''the many downfalls" of the Harris County judicial system.
Recent incidents, including a grand jury's decision not to indict a Pasadena man who shot and killed two men suspected of burglarizing his neighbor, have brought into question whether the system is fair and unbiased, she said.
The Democrat, who represents District 18, said she is also concerned and frustrated about derogatory e-mails circulated in the Harris County Sheriff's Offices, the mishandling of DNA by the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the number of deaths in the Harris County Jail over the past 10 years.
''With the many misgivings surrounding the Harris County judicial system, it is fair to say that this local judicial system has been tarnished," Lee said during a news conference at the Mickey Leland Federal Building. "It is time for all officials to be held accountable and true justice and democracy restored."
Sheriff's spokesman Lt. John Legg said Sheriff Tommy Thomas was unaware of Lee's news conference and declined to comment.
Lee said she plans to bring the congressional hearings to Houston in the next couple of weeks.
The hearings, for example, will assess how the evidence in the Joe Horn case was presented to the grand jury.
District Attorney Ken Magidson has said he could not comment on the grand jury's secret proceedings. Horn has asserted that he fired out of fear for his life, making the shooting justifiable under Texas law. Under some circumstances, the law permits the use of deadly force to protect property.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
How about congress, Sheila?
Sheila Jackson Lee: The Best Argument Against Democracy
If nothing else, jury nullification should permit the jury to refuse the case.
“the mishandling of DNA”
Jackson-lee’s parents are the ones who should be charged with “the mishandling of DNA.”
Houston PING
Harris County and Houston City may have problems in the legal arena but I don’t think it is Jackson-Lee’s responsibility to do the investigating.
This will be nothing but a grand stand show at best, imo.
ping!
OK, I’ve read this a couple of times...why is an elected federal officeholder pushing for a federal level inquiry into what is, essentially, a LOCAL issue? Surely, the House and Senate in Washington have other things to do...
This is ridiculous. Another empty-headed, stuffed-shirt DhimmiRat LibTard throwing her weight around.
Sheila! Yo...get over it. If you want to fix it, run for the DA’s job. We’ll all be better off.
Did she put as much zeal getting to the truth in the Duke Lacrosse case?
Funny, I don’t recall her calling for a Federal investigation of the O.J. verdict. Go figure.
Re-elect NO ONE !
Lee is an idiot. Another liberal who can’t stand it when things don’t go precisely the way she wants. I don’t waste my time taking such people seriously.
bump
I’m not sure where the Congressional authority to investigate Houston grand juries comes from.
Is it in the Tenth Amendment?
As bad as Harris County government might be, it is better than Congress!
She just wants to be noticed
The civil rights movement in its current incarnation is the most grave threat our 200+ year old judicial system has ever faced.
Sheila would not have a clue!
For non Texans, Sheila is the local black female Congress critter.
The local saying is that if one wants to get run over and trampled, get between Sheila and a TV news cameraman
Two illegal aliens pieces of excrement got spread out a bit because they disregarded the laws of the United States of America, George Bush’s policies and the laws of Houston, Texas.
They also disregarded an old man with a bang stick and charged at him after he invited them to put his neighbor’s possessions down and leave the area.
Good damn bye to them.
Sheila Jackson Lee is a ________________ (fill in the blank, use extra pages if required).
So true. Wonder if she called QX to tell him she would be taking over his face time.
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