FBI Agent Blamed in Cases Against 18 NASA (Contractor) Workers

Houston Chronicle ^ | Aug. 1, 2003, 10:29PM | HARVEY RICE

[anymouse]

An FBI agent fabricated evidence in a 1992 sting operation that led to charges against 18 NASA employees in order to promote a book, a document filed Friday in federal court alleges.

The accusations in the document, made by an alleged former FBI operative, are part of an effort to overturn the convictions of 12 NASA employees who pleaded guilty to corruption charges in Operation Lightning Strike.

The allegations against the lead FBI agent in the 20-month undercover operation are in the document filed by the NASA-13 Defense Committee, a group formed to defend the people accused in the investigation.

The document, filed by seven of the convicted NASA employees, asks for the appointment of a special master to review the evidence, reopen and consolidate the 12 cases and make recommendations to each of the trial judges in the original criminal cases.

The accusations by David Craig, who the committee identifies as a former FBI operative and literary agent, are in a deposition accompanying the document.

Houston lawyer Charles Portz, a member of the committee, said Craig, now in his 70s, wanted to reveal the information to clear his conscience.

The committee alleges that top FBI management was aware of FBI misconduct in the sting operation.

FBI spokesman Robert Doguim said, "Had we been aware of an agent fabricating evidence or statements, we ourselves would have brought it forward." He said agency policy prevented him from confirming whether Craig had ever been an FBI operative or informant.

Nancy Herrera, assistant U.S. attorney, said her office had received the document but had not had time to review it.

Craig says in the deposition that James Hal Francis, the lead FBI agent in Operation Lightning Strike, came to him in 1994 seeking his assistance in marketing a book about the sting operation that would have been titled When Lightning Strikes.

In a March 20 deposition taken by Portz, Craig said he was told by Francis that "most, if not all of these people were not guilty."

He also related an incident in which Dale Brown, one of the defendants who was acquitted, refused to take money and that he had to stuff $500 in Brown's pocket as he got out of a car.

Brown was later charged with accepting a bribe in the same incident.

The investigation is already tarnished by allegations of abusive investigative techniques that were widely publicized and a severe judicial rebuke by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1999.

"It was neither necessary nor proper for the defendants (FBI agents) to destroy the lives and businesses of innocent nontargets in the name of law enforcement," according to the 5th Circuit opinion.

The 5th Circuit opinion came in a civil suit filed by business partners Brown, R. Scott Satterwhite of Seabrook and Anthony P. Hodgson of League City.

Francis, posing as a corrupt Atlanta businessman named "John Clifford," set up a series of dummy corporations and spread the word that he was willing to use bribes to secure government contracts.

The defendants were taken to a warehouse where they were subjected to physical and mental abuse in an attempt to get them to incriminate higher officials, Portz said.

The committee maintains that all of those who pleaded guilty were coerced into doing so despite their innocence.

Brown, who now works for a law firm in Houston, said the investigation destroyed his business, his health and his marriage. The indictment cost him $300,000 to defend and caused stress that led to a paralyzing stroke that left him with only partial use of his right hand.

[anymouse]

Actually most were NASA contractor or private non-contractor companies, not NASA civil servants who were the real targets of OLS (George Abbey and Carolyn Huntoon), which the FBI never got near.

I know these guys, who are good guys that I am sure were shafted.

Background info. on Operation Lightning Strike:

"Operation Lightning Strike Project - FBI Operation Lightning Strike: You Call This Justice?" Houston Space Society http://www.houstonspacesociety.org/OLS.html

"Interview with Dale Brown" http://www.houstonspacesociety.org/dale.html

"The FBI Undercover Sting of NASA" http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/olsindex.html

"Dale Brown's Summary" http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/Dale_Brown_Summary.html

"Chronology of Events" http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/Chronology.html

Operation Lightening Strike Trial Media Notice http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/press1.html

"FBI Operation Lightning Strike at NASA Devastates Individuals" http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/devsIndv.html

Oct. 4 Press Conference Speech http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/DaleBrownSpeech.html

Lightning Strike Victim Dale Brown Defense Fund http://www.ezez.com/hss/ols/Dale_Brown_Defense_Fund.html

[anymouse]

Space ping.

[Lucy Lake]

Pinging you for more of the feebees handiwork.

[AAABEST]

</ sarcasm>

[PatrioticAmerican]

More reason that courts need to stop giving any law enforcement agency more weight when it comes to testimony or evidence.

A LEO or FLEO may lie for whatever reason.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"were subjected to physical and mental abuse"

Doing that to me would make me want to kill the agents involved at that time. Anything, even a pencil, would be their worst fear. The idea of a government agent abusing an innocent civilian makes me rabid! Those agents should be hung. Seriously, hung by tallest tree in Washington D.C. for all the world to see.


Ping to Travis for book subject matter.

[lelio]

Here's your links, html-ized:
Operation Lightning Strike Project - FBI Operation Lightning Strike: You Call This Justice? Houston Space Society
Interview with Dale Brown
The FBI Undercover Sting of NASA
Dale Brown's Summary
Chronology of Events
Operation Lightening Strike Trial Media Notice
FBI Operation Lightning Strike at NASA Devastates Individuals
Oct. 4 Press Conference Speech
Lightning Strike Victim Dale Brown Defense Fund

[Lucy Lake]

A LEO or FLEO may lie for whatever reason.

I'm seriously having problems understanding this. Why lie about innocent people?

[lelio]

What I can't understand is this:

Craig says in the deposition that James Hal Francis, the lead FBI agent in Operation Lightning Strike, came to him in 1994 seeking his assistance in marketing a book about the sting operation that would have been titled When Lightning Strikes.

Why go through writting a book about an event that you setup (Hilary's Living History not included)? You're bringing attention to the matter and sooner or later someone's going to figure it out.
Course maybe he needed the money. Or the fame from being the author. Course he could also be mentally challenged.

[FairOpinion]

Obviously the FBI needs a serious shake up.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"Why lie about innocent people?"

You are kidding, right?

If not, they lie to get that all important arrest and prosecution. LEO & FLEO gets promotions based on their felony arrests and convictions. They get attention from their superiors when they obtain an arrest and conviction. They are seen by their peers as supercops. Sometimes they do so for monetary purposes, such as when writing a book, getting their materials for the book from the arrests or obtaining notoriety.

Some do it for spite. They think someone has done something wrong and they will be right about their assumptions, innocence be damned.

Some just can't stand the person they are persecuting.

All I am doing here is explaining human nature. There is nothing new here. Cops are not above reproach just because they pin a badge to their chests. This is why we have a system of government designed to help ensure citizen oversight. This is the same reason we don't allow the military to have authority in our goverment.

[joesnuffy]

The defendants were taken to a warehouse where they were subjected to physical and mental abuse in an attempt to get them to incriminate higher officials, Portz said.

Whats this SOP - in Der New Verld Order?

[Travis McGee]

This must be a mistake. FBI agents would never abuse their authority to railroad Americans.

< /extreme sarcasm >

[wildbill]

The FBI has had such good press that no one would believe an agent would actually lie or participate in a corrupt operation.

But now we know about the situation in Boston where they covered up a murder committed by a favored informer and sat by while an innocent man went to jail for it.

I won't even mention Ruby Ridge and Waco. Or the Lab fiasco.or.....

[anymouse]

Thanks