Judge Sends Combative Grand Jurors Home; Voids Indictments
A Texas judge has dismissed a grand jury that indicted Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina and his wife over the objection of prosecutors.
Judge Jim Wallace ruled the district attorney’s office had made procedural errors when it extended the grand jury’s term last November, invalidating all the indictments issued since then, the New York Times reports.
Even as Wallace dismissed the grand jury, he criticized Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal for getting indictments against the Medinas quashed, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Grand jurors had indicted Medina and his wife last week in connection with a fire that destroyed their home, charging Medina with evidence tampering and his wife with arson. Rosenthal said the evidence in the case was insufficient, leading grand jurors to respond that Rosenthal was motivated by political favoritism.
Wallace said prosecutors should have investigated the case further before getting the indictment dismissed, according to the Chronicle account.
“Why did they bring the case to the grand jury if they didn’t want the grand jury to do its job?” Wallace asked. “At that point in time, you ought to stand by, and abide by, what the grand jury wishes to do.”
Eight grand jurors held a press conference yesterday in which they criticized Rosenthal’s office for the errors. “This is sheer lunacy and incompetence on the part of the elected district attorney,” said foreman Bob Ryan. “If it weren’t so serious, I would be amused.”
Prosecutors issued a statement that said Ryan was also foreman of a previous grand jury that indicted several public officials over the objections of prosecutors, the Chronicle story says.
