Dallas County DA Craig Watkins Says He Was Too Sick to Testify in His Misconduct Case

By Luke Darby Thu., Feb. 14 2013 at 1:21 PM

A hearing to determine if Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins committed prosecutorial misconduct was postponed today after Watkins refused to appear in court.

The allegations were brought by attorneys of Al Hill III, who was charged with mortgage fraud by the DA's office shortly before a legal dispute with Dallas attorney and major Watkins donor Lisa Blue was set to go to trial. It was a political favor, Hill's attorneys argued.

Watkins was subpoenaed to appear today before District Judge Lena Levario but was MIA when time came to take the stand. It took more than half an hour to figure out where he was: working in his courthouse office, but too sick to testify.

All this came after the DA's lawyer, Russell Wilson, objected to calling any witnesses at all, and claimed that equal protection didn't apply to Hill because he (a straight white man) didn't fall into any protected classes.

Levario's response to these motions: "I don't see a point but to disrupt these proceedings."

Levario, head in her hands and clearly exasperated, said that she would treat Watkins like any other witness and accommodate his illness. She ordered the court to reconvene on March 7th.

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mewkins

It seems to me that if some "bank" were gonna give some person a home equity loan for $200,000 they'd, at the very least, run a quick search of the online official public records to determine whether they'd be the first, second, or third lien on the property. It might also be good practice to check the name on the deed into the potential mortgagor. Just how was the alleged fraudster able to convince the mortgagee that he owned 100% of the collateral? Did he have a fake deed?

lzippitydoo

1 Like

Re-electing this clown was voter misconduct! Watkins got rid of a quality DA staff, put in his cronies and has turned the office into a joke! Is it a surprise that he is under criminal investigation a-la John Wiley and is now trying to skate the legal system he is supposed to protect! Dont delay justice in this case as the city of Dallas will continue to suffer from a lack of representation on the legal front while Craig Watkins is still in office!

Rumpunch1

Make him bring a doctor's note to the rescheduled hearing. Doctors just love people in the pockets of personal defense attorneys.

James080

4 Like

I believe its very likely Dallas County District Attorney will eventually take the stand, refuse to answer any questions while evoking the 5th amendment right against self-incrimination, and will subsequently be re-elected in a landslide, because the Democrat voting sheeple of Dallas County only seem to care about a candidate's color and party affiliation.

Remember, Lisa Blue is the widow of Fred Baron, the ethically challenged attorney who provided the financing for pathological liar John Edwards to hide his pregnant mistress away from the media while he ran for president.

cantkeepthetruthdown

5 Like

"Equal protection didn't apply to Hill because he (a straight white man) didn't fall into any protected classes."

Yup. That about sums up the attitudes of our elected officials and the liberal media.

James080

1 Like

@cantkeepthetruthdown

Wilson apparently didn't show up for class in law school on the days they were teaching constitutional law.

mewkins

Surely he didn't actually say that. Okay maybe he did. But surely he didn't actually believe it. Maybe it was one of those things that comes out of your mouth that you know, as it's coming out, that it's wrong, but you just can't stop yourself from saying it.

uppercasematt

3 Like

I think the DMN said that "major Watkins donor" Lisa Blue actually took the stand -- but refused to answer any questions, under her 5th amendment right not to incriminate herself. I'll bet she wishes she had called in "sick" too.