Fort Worth officer under review for park rendezvous
By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Fort Worth police department is investigating one of its high-ranking officers. A reality show about cheating spouses allegedly caught the officer in a compromising position in his patrol car.
The department has launched an internal investigation to determine whether Capt. Duane Paul misued a city vehicle after he met with a woman several times at Vandergriff Park in Arlington.
The videotape taken by a private investigator for the show Cheaters appears to show Fort Worth police Capt. Duane Paul and a woman kissing in his unmarked police car at an Arlington park.
Rafael Gutierrez, the woman's husband, said the two went much further, but the tape is unclear. "It's heartbreaking," he said.
Cheaters uses cameras to catch people cheating on their spouses.
Guiterrez, who himself faces several domestic violence charges involving his wife, filed a formal complaint with the Fort Worth Police Department alleging that his wife and Paul—a former spokesperson for the department—had an affair while on city time.
"He was in his Fort Worth police car using Fort Worth police gas, Fort Worth police insurance," Gutierrez said.
The tape is about two hours long, and shows two different meetings involving Paul in his city-issued black Ford Crown Victoria vehicle.
Paul oversees the department's East patrol division. After viewing the tape, Chief Ralph Mendoza decided to open an internal affairs investigation to see whether Paul violated any policies.
Paul declined to comment.
Gutierrez denies charges that he and producers of the Cheaters program assaulted his wife when they confronted her at an Arlington health club.
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Cheaters is on KDAF WB 33...I mean...KDAF Dallas/Ft. Worth's WB Saturday Nights.
News from the Lone Star State
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TexasStooge
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Couple identified in murder-suicide
Woman had moved, police say; 3-year-old boy put in foster care
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – A couple found slain late Tuesday in a Fort Worth home while their 3-year-old son wandered the streets died in an apparent murder-suicide, police said.
Jesus Flores, 39, was found dead inside the house in the 5700 block of Sea Breeze Lane near Lake Worth. She was shot in the arm and head.
Her boyfriend, Chris Langford, 44, apparently shot her and then turned the gun on himself.
Police said Ms. Flores had previously lived at the home but had moved away.
It is not clear why she was in the home Tuesday, said Lt. Billy Cordell.
The toddler was found about five blocks from his home, crying and distraught. He has been placed with a foster family, said Marissa Gonzales, spokeswoman for Child Protective Services.
The boy appeared healthy and had no visible injuries, she said.
"We are looking for an appropriate family member to see if we can place him with them," Ms. Gonzales said.
The agency had been in contact with the family before Tuesday's shootings, but details were not disclosed.
Ms. Flores' body was found in the master bathroom of the home. Mr. Langford was found nearby in the master bedroom, police said.
There is no history of police calls to the home, Lt. Cordell said.
"This is a domestic situation, and we want to send a message that if you're in an abusive relationship, get out of that relationship and call police," Lt. Cordell said. "These can escalate very quickly to homicide."
Of Fort Worth's 28 slayings this year, eight have been the result of domestic violence, Lt. Cordell said.
Woman had moved, police say; 3-year-old boy put in foster care
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – A couple found slain late Tuesday in a Fort Worth home while their 3-year-old son wandered the streets died in an apparent murder-suicide, police said.
Jesus Flores, 39, was found dead inside the house in the 5700 block of Sea Breeze Lane near Lake Worth. She was shot in the arm and head.
Her boyfriend, Chris Langford, 44, apparently shot her and then turned the gun on himself.
Police said Ms. Flores had previously lived at the home but had moved away.
It is not clear why she was in the home Tuesday, said Lt. Billy Cordell.
The toddler was found about five blocks from his home, crying and distraught. He has been placed with a foster family, said Marissa Gonzales, spokeswoman for Child Protective Services.
The boy appeared healthy and had no visible injuries, she said.
"We are looking for an appropriate family member to see if we can place him with them," Ms. Gonzales said.
The agency had been in contact with the family before Tuesday's shootings, but details were not disclosed.
Ms. Flores' body was found in the master bathroom of the home. Mr. Langford was found nearby in the master bedroom, police said.
There is no history of police calls to the home, Lt. Cordell said.
"This is a domestic situation, and we want to send a message that if you're in an abusive relationship, get out of that relationship and call police," Lt. Cordell said. "These can escalate very quickly to homicide."
Of Fort Worth's 28 slayings this year, eight have been the result of domestic violence, Lt. Cordell said.
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Guilty plea for accused child molester
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – Wirt M. Norris Jr., a former Olympic diving judge, coach and prominent real estate agent, sidestepped a prison sentence Wednesday by pleading guilty to exposing himself to a child.
State District Judge Wayne Salvant accepted the plea agreement, sentencing Norris to 10 years’ probation and ordering him to register as a sex offender. Norris was instructed to stay away from the victim and refrain from contact with children 17 or younger.
“This case has been worked out to the benefit of everybody,” Salvant said. “Had we gone to trial, it would have been very difficult. You could have been found guilty and a jury could have sent you to the penitentiary. I don’t think you would have lasted.”
In exchange for pleading guilty to a charge of indecency/exposure, prosecutors dismissed a charge of indecency by fondling. Norris also was fined $5,000.
As part of the plea agreement, an attorney for the victim agreed to drop a civil lawsuit against Norris, who is 77.
Other than quietly answering the judge’s questions, Norris said little at the proceeding. He declined comment as he left the courtroom.
In a case that has been pending since early 2003, Norris was accused of indecency with a child after years of suspicion that he fondled teenage boys, authorities said.
The son of a Fort Worth lawyer, a man now in his 20s who was 12 at the time of the crime, accused Norris of molesting him in 1995. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News in 2003, Norris acknowledged hosting the youth at his home but insisted that “absolutely nothing” happened during the visits.
Law enforcement officials said at the time that for years, Norris had been accused of contact with young boys, many of them children of his prominent friends and business associates, at his house and at the Panther Boys Club, where he was a longtime swimming and diving instructor.
According to arrest documents, Norris targeted boys ages 9 to 14. He was accused of giving them alcohol and access to pornographic materials, and the men stated that the visits led to sexual contact.
But law enforcement officials said they could not file charges because the statute of limitations had expired.
The victim in the case in which Norris pleaded guilty spent time in psychiatric facilities while receiving treatment related to the abuse, according to documents from a related lawsuit.
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – Wirt M. Norris Jr., a former Olympic diving judge, coach and prominent real estate agent, sidestepped a prison sentence Wednesday by pleading guilty to exposing himself to a child.
State District Judge Wayne Salvant accepted the plea agreement, sentencing Norris to 10 years’ probation and ordering him to register as a sex offender. Norris was instructed to stay away from the victim and refrain from contact with children 17 or younger.
“This case has been worked out to the benefit of everybody,” Salvant said. “Had we gone to trial, it would have been very difficult. You could have been found guilty and a jury could have sent you to the penitentiary. I don’t think you would have lasted.”
In exchange for pleading guilty to a charge of indecency/exposure, prosecutors dismissed a charge of indecency by fondling. Norris also was fined $5,000.
As part of the plea agreement, an attorney for the victim agreed to drop a civil lawsuit against Norris, who is 77.
Other than quietly answering the judge’s questions, Norris said little at the proceeding. He declined comment as he left the courtroom.
In a case that has been pending since early 2003, Norris was accused of indecency with a child after years of suspicion that he fondled teenage boys, authorities said.
The son of a Fort Worth lawyer, a man now in his 20s who was 12 at the time of the crime, accused Norris of molesting him in 1995. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News in 2003, Norris acknowledged hosting the youth at his home but insisted that “absolutely nothing” happened during the visits.
Law enforcement officials said at the time that for years, Norris had been accused of contact with young boys, many of them children of his prominent friends and business associates, at his house and at the Panther Boys Club, where he was a longtime swimming and diving instructor.
According to arrest documents, Norris targeted boys ages 9 to 14. He was accused of giving them alcohol and access to pornographic materials, and the men stated that the visits led to sexual contact.
But law enforcement officials said they could not file charges because the statute of limitations had expired.
The victim in the case in which Norris pleaded guilty spent time in psychiatric facilities while receiving treatment related to the abuse, according to documents from a related lawsuit.
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Arlington pastor in custody again
Man, charged with sex assault, accused of breaking terms of bail
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON, Texas - Terry L. Hornbuckle, the Arlington pastor indicted on sexual-assault charges, was arrested Wednesday, accused of violating the terms of his bail, Tarrant County officials said.
A May 5 test found illegal drugs in Mr. Hornbuckle's system, Tarrant County probation officials said.
Mr. Hornbuckle was being held without bail Wednesday in the Tarrant County Jail.
Jim Sinclair, Tarrant County's assistant probation director, would not say what drug the test found. Police said they found methamphetamine and a glass pipe in Mr. Hornbuckle's car when he was first arrested in March.
"This is not uncommon," Mr. Sinclair said about the failed drug test. "The courts issue these warrants all the time."
The 43-year-old founder of Agape Christian Fellowship church in Arlington was arrested about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday while reporting to the county probation department in downtown Fort Worth.
Mr. Hornbuckle's publicist, the district attorney's office and representatives of the 2,500-member Agape declined to comment because of a gag order issued by the judge in the case.
It was not clear whether Mr. Hornbuckle's attorney, Michael Heiskell, had asked the judge to set a new bail amount for his client. Mr. Heiskell could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A previous request to reduce Mr. Hornbuckle's $405,000 bail was rejected last month.
The terms of Mr. Hornbuckle's bail also required frequent drug and alcohol testing and mandated that he wear an ankle monitor to track his location.
Mr. Hornbuckle was indicted in March on four counts of sexually assaulting three women. He is accused of attacking them between July 2003 and October 2004.
Two of the women, one of whom was 17 at the time, said Mr. Hornbuckle gave them a date-rape drug. All three have sued Mr. Hornbuckle, the church and church elders.
G. Lee Finley, the civil attorney representing the women, said the positive drug test will help what he believes is already a strong case. He said it debunks attempts to portray Mr. Hornbuckle as a squeaky-clean preacher caught in a he-said, she-said dispute.
"There's a continuing pattern of lies and abuse," Mr. Finley said. "It shows quite clearly what kind of person he is."
Mr. Finley said he hopes this latest arrest will lead church officials to settle with the women. Greg Jones, Mr. Hornbuckle's civil attorney, was out of the office Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.
It's not clear whether the arrest will affect Mr. Hornbuckle's status in the church he founded in 1986. After his first arrest, Agape elders suspended him without pay and placed his wife, Renee, in charge of the church.
But Mr. Hornbuckle was reinstated in mid-April despite the lawsuits and criminal charges.
The church pays the Hornbuckles a combined $180,000 annually.
Man, charged with sex assault, accused of breaking terms of bail
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON, Texas - Terry L. Hornbuckle, the Arlington pastor indicted on sexual-assault charges, was arrested Wednesday, accused of violating the terms of his bail, Tarrant County officials said.
A May 5 test found illegal drugs in Mr. Hornbuckle's system, Tarrant County probation officials said.
Mr. Hornbuckle was being held without bail Wednesday in the Tarrant County Jail.
Jim Sinclair, Tarrant County's assistant probation director, would not say what drug the test found. Police said they found methamphetamine and a glass pipe in Mr. Hornbuckle's car when he was first arrested in March.
"This is not uncommon," Mr. Sinclair said about the failed drug test. "The courts issue these warrants all the time."
The 43-year-old founder of Agape Christian Fellowship church in Arlington was arrested about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday while reporting to the county probation department in downtown Fort Worth.
Mr. Hornbuckle's publicist, the district attorney's office and representatives of the 2,500-member Agape declined to comment because of a gag order issued by the judge in the case.
It was not clear whether Mr. Hornbuckle's attorney, Michael Heiskell, had asked the judge to set a new bail amount for his client. Mr. Heiskell could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A previous request to reduce Mr. Hornbuckle's $405,000 bail was rejected last month.
The terms of Mr. Hornbuckle's bail also required frequent drug and alcohol testing and mandated that he wear an ankle monitor to track his location.
Mr. Hornbuckle was indicted in March on four counts of sexually assaulting three women. He is accused of attacking them between July 2003 and October 2004.
Two of the women, one of whom was 17 at the time, said Mr. Hornbuckle gave them a date-rape drug. All three have sued Mr. Hornbuckle, the church and church elders.
G. Lee Finley, the civil attorney representing the women, said the positive drug test will help what he believes is already a strong case. He said it debunks attempts to portray Mr. Hornbuckle as a squeaky-clean preacher caught in a he-said, she-said dispute.
"There's a continuing pattern of lies and abuse," Mr. Finley said. "It shows quite clearly what kind of person he is."
Mr. Finley said he hopes this latest arrest will lead church officials to settle with the women. Greg Jones, Mr. Hornbuckle's civil attorney, was out of the office Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.
It's not clear whether the arrest will affect Mr. Hornbuckle's status in the church he founded in 1986. After his first arrest, Agape elders suspended him without pay and placed his wife, Renee, in charge of the church.
But Mr. Hornbuckle was reinstated in mid-April despite the lawsuits and criminal charges.
The church pays the Hornbuckles a combined $180,000 annually.
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TexasStooge
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Road rage possible in Plano shooting
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - One person was hospitalized and another was under arrest following a shooting incident in Plano that may have been related to road rage.
The shooting occured around 11:30 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of the Dallas North Tollway and Legacy Drive.
The shooting victim drove to Presbyterian Hospital of Plano for treatment. The name and condition of that person were not available.
A suspect in a white pickup truck was arrested in a shopping center parking lot about two-and-a-half miles west of the crime scene.
Plano police were investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting.
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - One person was hospitalized and another was under arrest following a shooting incident in Plano that may have been related to road rage.
The shooting occured around 11:30 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of the Dallas North Tollway and Legacy Drive.
The shooting victim drove to Presbyterian Hospital of Plano for treatment. The name and condition of that person were not available.
A suspect in a white pickup truck was arrested in a shopping center parking lot about two-and-a-half miles west of the crime scene.
Plano police were investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting.
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TexasStooge
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Body found in White Rock Lake
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police were investigating the death of a 33-year-old man whose body was found floating in White Rock Lake.
Initially, reports were that two bodies were found Wednesday evening in the water. But Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Max Geron said Thursday that separate calls were placed about the same body.
Fishermen and a couple of pedestrians called police around 7:15 p.m. to report they had discovered the body, Geron said.
“We are investigating it as an unexplained death pending a cause of death determination by the medical examiners,” he said. “There are no obvious signs of trauma.”
The man has been identified but police were withholding his name until relatives have been notified.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police were investigating the death of a 33-year-old man whose body was found floating in White Rock Lake.
Initially, reports were that two bodies were found Wednesday evening in the water. But Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Max Geron said Thursday that separate calls were placed about the same body.
Fishermen and a couple of pedestrians called police around 7:15 p.m. to report they had discovered the body, Geron said.
“We are investigating it as an unexplained death pending a cause of death determination by the medical examiners,” he said. “There are no obvious signs of trauma.”
The man has been identified but police were withholding his name until relatives have been notified.
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rainstorm
TexasStooge wrote:Road rage possible in Plano shooting
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - One person was hospitalized and another was under arrest following a shooting incident in Plano that may have been related to road rage.
The shooting occured around 11:30 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of the Dallas North Tollway and Legacy Drive.
The shooting victim drove to Presbyterian Hospital of Plano for treatment. The name and condition of that person were not available.
A suspect in a white pickup truck was arrested in a shopping center parking lot about two-and-a-half miles west of the crime scene.
Plano police were investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting.
people should drive faster so this doesnt happen
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Gas pipeline explodes in East Texas
HALLSVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — A natural gas pipeline exploded early Friday, forcing the evacuation of homes up to a mile away and sending a fireball 500 feet into the air, authorities said.
No serious injuries were reported, according to dispatcher Renee Nelson of the Harrison County Sheriff's Department.
One worker was taken to Marshall Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries and discharged, said a nursing supervisor who declined to identify himself.
The blast happened about 2 a.m. Friday on a pipeline that serves a power plant co-owned by New Orleans-based Entergy Corp., the Longview-based Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative and the Nacogdoches-based East Texas Electric Cooperative.
The Harrison County Plant, eight miles south of Marshall, had three workers on duty at the time of the blast, said Entergy spokeswoman Kelle Barfield. The gas fire was out by daybreak, but the blast had caused a secondary fire at the plant's cooling tower, Barfield said. She said she had no details on that fire.
The pipeline is owned by Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc. A Kinder Morgan spokesman said Friday that he had no details on the blast.
The rupture of the 36-inch pipeline forced about 43 homeowners near the scene to evacuate, said a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
"At this point, they are working to establish what may have caused the rupture in the first place," Trooper Jeanne Steeley told Shreveport, La., television station KSLA.
The explosion was felt by residents within several miles of the facility.
"It was a loud rumble," Madeline Walton told KSLA. "It just shook the whole place and I looked outside and saw bright orange and yellow flames shooting into the sky."
Smoke and flames were visible as far as 10 miles away.
"The sky is just orange and smoke and flames are filling the sky," witness William Brazil told KSLA-TV.
HALLSVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — A natural gas pipeline exploded early Friday, forcing the evacuation of homes up to a mile away and sending a fireball 500 feet into the air, authorities said.
No serious injuries were reported, according to dispatcher Renee Nelson of the Harrison County Sheriff's Department.
One worker was taken to Marshall Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries and discharged, said a nursing supervisor who declined to identify himself.
The blast happened about 2 a.m. Friday on a pipeline that serves a power plant co-owned by New Orleans-based Entergy Corp., the Longview-based Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative and the Nacogdoches-based East Texas Electric Cooperative.
The Harrison County Plant, eight miles south of Marshall, had three workers on duty at the time of the blast, said Entergy spokeswoman Kelle Barfield. The gas fire was out by daybreak, but the blast had caused a secondary fire at the plant's cooling tower, Barfield said. She said she had no details on that fire.
The pipeline is owned by Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc. A Kinder Morgan spokesman said Friday that he had no details on the blast.
The rupture of the 36-inch pipeline forced about 43 homeowners near the scene to evacuate, said a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
"At this point, they are working to establish what may have caused the rupture in the first place," Trooper Jeanne Steeley told Shreveport, La., television station KSLA.
The explosion was felt by residents within several miles of the facility.
"It was a loud rumble," Madeline Walton told KSLA. "It just shook the whole place and I looked outside and saw bright orange and yellow flames shooting into the sky."
Smoke and flames were visible as far as 10 miles away.
"The sky is just orange and smoke and flames are filling the sky," witness William Brazil told KSLA-TV.
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Murder probe frustrates victim's mother
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
McKINNEY, Texas — McKinney police believe they now know who killed four people in the city's worst murder case ever—but they say they can't do anything about it yet.
The mother of one of the victims told News 8 this week her frustration with the investigation is growing.
Shortly after the March 2004 slayings of Rosa Barbosa, her nephew Mark Barbosa, Matthew Self and Austin York at a house on Truett Street, family members of the four gathered at the crime scene to talk with a crew from the America's Most Wanted TV program. But the same week the segment was scheduled to air, McKinney police arrested four men and charged them with the murders—and the story never aired.
Police later dropped those charges.
Nancy Self is the mother of victim Matthew Self, who was a McKinney North High School football player. Self is lobbying America's Most Wanted to air the story now. The producers put information about the crime on their Web site, but won't say when or if it will air.
"I need to know who killed my child," Self said. "There is someone out there that's witholding pieces that (would) take care of this—not that it's going to bring my kid back."
McKinney police told News 8 they know who shot Self, York, Rosa Barbosa and Mark Barbosa.
"We don't believe that additional leads would be necessarily generated by their airing of our story," said police spokesperson Capt. Randy Roland. "We feel like the pieces of the puzzle are coming together."
But investigators said they're still missing key physical evidence that ties the suspects to the killings without any doubt.
"Once we get that and can tie that back to the perpetrators that did this, we'll be prepared to go forward to the DA's office and bring this case to a jury," Roland said.
Nancy Self said she's running out of patience, especially this time of year when her son would have gone to his prom and would be preparing to graduate.
"You've had a year and two months," Self said. "You still can't tell me any more than the day than it happened?"
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
McKINNEY, Texas — McKinney police believe they now know who killed four people in the city's worst murder case ever—but they say they can't do anything about it yet.
The mother of one of the victims told News 8 this week her frustration with the investigation is growing.
Shortly after the March 2004 slayings of Rosa Barbosa, her nephew Mark Barbosa, Matthew Self and Austin York at a house on Truett Street, family members of the four gathered at the crime scene to talk with a crew from the America's Most Wanted TV program. But the same week the segment was scheduled to air, McKinney police arrested four men and charged them with the murders—and the story never aired.
Police later dropped those charges.
Nancy Self is the mother of victim Matthew Self, who was a McKinney North High School football player. Self is lobbying America's Most Wanted to air the story now. The producers put information about the crime on their Web site, but won't say when or if it will air.
"I need to know who killed my child," Self said. "There is someone out there that's witholding pieces that (would) take care of this—not that it's going to bring my kid back."
McKinney police told News 8 they know who shot Self, York, Rosa Barbosa and Mark Barbosa.
"We don't believe that additional leads would be necessarily generated by their airing of our story," said police spokesperson Capt. Randy Roland. "We feel like the pieces of the puzzle are coming together."
But investigators said they're still missing key physical evidence that ties the suspects to the killings without any doubt.
"Once we get that and can tie that back to the perpetrators that did this, we'll be prepared to go forward to the DA's office and bring this case to a jury," Roland said.
Nancy Self said she's running out of patience, especially this time of year when her son would have gone to his prom and would be preparing to graduate.
"You've had a year and two months," Self said. "You still can't tell me any more than the day than it happened?"
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Grassy knoll fence on auction block
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - An infamous piece of Dallas history is going on the auction block.
Long weathered and nearly forgotten, the grassy knoll's picket fence is where some believe a second assassin hid on November 24, 1963, the day President Kennedy was slain in Dealey Plaza.
On Sunday, that fence will go to the highest bidder when a New York auction firm opens bidding on what's believed to be an authentic section of the fence.
Visitors to Dealey Plaza still argue about the fence on the grassy knoll—especially those who believe a second gunman fired a shot from behind it.
"I think it fascinates the nation," said Meghan Hammon of Knoxville, Tenn., who was visiting the scene of the assassination. "I mean, they still show that John F. Kennedy movie."
In film that was shot just moments after Kennedy was hit, people can be seen running toward the fence believing they heard shots coming from that area.
Although interest in the assassination holds up after more than four decades, the fence did not endure. The city replaced it in 2000.
But a quick-thinking tour guide saved the posts and pickets that were removed and stored them until last year, when the storage company auctioned off the fence and other items in the man's unit to pay off unpaid rent.
That's when auction buff Daniel Moses of Duncanville purchased the fence for an undisclosed amount—and with a certain level of skepticism.
"I laughed," he said. "I was like, 'you've got to be kidding me! This is not it!'"
But after looking over the worn wood in his garage, Moses changed his mind. "There were all kinds of remarks and references to JFK and the assassination," he said. "I started realizing this might be it."
Moses obtained certified statements from the company that dismantled the fence, the tour guide, and the city parks worker who maintained the fence and replaced many of the pickets over the years.
That was enough for auction firm Lelands.com to accept that at least parts of the fence were standing when JFK was gunned down.
"The fence is a big part of history," Moses said. "You know what happened around the fence."
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - An infamous piece of Dallas history is going on the auction block.
Long weathered and nearly forgotten, the grassy knoll's picket fence is where some believe a second assassin hid on November 24, 1963, the day President Kennedy was slain in Dealey Plaza.
On Sunday, that fence will go to the highest bidder when a New York auction firm opens bidding on what's believed to be an authentic section of the fence.
Visitors to Dealey Plaza still argue about the fence on the grassy knoll—especially those who believe a second gunman fired a shot from behind it.
"I think it fascinates the nation," said Meghan Hammon of Knoxville, Tenn., who was visiting the scene of the assassination. "I mean, they still show that John F. Kennedy movie."
In film that was shot just moments after Kennedy was hit, people can be seen running toward the fence believing they heard shots coming from that area.
Although interest in the assassination holds up after more than four decades, the fence did not endure. The city replaced it in 2000.
But a quick-thinking tour guide saved the posts and pickets that were removed and stored them until last year, when the storage company auctioned off the fence and other items in the man's unit to pay off unpaid rent.
That's when auction buff Daniel Moses of Duncanville purchased the fence for an undisclosed amount—and with a certain level of skepticism.
"I laughed," he said. "I was like, 'you've got to be kidding me! This is not it!'"
But after looking over the worn wood in his garage, Moses changed his mind. "There were all kinds of remarks and references to JFK and the assassination," he said. "I started realizing this might be it."
Moses obtained certified statements from the company that dismantled the fence, the tour guide, and the city parks worker who maintained the fence and replaced many of the pickets over the years.
That was enough for auction firm Lelands.com to accept that at least parts of the fence were standing when JFK was gunned down.
"The fence is a big part of history," Moses said. "You know what happened around the fence."
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Officer facing bribe charges
Dallas: Police say he let motorists go if they paid him
By TANYA EISERER and HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas police officer was arrested Thursday afternoon on two counts of bribery after an investigation revealed he had been taking cash from motorists in exchange for letting them go despite outstanding warrants, police said.
Officer James Lawrence Quaite, a patrol officer in the Southwest division, was in a training class at the department's police academy when tactical officers took him into custody. The arrest came after a five-month investigation.
"He would indicate that they could give him cash in lieu of going to jail," said Deputy Chief Calvin Cunigan, who commands the Internal Affairs and Public Integrity Division. "In two documented instances, cash was actually provided by wanted individuals to Officer Quaite to avoid being taken into custody."
Officer Quaite couldn't be reached for comment.
The investigation began on Dec. 29 after Ike Henry Cook Jr. reported to police that the officer had pulled him over a day earlier after checking his license plates and discovering there were warrants on the owner of the vehicle.
Mr. Cook told police that the officer had pulled him over on Houston School Road and then showed him a mobile data computer screen in his squad car indicating that he had outstanding warrants in Duncanville. Mr. Cook told him that was a mistake.
The officer told Mr. Cook that "he normally charges drug dealers in the area $30 or $40 to let them go," records show. Mr. Cook, who owns a beauty supply shop, then gave the officer $40, records show.
The officer told him that he knew a woman who did hair "and might be interested in buying supplies," records show. So Mr. Cook gave the officer a business card.
Mr. Cook realized after he left that the officer had not returned his driver's license. He also called the Duncanville Police Department and found out that he did not have any active warrants against him.
Detectives later showed Mr. Cook a six-photo lineup, and he immediately picked out Officer Quaite. "That's him, no doubt, that's the officer I gave my money to," he said, according to court records.
A passenger who was with Mr. Cook backed Mr. Cook's account of what happened, records show.
Mr. Cook currently has an outstanding Dallas warrant for debit card abuse, jail records show. The warrant was issued in late March.
During the investigation, police also found that another person, Veronica Washington, had similar allegations.
She told police she was driving on West Ledbetter Avenue when an officer in a marked squad car pulled her over, according to court documents. The officer told her that he had pulled her over because of rear-end damage to her car.
He then asked her for license and insurance, which she gave him. He returned to his patrol car and, after about 10 minutes, he returned and had her get out of her car and into his car.
Officer Quaite then reportedly showed her a police monitor, which showed that she had several outstanding warrants. He then asked "what it was worth for her not to go to jail," the court document said. Court documents indicate she thought initially that he wanted sexual favors, but then he said, "Well, I won't take you to jail, but it's gonna cost you."
He asked her to give him $20, records show. She said she returned to her vehicle and gave him the money from her purse.
She said he then told her to be quiet while he dialed a person he said was his supervisor. She said he told that person that he had pulled over a woman with warrants and was going to release her at his discretion.
The officer returned her driver's license and insurance, and she drove away.
Ms. Washington declined to comment Thursday, saying that she had been advised not to by her attorney. Mr. Cook could not be reached for comment.
Officer Quaite was hired in November 2001. He graduated from the police academy in August 2002 after being "recycled" from the previous class.
Unlike other major Texas law enforcement agencies, Dallas for at least six years recycled many questionable recruits into subsequent classes until they passed basic skills tests and obtained state certification. According to a chief training officer, that practice "was not as successful as the department had hoped" and was suspended in mid-January 2003.
Officer Quaite was arrested at the police academy about 1:25 p.m. Thursday while he was in a core curriculum class.
An officer at the academy said tactical team officers showed up, and "they cleared the hallways and told us they had dignitaries coming."
"They called him out for a phone call," he said. "As soon as he walked out, three tactical guys arrested him."
Officer Quaite was escorted out in handcuffs, and his car was towed away.
In 1999, before joining the Police Department, Officer Quaite was arrested on a charge of theft by check, but the case was dismissed by the district attorney's office after he paid restitution, Dallas County sheriff's department spokesman Don Peritz said.
Officer Quaite has received two commendations for professionalism and two sustained complaints for tardiness and conduct unbecoming. He is on paid administrative leave pending the disposition of the case.
Dallas: Police say he let motorists go if they paid him
By TANYA EISERER and HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas police officer was arrested Thursday afternoon on two counts of bribery after an investigation revealed he had been taking cash from motorists in exchange for letting them go despite outstanding warrants, police said.
Officer James Lawrence Quaite, a patrol officer in the Southwest division, was in a training class at the department's police academy when tactical officers took him into custody. The arrest came after a five-month investigation.
"He would indicate that they could give him cash in lieu of going to jail," said Deputy Chief Calvin Cunigan, who commands the Internal Affairs and Public Integrity Division. "In two documented instances, cash was actually provided by wanted individuals to Officer Quaite to avoid being taken into custody."
Officer Quaite couldn't be reached for comment.
The investigation began on Dec. 29 after Ike Henry Cook Jr. reported to police that the officer had pulled him over a day earlier after checking his license plates and discovering there were warrants on the owner of the vehicle.
Mr. Cook told police that the officer had pulled him over on Houston School Road and then showed him a mobile data computer screen in his squad car indicating that he had outstanding warrants in Duncanville. Mr. Cook told him that was a mistake.
The officer told Mr. Cook that "he normally charges drug dealers in the area $30 or $40 to let them go," records show. Mr. Cook, who owns a beauty supply shop, then gave the officer $40, records show.
The officer told him that he knew a woman who did hair "and might be interested in buying supplies," records show. So Mr. Cook gave the officer a business card.
Mr. Cook realized after he left that the officer had not returned his driver's license. He also called the Duncanville Police Department and found out that he did not have any active warrants against him.
Detectives later showed Mr. Cook a six-photo lineup, and he immediately picked out Officer Quaite. "That's him, no doubt, that's the officer I gave my money to," he said, according to court records.
A passenger who was with Mr. Cook backed Mr. Cook's account of what happened, records show.
Mr. Cook currently has an outstanding Dallas warrant for debit card abuse, jail records show. The warrant was issued in late March.
During the investigation, police also found that another person, Veronica Washington, had similar allegations.
She told police she was driving on West Ledbetter Avenue when an officer in a marked squad car pulled her over, according to court documents. The officer told her that he had pulled her over because of rear-end damage to her car.
He then asked her for license and insurance, which she gave him. He returned to his patrol car and, after about 10 minutes, he returned and had her get out of her car and into his car.
Officer Quaite then reportedly showed her a police monitor, which showed that she had several outstanding warrants. He then asked "what it was worth for her not to go to jail," the court document said. Court documents indicate she thought initially that he wanted sexual favors, but then he said, "Well, I won't take you to jail, but it's gonna cost you."
He asked her to give him $20, records show. She said she returned to her vehicle and gave him the money from her purse.
She said he then told her to be quiet while he dialed a person he said was his supervisor. She said he told that person that he had pulled over a woman with warrants and was going to release her at his discretion.
The officer returned her driver's license and insurance, and she drove away.
Ms. Washington declined to comment Thursday, saying that she had been advised not to by her attorney. Mr. Cook could not be reached for comment.
Officer Quaite was hired in November 2001. He graduated from the police academy in August 2002 after being "recycled" from the previous class.
Unlike other major Texas law enforcement agencies, Dallas for at least six years recycled many questionable recruits into subsequent classes until they passed basic skills tests and obtained state certification. According to a chief training officer, that practice "was not as successful as the department had hoped" and was suspended in mid-January 2003.
Officer Quaite was arrested at the police academy about 1:25 p.m. Thursday while he was in a core curriculum class.
An officer at the academy said tactical team officers showed up, and "they cleared the hallways and told us they had dignitaries coming."
"They called him out for a phone call," he said. "As soon as he walked out, three tactical guys arrested him."
Officer Quaite was escorted out in handcuffs, and his car was towed away.
In 1999, before joining the Police Department, Officer Quaite was arrested on a charge of theft by check, but the case was dismissed by the district attorney's office after he paid restitution, Dallas County sheriff's department spokesman Don Peritz said.
Officer Quaite has received two commendations for professionalism and two sustained complaints for tardiness and conduct unbecoming. He is on paid administrative leave pending the disposition of the case.
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Man fatally shot near Love Field
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas man was shot and killed early Friday after an argument at a nightclub, police said.
Robert Rangel, 25, died at Parkland Memorial Hospital after being shot in the back of the head at a gas station near Love Field around 3:20 a.m..
Police said that Rangel and some friends friends had left Club DMX in northwest Dallas and gathered in the parking lot of a Fina gas station in the 2200 block of West Northwest Highway.
Mr. Rangel and another man argued over some unknown issue, and the victim punched the man in the face, police said. Witnesses told police that Mr. Rangel told the suspect, who had a gun, to "go ahead and shoot" him, but the suspect left in a newer model Crown Victoria with spinning wheels.
The suspect returned in the car a short time later and fatally shot Mr. Rangel before getting back into the rear passenger seat of the car and fleeing with two other people.
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas man was shot and killed early Friday after an argument at a nightclub, police said.
Robert Rangel, 25, died at Parkland Memorial Hospital after being shot in the back of the head at a gas station near Love Field around 3:20 a.m..
Police said that Rangel and some friends friends had left Club DMX in northwest Dallas and gathered in the parking lot of a Fina gas station in the 2200 block of West Northwest Highway.
Mr. Rangel and another man argued over some unknown issue, and the victim punched the man in the face, police said. Witnesses told police that Mr. Rangel told the suspect, who had a gun, to "go ahead and shoot" him, but the suspect left in a newer model Crown Victoria with spinning wheels.
The suspect returned in the car a short time later and fatally shot Mr. Rangel before getting back into the rear passenger seat of the car and fleeing with two other people.
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New in Old Town Lewisville: a bar
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
LEWISVILLE, Texas – Some folks sat around tables at Old Town Flying Pig this week and sweetened their teas as they talked about the workday. Others staked their claims at the bar, sipped on beer and watched headlines and sports scores tick by on three giant television screens.
In the back, pool tables awaited happy hour and late-night crowds. A bell rang as lunch orders came up. Co-owner Phyllis Winter watched it all and welcomed a deliveryman with a new refrigerator.
"We've done a lot more food and beer sales than we thought we would in the initial phases," Mrs. Winter said. "Sales are good. We've got growing pains already, but we're not complaining."
The bar and restaurant in Lewisville's Old Town district is a dream come true for its four owners: Mrs. Winter, her husband Bill, and their friends Elke and Scott Macy. It took years of planning. There were times they thought it wouldn't happen.
"My husband made a comment about how we'll eventually get it open," Mrs. Winter said. "And I said, 'Yeah, when pigs fly.' "
But it wasn't just the quartet of entrepreneurs who couldn't wait to see the pig fly. A bar in Old Town Lewisville was a long time coming for anyone who has ever wandered its brick-lined sidewalks. After all, there hadn't been one since before Prohibition.
Mr. Winter has dreamed of opening a bar since he was 18. The Flower Mound resident, who works as a municipal bond broker, and his wife used to spend hours in bars drawing sketches on napkins and concocting ideas.
Kindred spirits
About five years ago, the couple sat in a Highland Village bar during one of these planning sessions when they noticed another couple doing the same thing.
That's when the Winters met the Macys, who live in Highland Village. It wasn't long before they joined forces and started developing ideas together.
"I think for all of us it was a dream," said Mrs. Macy, who left her job as the head cook at Liberty Elementary in Flower Mound to get ready for the opening.
Their pick for the ideal spot: Old Town Lewisville, the city's downtown district that for years has housed offices, small specialty shops and eateries.
"We like the Old Town feel: the attached buildings and the look," Mrs. Winter said.
Once the heart of the city, Old Town had declined for decades. Buildings weren't kept up. Sidewalks and streets fell into disrepair.
But for more than six years, city officials have poured money into projects and programs that would turn the area into a bustling downtown district able to draw residents and visitors to its businesses. In 2003, they hired Shawn Lewis, the city's first Old Town development coordinator. They offered grant money that helped businesses pay for renovations to building fronts. Last year, a $900,000 streetscaping project updated the infrastructure and added parking spots. That's when the Winters and Macys decided to strike.
"We thought, 'Now's the time,' " Mrs. Winter said. "The City Council just seems so much in favor of revitalizing the area. They were really easy to work with."
But the responses to their idea were skeptical, to say the least. As the four Denton County residents scouted possible locations, local folks were reluctant to believe they'd ever see a bar in Old Town.
"It's just one of those things," said fifth-generation resident James Polser. "Lewisville was such a small town that for some reason or another there just wasn't a particular interest. I don't think anybody was for or against one; there was just never enough interest to make it go."
The 64-year-old owns Lewisville Feed Mill, a business that has been in Old Town for more than a century. He's heard stories about saloons in Old Town long before he was born. But a bar in Old Town in modern-day Lewisville? Never.
'Always a draw'
While Mr. Polser raves about the chicken-fried steak sandwich, it's neither the food nor the beer that gets him excited about Old Town Flying Pig.
"I think it's appropriate for what we're wanting to do in Old Town," Mr. Polser said. "It's going to draw people into the area."
City officials have similar expectations.
"A bar and restaurant is always a draw for a business district," Mr. Lewis said. "I think the Flying Pig is already a draw and adds to Old Town."
The bar's owners are already seeing regulars from as far away as Corinth, Plano and Arlington. Most are amazed at the size of the space. And they love being able to grab a beer or bite to eat while in the district.
"Actually, it's been better than what we anticipated," said Mr. Macy, a computer engineer. "Believe it or not, several of the people who have lived here their entire life sat down and said, 'I never would have believed I would have been able to buy a beer in my lifetime in Old Town Lewisville.' "
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
LEWISVILLE, Texas – Some folks sat around tables at Old Town Flying Pig this week and sweetened their teas as they talked about the workday. Others staked their claims at the bar, sipped on beer and watched headlines and sports scores tick by on three giant television screens.
In the back, pool tables awaited happy hour and late-night crowds. A bell rang as lunch orders came up. Co-owner Phyllis Winter watched it all and welcomed a deliveryman with a new refrigerator.
"We've done a lot more food and beer sales than we thought we would in the initial phases," Mrs. Winter said. "Sales are good. We've got growing pains already, but we're not complaining."
The bar and restaurant in Lewisville's Old Town district is a dream come true for its four owners: Mrs. Winter, her husband Bill, and their friends Elke and Scott Macy. It took years of planning. There were times they thought it wouldn't happen.
"My husband made a comment about how we'll eventually get it open," Mrs. Winter said. "And I said, 'Yeah, when pigs fly.' "
But it wasn't just the quartet of entrepreneurs who couldn't wait to see the pig fly. A bar in Old Town Lewisville was a long time coming for anyone who has ever wandered its brick-lined sidewalks. After all, there hadn't been one since before Prohibition.
Mr. Winter has dreamed of opening a bar since he was 18. The Flower Mound resident, who works as a municipal bond broker, and his wife used to spend hours in bars drawing sketches on napkins and concocting ideas.
Kindred spirits
About five years ago, the couple sat in a Highland Village bar during one of these planning sessions when they noticed another couple doing the same thing.
That's when the Winters met the Macys, who live in Highland Village. It wasn't long before they joined forces and started developing ideas together.
"I think for all of us it was a dream," said Mrs. Macy, who left her job as the head cook at Liberty Elementary in Flower Mound to get ready for the opening.
Their pick for the ideal spot: Old Town Lewisville, the city's downtown district that for years has housed offices, small specialty shops and eateries.
"We like the Old Town feel: the attached buildings and the look," Mrs. Winter said.
Once the heart of the city, Old Town had declined for decades. Buildings weren't kept up. Sidewalks and streets fell into disrepair.
But for more than six years, city officials have poured money into projects and programs that would turn the area into a bustling downtown district able to draw residents and visitors to its businesses. In 2003, they hired Shawn Lewis, the city's first Old Town development coordinator. They offered grant money that helped businesses pay for renovations to building fronts. Last year, a $900,000 streetscaping project updated the infrastructure and added parking spots. That's when the Winters and Macys decided to strike.
"We thought, 'Now's the time,' " Mrs. Winter said. "The City Council just seems so much in favor of revitalizing the area. They were really easy to work with."
But the responses to their idea were skeptical, to say the least. As the four Denton County residents scouted possible locations, local folks were reluctant to believe they'd ever see a bar in Old Town.
"It's just one of those things," said fifth-generation resident James Polser. "Lewisville was such a small town that for some reason or another there just wasn't a particular interest. I don't think anybody was for or against one; there was just never enough interest to make it go."
The 64-year-old owns Lewisville Feed Mill, a business that has been in Old Town for more than a century. He's heard stories about saloons in Old Town long before he was born. But a bar in Old Town in modern-day Lewisville? Never.
'Always a draw'
While Mr. Polser raves about the chicken-fried steak sandwich, it's neither the food nor the beer that gets him excited about Old Town Flying Pig.
"I think it's appropriate for what we're wanting to do in Old Town," Mr. Polser said. "It's going to draw people into the area."
City officials have similar expectations.
"A bar and restaurant is always a draw for a business district," Mr. Lewis said. "I think the Flying Pig is already a draw and adds to Old Town."
The bar's owners are already seeing regulars from as far away as Corinth, Plano and Arlington. Most are amazed at the size of the space. And they love being able to grab a beer or bite to eat while in the district.
"Actually, it's been better than what we anticipated," said Mr. Macy, a computer engineer. "Believe it or not, several of the people who have lived here their entire life sat down and said, 'I never would have believed I would have been able to buy a beer in my lifetime in Old Town Lewisville.' "
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TexasStooge
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Joke backfires on Dallas judge
Update: She offers apology after party for fugitive offends panel
By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas district court judge apologized Thursday after receiving a public admonition for serving cake and ice cream and decorating her courtroom with balloons and streamers to celebrate the recapture of a man who had skipped out on his trial.
District Judge Faith Johnson said in a written statement that she had not intended to humiliate or be disrespectful to Billy Wayne Williams by throwing the party during a court proceeding in which Mr. Williams was notified that he had been sentenced in absentia to life in prison.
"If my celebration of the return of fugitive Billy Wayne Williams offended any member of the community, I deeply apologize," she wrote.
The public admonition falls in the middle of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's punishment options, which range from private admonition to public censure. After a hearing last month in Austin in which Judge Johnson testified, commissioners ruled that she brought "public discredit upon the judiciary" by making light of what should be a solemn occasion.
In November 2003, Judge Johnson granted Mr. Williams a personal recognizance bond before he disappeared during his aggravated assault trial. He was accused of choking his girlfriend to the point of unconsciousness.
After he fled, the judge convicted him in absentia and sentenced him to life in prison.
When the judge learned that Mr. Williams had been captured in October 2004, she made plans to celebrate his return with cake and ice cream and called a TV news crew to capture Mr. Williams' expression as he entered the courtroom, according to the commission's findings.
As Mr. Williams approached the judge's bench that day, Judge Johnson told him: "You just made my day when I heard you had finally come home. We're so excited to see you, we're throwing a party for you."
As he was being escorted from the courtroom, Mr. Williams told a reporter, "It seems like everyone wants to have a party, and it's fun for you people, but not for me."
Update: She offers apology after party for fugitive offends panel
By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas district court judge apologized Thursday after receiving a public admonition for serving cake and ice cream and decorating her courtroom with balloons and streamers to celebrate the recapture of a man who had skipped out on his trial.
District Judge Faith Johnson said in a written statement that she had not intended to humiliate or be disrespectful to Billy Wayne Williams by throwing the party during a court proceeding in which Mr. Williams was notified that he had been sentenced in absentia to life in prison.
"If my celebration of the return of fugitive Billy Wayne Williams offended any member of the community, I deeply apologize," she wrote.
The public admonition falls in the middle of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's punishment options, which range from private admonition to public censure. After a hearing last month in Austin in which Judge Johnson testified, commissioners ruled that she brought "public discredit upon the judiciary" by making light of what should be a solemn occasion.
In November 2003, Judge Johnson granted Mr. Williams a personal recognizance bond before he disappeared during his aggravated assault trial. He was accused of choking his girlfriend to the point of unconsciousness.
After he fled, the judge convicted him in absentia and sentenced him to life in prison.
When the judge learned that Mr. Williams had been captured in October 2004, she made plans to celebrate his return with cake and ice cream and called a TV news crew to capture Mr. Williams' expression as he entered the courtroom, according to the commission's findings.
As Mr. Williams approached the judge's bench that day, Judge Johnson told him: "You just made my day when I heard you had finally come home. We're so excited to see you, we're throwing a party for you."
As he was being escorted from the courtroom, Mr. Williams told a reporter, "It seems like everyone wants to have a party, and it's fun for you people, but not for me."
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TexasStooge
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Clerk's slaying called calculated
Lake Highlands: Police have 'good pictures'
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
LAKE HIGHLANDS, Texas - Police called it a coldblooded crime.
A man waited for a customer to leave the Lake Highlands convenience store Wednesday evening before walking up and fatally shooting store clerk Mohammad Yasin in the chest.
The robber calmly walked around the counter and grabbed the cash drawer before fleeing with three accomplices in a white Ford Crown Victoria, probably an old police squad car.
Mr. Yasin died later at a hospital.
"We've got pretty good pictures of them" from surveillance cameras, said Sgt. Kenneth Lecesne, a homicide supervisor. "Someone is probably going to know them."
The fatal robbery began about 5:15 p.m. at the Buy-N-Go near Whitehurst Drive and Skillman Street.
The robbers appear to have cased the store because surveillance video shows the men separately arriving and leaving at least twice. One of them even purchased an item.
The final time they all came in, "the shooter stayed up front, and the other three went to different sections of the store," the sergeant said.
A customer came in and made a purchase and then left. The shooter approached the store clerk and "appeared to say something to the clerk" before shooting him, Sgt. Lecesne said. "He appeared to take something from him, maybe from his pocket."
The robber then covered the cash drawer with a black towel he had around his neck, and he and his accomplices fled in the car with dark-tinted windows and a spotlight.
The victim did not have his wallet, and police believe the robber might have taken it.
Anyone with information can call 214-671-3661.
Lake Highlands: Police have 'good pictures'
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
LAKE HIGHLANDS, Texas - Police called it a coldblooded crime.
A man waited for a customer to leave the Lake Highlands convenience store Wednesday evening before walking up and fatally shooting store clerk Mohammad Yasin in the chest.
The robber calmly walked around the counter and grabbed the cash drawer before fleeing with three accomplices in a white Ford Crown Victoria, probably an old police squad car.
Mr. Yasin died later at a hospital.
"We've got pretty good pictures of them" from surveillance cameras, said Sgt. Kenneth Lecesne, a homicide supervisor. "Someone is probably going to know them."
The fatal robbery began about 5:15 p.m. at the Buy-N-Go near Whitehurst Drive and Skillman Street.
The robbers appear to have cased the store because surveillance video shows the men separately arriving and leaving at least twice. One of them even purchased an item.
The final time they all came in, "the shooter stayed up front, and the other three went to different sections of the store," the sergeant said.
A customer came in and made a purchase and then left. The shooter approached the store clerk and "appeared to say something to the clerk" before shooting him, Sgt. Lecesne said. "He appeared to take something from him, maybe from his pocket."
The robber then covered the cash drawer with a black towel he had around his neck, and he and his accomplices fled in the car with dark-tinted windows and a spotlight.
The victim did not have his wallet, and police believe the robber might have taken it.
Anyone with information can call 214-671-3661.
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Worker dies at Hwy. 121 construction site
THE COLONY, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - One worker was killed and another was seriously injured after an accident at a construction project in The Colony Friday morning.
The two men were found unconscious by a co-worker at 11 a.m. in a manhole along Highway 121 near Morningstar Drive.
The Colony Police Chief Joseph clark said the worker went to check on the men after their two-way radio went dead. "He found them both passed out at the bottom of this hole, and he attempted to pull them out himself and couldn't," Clark said.
When medics got to the victims, neither was breathing, Clark said.
One man was pronounced dead at the scene; the other was rushed to Presbyterian Hospital of Plano for treatment. His condition was not known, and identities of the two men were not released.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office was called in to investigate the death.
Clark said there was a strong odor surrounding the manhole, and he suspected it might have been methane, a colorless, odorless gas which is the principal component of natural gas.
WFAA.com contributed to this report.
THE COLONY, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - One worker was killed and another was seriously injured after an accident at a construction project in The Colony Friday morning.
The two men were found unconscious by a co-worker at 11 a.m. in a manhole along Highway 121 near Morningstar Drive.
The Colony Police Chief Joseph clark said the worker went to check on the men after their two-way radio went dead. "He found them both passed out at the bottom of this hole, and he attempted to pull them out himself and couldn't," Clark said.
When medics got to the victims, neither was breathing, Clark said.
One man was pronounced dead at the scene; the other was rushed to Presbyterian Hospital of Plano for treatment. His condition was not known, and identities of the two men were not released.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office was called in to investigate the death.
Clark said there was a strong odor surrounding the manhole, and he suspected it might have been methane, a colorless, odorless gas which is the principal component of natural gas.
WFAA.com contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Toddler found wandering in Tarrant Co.
KELLER, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 2-year-old boy, dressed only in a diaper and a T-shirt, was found early Friday morning walking in a street in northern Tarrant County, authorities said.
A volunteer firefighter at a nearby station, just west of the Keller city limits, spotted the boy about 4 a.m. and pulled him out of the roadway. The mother told sheriff’s deputies that her son was staying with a babysitter while she was at work that morning. It wasn’t clear how the boy wandered away from the babysitter’s home near the intersection of Keller Hicks Road and Pine Tree Circle, said Terry Grisham, a sheriff’s department spokesman.
He said that the boy was returned unhurt to his mother and that Child Protective Services said they would start an investigation Friday.
KELLER, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 2-year-old boy, dressed only in a diaper and a T-shirt, was found early Friday morning walking in a street in northern Tarrant County, authorities said.
A volunteer firefighter at a nearby station, just west of the Keller city limits, spotted the boy about 4 a.m. and pulled him out of the roadway. The mother told sheriff’s deputies that her son was staying with a babysitter while she was at work that morning. It wasn’t clear how the boy wandered away from the babysitter’s home near the intersection of Keller Hicks Road and Pine Tree Circle, said Terry Grisham, a sheriff’s department spokesman.
He said that the boy was returned unhurt to his mother and that Child Protective Services said they would start an investigation Friday.
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Attorney: Ex-Baylor coach may testify
WACO, Texas (The Dallas Morning News/AP) - A former Baylor University basketball coach caught in an NCAA violations scandal may be called to testify at the murder trial of an ex-player charged with killing a teammate, a defense attorney said Friday.
Attorney Russ Hunt Sr. said calling Dave Bliss to testify at Carlton Dotson's June 13 trial was a "possibility" but would not elaborate.
Dotson, 22, faces up to life in prison if convicted of gunning down Patrick Dennehy, 21, who had been missing about six weeks before his body was found in a field in July 2003.
Bliss resigned a month later after allegations of NCAA violations surfaced. He later moved to Colorado.
Later, an internal Baylor investigative committee found that Bliss improperly paid up to $40,000 in tuition for Dennehy and another player, that the coaching staff didn't report failed drug tests by athletes and that Bliss lied to investigators in trying to cover up his misdeeds.
Baylor then imposed sanctions on the men's basketball program, and the NCAA is expected to decide on the case this summer.
Also Friday, Hunt reiterated that he would not seek an insanity defense and would not dispute Dotson's competency, although he said the former athlete still hears voices.
While Dotson was treated at a state psychiatric hospital for four months after he was declared incompetent to stand trial last fall, he learned how to deal with the voices and still takes medication, Hunt said.
A few days before Dennehy was found dead, Dotson was arrested in his home state of Maryland after calling police from a store, saying he was hearing voices and needed counseling.
Authorities have refused to discuss a motive for the slaying.
At a brief hearing Friday, state District Judge George Allen said he would call 75 potential jurors, about twice as many as usual, to make sure there are enough people who have not heard about the highly publicized case.
WACO, Texas (The Dallas Morning News/AP) - A former Baylor University basketball coach caught in an NCAA violations scandal may be called to testify at the murder trial of an ex-player charged with killing a teammate, a defense attorney said Friday.
Attorney Russ Hunt Sr. said calling Dave Bliss to testify at Carlton Dotson's June 13 trial was a "possibility" but would not elaborate.
Dotson, 22, faces up to life in prison if convicted of gunning down Patrick Dennehy, 21, who had been missing about six weeks before his body was found in a field in July 2003.
Bliss resigned a month later after allegations of NCAA violations surfaced. He later moved to Colorado.
Later, an internal Baylor investigative committee found that Bliss improperly paid up to $40,000 in tuition for Dennehy and another player, that the coaching staff didn't report failed drug tests by athletes and that Bliss lied to investigators in trying to cover up his misdeeds.
Baylor then imposed sanctions on the men's basketball program, and the NCAA is expected to decide on the case this summer.
Also Friday, Hunt reiterated that he would not seek an insanity defense and would not dispute Dotson's competency, although he said the former athlete still hears voices.
While Dotson was treated at a state psychiatric hospital for four months after he was declared incompetent to stand trial last fall, he learned how to deal with the voices and still takes medication, Hunt said.
A few days before Dennehy was found dead, Dotson was arrested in his home state of Maryland after calling police from a store, saying he was hearing voices and needed counseling.
Authorities have refused to discuss a motive for the slaying.
At a brief hearing Friday, state District Judge George Allen said he would call 75 potential jurors, about twice as many as usual, to make sure there are enough people who have not heard about the highly publicized case.
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TexasStooge
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Saliva DNA helping convict molesters
By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - A convicted child molester fainted in court Friday when a judge pronounced the sentence.
Prosecutors call the case significant because they relied on evidence they have never used before - and they plan to use it on other suspects very soon.
Prosecutors didn't have any blood or other bodily fluids to use as evidence against Michael Wayne Brown. All they had was a swab of a child's skin, which revealed a speck of saliva containing the suspect's DNA.
"If we can show that someone's saliva is on an intimate place on a child, a sexual abuse victim, then you know what they're saying is absolutely 100 percent correct," said prosecutor Mollee Westfall.
It was enough to send 47-year-old Brown to prison on two 14-year terms that will run back-to-back.
Otherwise, it was his word against a little girl.
"In the Michael Brown case, our victim had outcried twice before, and had not followed through with it because the person she originally told did not believe her," Westtfall said.
Westfall believes it's the first time saliva found on skin convicted a child molester in North Texas. The swabs are often taken, but seldom tested; they are expensive, and can help the defense if no DNA is found.
"If they've bathed, if they've brushed their teeth - if we're talking about oral contact, that's going to make that evidence go away," she said.
But when their long shot paid off on Brown, prosecutors checked for saliva on another sexual assault suspect who left no other evidence behind.
"We needed to look and see if his DNA is on there," Westfall said. "That's what we did, and lo and behold, it was."
They then tried a third suspect, and hit yet again.
When those cases come to trial, prosecutors expect the evidence to be convincing - and they also expect to test for saliva more often.
By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - A convicted child molester fainted in court Friday when a judge pronounced the sentence.
Prosecutors call the case significant because they relied on evidence they have never used before - and they plan to use it on other suspects very soon.
Prosecutors didn't have any blood or other bodily fluids to use as evidence against Michael Wayne Brown. All they had was a swab of a child's skin, which revealed a speck of saliva containing the suspect's DNA.
"If we can show that someone's saliva is on an intimate place on a child, a sexual abuse victim, then you know what they're saying is absolutely 100 percent correct," said prosecutor Mollee Westfall.
It was enough to send 47-year-old Brown to prison on two 14-year terms that will run back-to-back.
Otherwise, it was his word against a little girl.
"In the Michael Brown case, our victim had outcried twice before, and had not followed through with it because the person she originally told did not believe her," Westtfall said.
Westfall believes it's the first time saliva found on skin convicted a child molester in North Texas. The swabs are often taken, but seldom tested; they are expensive, and can help the defense if no DNA is found.
"If they've bathed, if they've brushed their teeth - if we're talking about oral contact, that's going to make that evidence go away," she said.
But when their long shot paid off on Brown, prosecutors checked for saliva on another sexual assault suspect who left no other evidence behind.
"We needed to look and see if his DNA is on there," Westfall said. "That's what we did, and lo and behold, it was."
They then tried a third suspect, and hit yet again.
When those cases come to trial, prosecutors expect the evidence to be convincing - and they also expect to test for saliva more often.
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TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Railroad security still has weak spots
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - U.S. railroads insist their safety record is excellent.
However, every day freight cars carrying hazardous chemicals travel through North Texas' urban areas, and some railroad safety experts believe a deadly accident or act of terrorism is just waiting to happen.
Countless miles of railroad track wind through the area, passing through big rail yards near downtown Fort Worth and Dallas.
"Texas has more railroads than any other state," said railroad safety expert Allen Haley.
"Tank cars are flowing through Dallas, 24 hours a day," said Capt. John Ostroski of Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Thousands of gallons of potentially hazardous chemicals are transported into the cities each day. Most is done legally and safely, but there are always concerns.
"Any city that has a railway or major highway going through it is bound to have a hazardous materials incident," said Garland Fire Capt. David Gott.
Whether an accident or a deliberate act, local hazmat crews said it's by far the most dangerous thing they train for several times a year.
"Governmental regulations about railroad cars have been very strictly enforced, and improved," said Haley.
But yet, there are still vulnerable areas. Haley and other veteran rail safety experts contacted by News 8 said railroads must do a better job keeping track of where trains are parked, and protecting freight yards.
"We generally rely on 'no tresspassing' signs," Haley said. "That's how we keep people out."
With the enormous amount of activity, the railroads said it's not practical to secure railyards to the level of airports. The railroads, not the government, are responsible for policing their facilities.
Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail officials turned down News 8's requests for interviews. But a Union Pacific spokesman said the railroad's yards are well-protected, and their safety record is excellent.
Federal law said trains carrying chemicals can only be parked for two days before being moved. But Haley said that often becomes three or four when railroads are busy - and there are not enough inspectors to enforce the law.
Outside Union Pacific's Centennial yards in Fort Worth, some trains are parked miles away under what experts say is minimal security. News 8 videotaped a train car underneath a major downtown highway intersection, near a busy exit ramp.
"I can't even begin to tell you how big an explosion one single loaded car of ethalyne oxide would produce," Haley said.
Governor Rick Perry and Union Pacific officials said they're taking important steps to make railroads safer. Recently, they've discussed the possibly of moving some railyards out of the central part of major cities. However, that process would take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Since September 11, most big cities - including Fort Worth and Dallas - have spent millions of dollars to better equip firefighters for a hazmat incident.
"The key is to ensure that we know what is in the tank cars, and know everyone along the route is properly prepared," said Ellen Engleman Conners of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Haley said cities need to conduct more drills, preparing for a disaster he hopes never happens.
"We cannot be complacent here and say rail is safe," he said. "It is, but there is the potential for it becoming a weapon."
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - U.S. railroads insist their safety record is excellent.
However, every day freight cars carrying hazardous chemicals travel through North Texas' urban areas, and some railroad safety experts believe a deadly accident or act of terrorism is just waiting to happen.
Countless miles of railroad track wind through the area, passing through big rail yards near downtown Fort Worth and Dallas.
"Texas has more railroads than any other state," said railroad safety expert Allen Haley.
"Tank cars are flowing through Dallas, 24 hours a day," said Capt. John Ostroski of Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Thousands of gallons of potentially hazardous chemicals are transported into the cities each day. Most is done legally and safely, but there are always concerns.
"Any city that has a railway or major highway going through it is bound to have a hazardous materials incident," said Garland Fire Capt. David Gott.
Whether an accident or a deliberate act, local hazmat crews said it's by far the most dangerous thing they train for several times a year.
"Governmental regulations about railroad cars have been very strictly enforced, and improved," said Haley.
But yet, there are still vulnerable areas. Haley and other veteran rail safety experts contacted by News 8 said railroads must do a better job keeping track of where trains are parked, and protecting freight yards.
"We generally rely on 'no tresspassing' signs," Haley said. "That's how we keep people out."
With the enormous amount of activity, the railroads said it's not practical to secure railyards to the level of airports. The railroads, not the government, are responsible for policing their facilities.
Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail officials turned down News 8's requests for interviews. But a Union Pacific spokesman said the railroad's yards are well-protected, and their safety record is excellent.
Federal law said trains carrying chemicals can only be parked for two days before being moved. But Haley said that often becomes three or four when railroads are busy - and there are not enough inspectors to enforce the law.
Outside Union Pacific's Centennial yards in Fort Worth, some trains are parked miles away under what experts say is minimal security. News 8 videotaped a train car underneath a major downtown highway intersection, near a busy exit ramp.
"I can't even begin to tell you how big an explosion one single loaded car of ethalyne oxide would produce," Haley said.
Governor Rick Perry and Union Pacific officials said they're taking important steps to make railroads safer. Recently, they've discussed the possibly of moving some railyards out of the central part of major cities. However, that process would take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Since September 11, most big cities - including Fort Worth and Dallas - have spent millions of dollars to better equip firefighters for a hazmat incident.
"The key is to ensure that we know what is in the tank cars, and know everyone along the route is properly prepared," said Ellen Engleman Conners of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Haley said cities need to conduct more drills, preparing for a disaster he hopes never happens.
"We cannot be complacent here and say rail is safe," he said. "It is, but there is the potential for it becoming a weapon."
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