Ronnie Earle

Ronald Dale "Ronnie" Earle (born February 23, 1942) is the District Attorney for Travis County, Texas. He became nationally known for filing charges against House majority leader Tom DeLay in September 2005 for conspiring to violate Texas' election law and/or to launder money. Earle has also prosecuted other politicians, including Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and State Representative Mike Martin. On one occasion, he prosecuted "himself" for an election law violation after missing a campaign finance filing deadline by one day; he was fined $212.cite news | url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1203/p01s04-usgn.html | title=The Texas DA pitted against the power of Tom DeLay| publisher=Christian Science Monitor | date= December 3, 2004 | first=Kris| last=Axtman | accessdate = 2006-10-19]

Biography

Early life

Earle was born in Fort Worth, Texas and raised on a cattle ranch in Birdville, in Tarrant County. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, earned money working as a lifeguard, played football, and was president of his student council. After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law in 1967, Earle served as a municipal judge in Austin from 1969 to 1972. Earle was elected to the Texas Legislature as a Democrat in 1972, serving until 1977. Earle was elected district attorney of Travis County in 1976.

Earle has been married to his second wife, Twila Hugley Earle, for nearly three decades. With his first wife, Barbara, he had two children: Elisabeth and Jason Earle. He also has one stepdaughter, Nicki Rowling, and two grandchildren by his daughter, Elisabeth.

Career as the District Attorney

The Travis County District Attorney's office investigates and prosecutes crimes related to the operation of the Texas state government. Earle's Public Integrity Unit has a mandate and legislative funding to prosecute public officials who break the law.

Although he is a locally elected prosecutor, Earle's authority is nationwide in its impact when national political figures are its targets. Elected as a Democrat in the city of Austin, which is unique among Texas cities for its traditional support of the Democratic Party, he has held office for 27 years, and is the only Democrat with statewide prosecutorial authority.

According to an article in the "Houston Press" about the death of Mankind Project participant Michael Scinto, Ronnie Earle was on a list of participants in the organization. Earle was contacted by the "Houston Press", but did not comment. [ [http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-10-04/news/weekend-warriors/ Naked Men: The ManKind Project and Michael Scinto, The organization was supposed to make him a better man. Instead, his parents say, it made him a dead one.] , October 4, 2007, "Houston Press", by Chris Vogel.]

In late 2007, Earle announced that he would not seek reelection to his post. His departure precipitated a race to fill his seat. Four Democrats, all employees of his office, ran for the seat. In the primary election held on March 4, 2008, no candidate received 50 percent of the vote. A runoff election was therefore held between the top two finishers, with Rosemary Lehmberg – who Earle had endorsed – winning handily. She faces no Republican opponent in the general election and will therefore succeed Earle as Travis County District Attorney.

Investigations conducted by Earle

Investigation and indictment of Kay Bailey Hutchison

Earle filed charges against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, then Texas State Treasurer, for allegedly misusing state telephones and allegedly assaulting a staffer. Earle attempted to drop the charges on the first day in court — in fact, at the pre-trial hearing — after the judge in the case questioned the admissibility of his evidence. The judge refused to allow it, instructing the jury to return a "not guilty" verdict so the charge could not be brought against her again. In the case against Senator Hutchison, when it became clear that a dismissal was necessary, he dispatched an assistant to stand up in court and make the motion. A less widely known fact in the Hutchison affair is that she was indicted twice. The first grand jury included a member who was under accusation of a crime and disqualified to serve. Thus, the original indictment was void under Texas law. Earle's failure to realize that the first grand jury was improperly constituted led to all the indictments from that grand jury being declared void, both in the Hutchison case and in the cases of everyday citizens. Earle sought re-indictment, reviving the case. Ultimately, however, Hutchinson was acquitted.

According to "Time Magazine", Earle raided Hutchison's offices at the State Treasury looking for proof of allegations that she used state equipment and employees on state time to help with her campaign. She was indicted by a grand jury in September 1993 for official misconduct and records tampering. Hutchison was acquitted, as Earle did not have sufficient evidence to present. "Time" reported on July 14 2003, "Earle amassed thousands of documents as evidence and many thought the new Senator would lose her job. But at a pretrial hearing, the judge and Earle clashed over the admissibility of the documents; fearing he would lose, Earle declined to present a case. Hutchison was quickly acquitted and Earle was portrayed as a fool."

Investigation and indictment of Tom DeLay

For over two years, Earle and eight separate grand juries investigated possible violations of Texas campaign finance law in the 2002 state legislative election. His investigation of two political action committees that spent a combined $3.4 million on 22 Republican Texas House races focused on a political action committee founded by DeLay, (Texans for a Republican Majority PAC). During the investigation, DeLay charged that Earle was a "runaway district attorney" with "a long history of being vindictive and partisan".

On September 28, 2005, the grand jury indicted DeLay for conspiring to violate Texas state election law. Texas prohibits corporate contributions in state legislative races. The indictment charged that Texans for a Republican Majority, DeLay's PAC, accepted corporate contributions, laundered the money through the Republican National Committee, and directed it to favored Republican candidates in Texas. The presiding Democrat judge in the case, Pat Priest, eventually threw out this charge and the Court of Criminals Appeals upheld his decision in 2007.cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/legislature/entries/2007/06/27/high_court_upholds_dismissal_of_indictment_against_delay.htmlmode=PF | title=High Court Upholds Dismissal of Indictment Against DeLay| publisher=Austin American Statesman | date= June 27, 2007 | first=Laylan| last=Copelin | accessdate = 2008-07-02]

Earle failed in a second attempt to secure new indictments against DeLay. That grand jury returned a "no bill" due to insufficient evidence according to at least one grand jury member. That member also claimed the "no bill" visibly angered Earle.cite news | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/10/06/other_jury_declined_to_indict_delay?mode=PF | title=Other jury declined to indict DeLay| publisher=Associated Press | date= October 6, 2005 | first=Suzanne| last=Gamboa | accessdate = 2006-10-19]

Earle sought and eventually received a second indictment of DeLay from a new grand jury in Austin that had been seated for cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/politics/04delay.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1mode=PF | title=DeLay is indicted again in Texas; Money Laundering is charge| publisher=New York Times | date= October 3, 2005 | first=Phil| last=Shenon | accessdate = 2008-07-02] just a few hours on charges of conspiracy to launder money. DeLay's lawyers assert that this indictment is also flawed. While the Texas Penal Code defines laundered money only as money gained as the "proceeds of criminal activity," DeLay's lawyers maintain the corporate donations came from normal and legal business activity.

DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, filed a legal complaint charging Earle with prosecutorial misconduct in connection with the DeLay indictment. In an interview with the "Houston Chronicle" DeGuerin said he did not yet have any hard evidence to support these claims, but was seeking court permission to depose grand jurors. Earle has claimed the charges have "no merit."

The case has yet to go to trial and there have been no new rulings since the first charge against DeLay was thrown out in the summer of 2007.cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367856,00.htmlmode=PF | title=Two Years Later, DeLay Wants Day in Texas Court| publisher=Fox News | date= June 17, 2008 | first=Jane| last=Roh | accessdate = 2008-07-02]

Indictment of State Rep. Mike Martin

On July 31, 1981 during the First Called Session of the Sixty-seventh Texas Legislature, Republican Representative Mike Martin was shot in the left arm outside his trailer in Austin with 00-buckshot. Soon after the shooting, unidentified spokespeople from Earle's office released information to The Austin American Statesman that they felt Martin was telling inconsistent stories to the police. They claimed he first said he had no idea who did it; Later he said it was a Satanic cult; At the end, it was political enemies. Martin responded to the leaks by saying he was asked to give police all possibilities and said he had no idea why the district attorney's office would be saying such things. Earle personally made a public announcement that Martin was cooperating with police and that no one from his office was releasing information saying otherwise to the Statesman.

Earle formed a grand jury to look into the shooting of Martin and invited him to attend without issuing a subpoena. Martin refused to appear by issuing a statement that he had already given officials all the information he knew. Gregg County District Attorney Rob Foster shortly arrested Martin on a three-year-old assault charge. The charge was immediately dismissed due to time limits and lack of evidence. Upon release, Martin appeared before reporters and accused Gregg County officials of using their offices to ruin him politically.

The day after his release on the assault charge, Martin voluntarily appeared before Earle's grand jury. At the time he didn't know that his first cousin, Charles Goff, had previously appeared before the grand jury and admitted he helped Martin stage the event to advance Martin's political career. He claimed Martin offered him a state job as payment, though Texas has strong nepotism laws forbidding the hiring of relatives. Goff had served prison time and had three outstanding felony warrants pending at the time of his testimony; however, the grand jury took his word over Martin's. After Martin’s denial of Goff’s accusations before the grand jury, Earle filed felony perjury charges against the freshman legislator. Martin pleaded not guilty and, a year later, worked out a plea bargain with Earle by admitting to misdemeanor perjury charges relating to the renting of a car around the time of the shooting. Martin resigned his House seat on April 22, 1982 and withdrew from the upcoming election.

Martin filed several suits against Earle, Rob Foster, and his cousin, Charles Goff for civil rights violations. A federal judge dismissed the last case in June 1985 on grounds that prosecutors are immune from civil suits. Martin still claims he is innocent of Earle's charges.

LaCresha Murray case

In 1996, Earle indicted 11-year-old LaCresha Murray for capital murder involving two-year-old Jayla Belton - the youngest homicide prosecution in Texas history. Earle's evidence rested on an alleged confession by Murray, obtained by interrogation at a children's shelter in the absence of any attorney or family member. Murray's case provoked several public protests of Earle's office and at the Texas State Capitol from her detention in 1996 until her release in 1999, when the case was reviewed. [ [http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-12-12/pols_naked3.html The Austin Chronicle: News: Naked City: Lacresha Murray suit proceeds ] ]

Murray was again tried and convicted of intentional injury to a child, receiving a 25-year sentence. In 2001, the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals reversed and remanded her sentence after finding that her confession was illegally obtained. Earle dropped all charges against her. [http://www3.auschron.com/issues/dispatch/2002-09-13/pols_naked10.html] [http://www3.auschron.com/issues/dispatch/2003-12-12/pols_naked3.html]

In 2002, a suit was filed against the Travis Co. District Attorney's Office and a host of other individuals and various agencies. The lawsuit alleges thatthe Murray family has been victimized by malicious prosecution, defamation, mental anguish, libel and slander. Charges of racism are also raised in the suit, suggesting that the Murray family would have been treated differently had they been white. Murray's suit was dismissed; on November 28, 2005, the US Supreme Court refused to revive the lawsuit. [ [http://www.nbc56.com/artman/publish/article_4135.shtml] Dead link|date=May 2008]

Maurice Pierce case

On December 6, 1991, four teenage girls were murdered inside a local yogurt shop in Austin. In 1999, Earle led the "Yogurt Shop Murders" case against suspect Maurice Pierce, leading to a grand jury indicting him on four counts of first degree murder. [ [http://www.news8austin.com/content/special_coverage/yogurt_shop_timeline/ News 8 Austin | 24 Hour Local News | Yogurt Shop Timeline ] ] Pierce was arrested along with Robert Springsteen IV, Michael Scott, and Forrest Welborn for the murders of four girls.

Springsteen and Scott eventually confessed for the crime. Springsteen was convicted and sentenced to death. Scott was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Welborn was never indicted for the crime.

Pierce continually maintained his innocence up until his release, occurring three years after his arrest. The state could not use Springsteen's and Scott's confessions against Pierce, so, without a confession, and only circumstantial evidence to connect him to the yogurt shop, the state had to either try Pierce or release him. Earle released him and dropped all charges citing a lack of evidence. The case against Pierce remains open. [ [http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-02-07/pols_feature6.html The Austin Chronicle: News: Pierce Freed After Three Years: "Godspeed" ] ]

Other politicians investigated by Earle

*Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Yarbrough (Democrat - 1978) - Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Yarbrough was convicted of lying to a grand jury and forgery. He gave up his seat and was sentenced to five years in prison.
*State Treasurer Warren Harding (Democrat - 1982) - Harding pled no contest to official misconduct and did not run for re-election.
*Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox (Democrat - 1985) - Mattox, a political rival of Earle's, [ [http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110007330 The Wall Street Journal Online - Featured Article ] ] was acquitted of bribery and went on to win re-election.
*Texas House Speaker Gib Lewis (Democrat - 1992) - Lewis pleaded no contest to charges of failing to disclose a business investment after a plea bargain. He did not run for re-election and was fined $2000.
*Texas State Rep. Betty Denton (Democrat - 1995) - Denton was convicted of listing false loans and contributions on campaign finance reports and was sentenced to six months probation and fined $2000.
*Texas State Rep. Lane Denton (Democrat - 1995) - After funneling money from the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association, Denton was convicted of theft and misapplication of fiduciary property. He was sentenced to 60 days work release, six years probation, and fined $6,000.
*Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) Members David Bradley (Republican), Bob Offutt (Republican), and Joe Bernal (Democrat) - Earle initiated a criminal investigation against three SBOE members in 2002. Earle accused the board members, who are elected from districts in Texas, of violating the state's "Open Meetings" law when the three met for lunch at a restaurant in Austin, Texas on the day of an SBOE meeting. The law requires a public meeting when elected bodies assemble in a quorum of three or more persons to conduct business. The SBOE members responded that they were simply eating lunch. Earle turned the investigation over to Travis County Attorney Ken Oden, who in turn indicted the members on misdemeanor counts. [ [http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:gwRBpdn3jQ0J:amarillo.com/stories/100800/tex_prosecto.shtml+%22david+bradley%22+%22ronnie+earle%22&hl=en 403 Forbidden ] ]
*Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle (Democrat - 1982) - After Earle's campaign filed required campaign finance reports a day late, rather than recusing himself and seeking to have a special prosecutor appointed, Earle actually brought charges against himself. He managed to secure a conviction and paid a $212 fine. [ [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/120304dntexearle.9f0f1.html] Dead link|date=May 2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.co.travis.tx.us/district%5Fattorney/ Travis County District Attorney] - Official
* [http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?referid=8306&showtopic=69741] from The Smart Marks.com
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924797,00.html] from TIME Sept 81
* [http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=150380] Short story by Mike Martin