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PR: HCCLA Renews Request for Criminal Investigation of Former Prosecutor

March 12, 2018 Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Tucker Graves, HCCLA President
(713) 225-4273

 

HCCLA Renews Request for Criminal Investigation of Former Prosecutor

Houston, Texas – March 12, 2018 – The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) has called on Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg to appoint a special or pro tem prosecutor—either an elected official from a neighboring county, or a prosecutor appointed by the office of the Administrative Judge of the Harris County District Courts—to investigate the actions surrounding the prosecution of Alfred Dewayne Brown by the District Attorney’s Office.

The law must apply to all. When prosecutors and investigators conceal evidence and deliberately intimidate witnesses, misuse grand juries, and knowingly ask for death for an innocent man, they must answer for it as any other citizen would.

Letter to Hon. Kim Ogg (below):

Download (PDF, 466KB)

.

Filed Under: press release Tagged With: alfred brown, former prosecutor, innocent

Prosecutorial Misconduct Must Be Addressed

July 14, 2015 1 Comment

Sadly, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson has declined our request calling for an investigation into former prosecutor Dan Rizzo’s conduct in the Alfred Brown case.

She cites expired statutes of limitations (the time in which a criminal charge or grievance can be brought).

Download (PDF, 365KB)

Though the prosecutor has declined any follow-up, we remain vigilant in our investigation into what appears to be yet another instance of prosecutorial misconduct.

When a person takes steps to conceal their behavior, the statute is tolled, and it seems clear that Mr. Rizzo did just that: he concealed exculpatory evidence, he colluded with a cop to intimidate a witness and then falsely charge that witness in a criminal case, and he used the veil of grand jury secrecy to carry out his witness intimidation.

The State Bar has already established new rules for bringing grievances, even years later, where a prosecutor commits misconduct, and the time for filing the grievance now runs from the time of discovery. So much of this tragedy, while occurring years ago, has just recently been discovered.

This is such a blatant attempt to dodge responsibility that it should, along with her statement today regarding the pending decision about prosecutorial misconduct by Ms. Siegler,* result in the consideration of a possible court of inquiry as former prosecutor Ken Anderson faced in the wake of the Michael Morton tragedy. (*Devon Anderson was quoted as saying, “Any actions such as reopening an investigation into this case would be premature.”)

Filed Under: honor, incarceration, justice, police, politics, prosecutors, Public Trust Tagged With: alfred brown, court of inquiry, Dan Rizzo, devon anderson, former prosecutor, grand jury secrecy, grievance, harris county, kelly siegler, ken anderson, prosecutorial misconduct

Alfred Brown Unresolved Matters

June 12, 2015 Leave a Comment

In a letter to Hon. Devon Anderson, Harris County District Attorney, HCCLA calls for action on unresolved matters related to the Alfred Brown prosecution.

As you may be aware, our District Attorney has announced the dismissal of charges against Alfred Brown as being unable to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. This dismissal comes after the discovery of exculpatory evidence (tending to corroborate Brown’s alibi), the exposure of improper grand jury badgering of Brown’s alibi witness (Ericka Dockery), and recanting witnesses.

In case you missed it, Lisa Falkenberg (Houston Chronicle) was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of this grand jury behavior. Her spotlight on this issue also led to grand jury reform in this year’s legislative session! (Read some more about grand jury reform and the District Attorney’s Office here)

We now call upon the Office of District Attorney to continue the inquiry into the conduct surrounding the initial investigation and prosecution of Alfred Brown and the prosecution of Ericka Dockery, specifically focusing upon potential criminal offenses and unethical conduct by Brown’s lead prosecutor, Dan Rizzo.

Our letter to Devon Anderson can be viewed and downloaded here:

Download (PDF, 2.56MB)

Filed Under: honor, incarceration, jail, justice, politics, press release, Public Trust Tagged With: alfred brown, criminal conduct, devon anderson, district attorney, ericka dockery, grand jury reform, harris county, lisa falkenberg, public inquiry, reform, restore public trust, unethical behavior

PR: Improper Conduct

November 17, 2014 Leave a Comment

HCCLA Calls for an Independent Investigation of Improper Conduct of Former Harris County Prosecutor Dan Rizzo

Houston, Texas – November 17, 2014 – The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) strongly condemns the conduct by former Harris County Assistant District Attorney Dan Rizzo when he used a grand jury to intimidate an alibi witness in a capital murder case. Rizzo’s conduct was an abuse of power by a prosecutor charged with the obligation to seek justice in every case.

HCCLA is calling for an independent investigation into his improper conduct during the Alfred Brown grand jury proceedings. An independent investigation should determine whether or not his improper conduct violated the law or his ethical obligations as a prosecutor serving the citizens of Harris County.

Filed Under: press release, Public Trust Tagged With: alfred brown, conviction, Dan Rizzo, Harris County District Attorney, HCDAO, Improper Conduct, investigation, justice, press release

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