The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 08, 2003, Image 10

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10
Wednesday, October 8, 2003
STAT
THE BATTALIOI
Officers’ attorneys review hours
of video, audio tape in Houston
By Pam Easton
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Prosecutors
have until next month to turn
over hundreds of hours of
video and audiotapes made
during a six-month investiga
tion of five Houston police
officers charged with taking
money from cantina owners in
exchange for protection and
forewarning of police raids, a
judge ruled Tuesday.
Defense attorneys aren’t
sure what is on the tapes and
CDs, but believe some of what
is contained on them could be
surveillance from the various
bars where the officers moon
lighted as security guards.
“Obviously, we have to
review very carefully to see
what’s there and maybe more
importantly, what is not
there,” said attorney George
“Mac” Secrest, who repre
sents Javier Gomez, one of the
officers, who along with rob
bery division Sgt. Freddie T.
Gonzales Jr., were charged
with engaging in organized
criminal activity.
“It’s a very arduous task,”
Secrest said of the effort to
review all of the recordings
after a brief status hearing
at state District Judge Denise
Collins’ bench Tuesday
morning. “It’s going to take
hundreds of hours to review
everything.”
Collins told prosecutors to
turn over the audio and video
recordings to defense attorneys
by Nov. 10. She told attorneys
on both sides to report back to
her about their progress on that
«
date as well.
“We are hoping by that date
the district attorney’s office
will have copied everything
and then provided it to defense
counsel,” Secrest said. “Then
once we get it, we have to copy
it many times so all the lawyers
and clients can have a copy so
all of us can begin examining
what is there.”
Collins was
told Tuesday
that there are
about 22 six-
hour video
tapes, 38 two-
hour videotapes
and numerous
CDs containing
hundreds of
hours of audio
recordings.
“It’s a myri
ad of data that
has to be sifted
through,” said
attorney Robert
Scardino, who
represents
Gonzales.
And attorneys won’t just
have to be aware of evidence
involving their own clients.
undercover officer, a
degree felony carrying a [
ty of two to 10 years in f
and a fine up to $10,000.
They are accused of com
mining bribery as an organized
group from Oct. 11, 2002, io
June 14. The five officers were
relieved of duty with pay
their arrests.
Retired
You have to he
aware of the evidence
that affects every
person who is
allegedly part of that
conspiracy.
— George Secrest
attorney
police Chief
C 1 a r e nee
Bradford pre
viously sait
the officers,
who each
worked for the
department
for more than
a decade,
were arrested
after an inter
nal affairs
investigation
revealed they
were working
in groups each
- Friday and
S a t u r d ay
own
Secrest said, but also any infor
mation involving the other four
defendants in the case.
“You have to be aware of
the evidence that affects every
person who is allegedly part of
that conspiracy,” he said.
Gonzales and patrol officers
Rolando Cruz, Salve Rogolio
Ramirez, David Acosta
Gamboa and Gomez were
indicted in September after
their July 11 arrests.
Gomez also was charged
with taking a gun from an
night and taking between $25
and $50 each night from a
number of bar owners.
Bradford said illegal under
age drinking, prostitution and
drug activity took place in
some of the clubs and bars
while the officers looked the
other way.
Assistant District Attorney
Paula Storts did not immedi
ately return a call from The
Associated Press seeking com
ment after Tuesday’s hearing.
If convicted, the officers can
face up to life in prison and a
$10,000 fine. No trial date has
been set.
Probationers use device
to pass urinalysis tests
NEWS IN BRIEF
as. i
H
Tuition committee
recommends S361
increase in tuition
allc
a 1c
yea
Axis of Evil’s
North Korea i
or-treat” with
world, declari
linue to pursu
operational nu
program unle
States agrees
nomic aid and
tor Kim Jong-
itstoes in Asi
spilling blood
may be the bit
Earlier this
weapons-grad
power plant si
grade uranium
Atomic Energ
ties of weapon
of its own insp
has given Iran
for its atomic
enrichment im
Iran’s stanc
hut friendly. Ir
representative
the world last
“renouncing n
nology or enri
not something
will accept a c
on.” One of its
officials, Gen.
that any attack
Israel against
would be consi
and merit an a|
One wonder:
entail, and why
•iclear intentioi
includes its fom
Khom
By Betsy Blaney
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LUBBOCK, Texas — Some
West Texas men on probation
are in trouble again, this time for
using the Whizzinator to help
them pass court-ordered urinaly
sis tests.
In the past six months, five
men on probation were caught
using a realistic-looking pros
thetic that dispenses synthetic,
drug-free urine, Lubbock
County sheriff’s officials said.
One was caught by an alert offi
cer who heard something unusu
al in the restroom.
“A body part when it’s up
against a plastic cup isn’t going
to go ’clink,’” said Tom
Madigan, interim assistant direc
tor of the Lubbock County adult
probation office.
The device, reusable and
available in five flesh colors,
is sold by California-based
Puck Technology for $150. A
prosthetic penis is attached to
an undergarment resembling a
jock strap and connects to a
pouch containing dehydrated
urine. Water is added to the
pouch and a heat pack can be
attached to keep the urine close
to body temperature.
Company owner Dennis
Catalano has sold the device and
one designed for women for
about four years, mainly through
an Internet site. He said what he
does is legal.
“How people choose to use it
is beyond our control,” he said.
“But we manufacture this and
sell it for people who believe we
still have a semblance of privacy
in this country.”
The five Lubbock men caught
using the device will probably
get their probation revoked and
return to jail, said Dan Rowan, a
probation office supervisor.
They also could face
additional charges. Under Texas
law, using a substance or device
to try to falsify drug test results
is a Class B misdemeanor,
which carries a maximum
penalty of 180 days in jail and a
$2,000 fine.
Catalano isn’t safe, either.
Selling or making a device or
substance intended to falsify
urine test results is a Class A
misdemeanor, with a maximum
one-year jail term and $4,000
fine. Authorities haven’t decided
whether they will seek charges
against the manufacturer.
In 2001, two San Antonio
probationers caught using the
Whizzinator were prosecuted
and sentenced to 180 days in
jail and fined $2,000, said
Susan Reed, the Bexar County
district attorney.
Reed considered pursuing
charges against the company, but
said she would have had difficul
ty showing that it sold the device
in her jurisdiction.
AUSTIN — The cost of an
education could be going up
at the nation’s largest univer
sity.
A University of Texas advi
scry panel voted Tuesday to
recommend a $361 increase
starting next spring. Under
the proposal, the increase
will double to $722 more per
semester starting in fall 2004
The Legislature earlier this
year voted to allow universi
ties to set their own tuitions to
offset budget cuts.
Full-time undergraduate
students now pay an average
of $2,714 in tuition and fees
per semester. If the proposal
is approved, students will pay
$3,075 next spring, a 13.3
percent increase.
UT’s Board of Regents
meet Nov. 18 to consider the
proposal.
The increase would apply
to full-time resident under
graduate and graduate stu
dents.
The Tuition Policy Advisory
Committee also proposed
that 28 percent of each dollar
of the new “Academic
Sustainability Tuition” be set
aside for need-based finan
cial aid.
For the current budget year,
the university has about $40
million less than last year in
state appropriations and
income from the Permanent
University Fund.
DMS Night
of
Career Opportunities
October 9,2003 5pm - 8pm
MSC Bowling Alley
I National Companies and Corporations will be in
attendance to talk with students.
I Food and More Food!
Door Prize Drawing for students who bring their resumes
Check our website for more details:
http://aggieculture.tainu.edu/
«3SS5 sr
Sponsored by the Department of Multicultural Services. For more Information, call Dr. Rodrick Moore at 845-4551.
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