Ronnie Earle: Monster
That’s the only way I can describe Earle after it was revealed how he interrogated an 11-year-old girl during an investigation. Then as now, he didn’t seem concerned with the law. Here’s what I’m talking about:
In 1996, Lacresha Murray was 11 when the Travis County district attorney indicted her on capital murder charges, the youngest person charged with that crime in Texas. Miss Murray was a suspect in the death of a 2?-year-old at her grandmother’s day care center in May 1996. The toddler, Jayla Belton, lost consciousness and was rushed to a local hospital, where she died. Investigators found no forensic evidence, but on the basis of her “statement,” Miss Murray was charged several days later.
That confession, and how it was obtained, has been the focal point of two trials and several appeals and has resulted in Mr. Earle’s and the Austin Police Department’s becoming defendants in a $30 million civil rights suit filed by a lawyer on Miss Murray’s behalf. Frank P. Hernandez, a Dallas lawyer, has been involved with the case for almost four years. He says Miss Murray, now 21, suffered irreparable harm when authorities hid her from her family for almost five days and used “unusual” interrogation techniques. “Texas law is very clear that you can’t interrogate an 11-year-old without having a lawyer, parent or some other adult present,” he said. “Can you imagine how scared this young girl was?”
A transcript showed that Miss Murray denied knowing anything about the child’s death 39 times before she admitted dropping Jayla as she was taking the toddler to her grandfather. Miss Murray said she was worried because Jayla had begun to shake and vomit. Later, as the chief investigator had her read her confession and sign it, Miss Murray asked what the word “homicide” meant. Two months later, the 11-year-old was in court. The jury, hearing the confession, found her guilty of negligent homicide. She was handed a 20-year sentence, to be served in a juvenile facility until she was 18 and then in an adult prison.
That Earle didn’t follow the law in having an adult of some sort there during the interrogation isn’t surprising. It’s just maddening and typical for him. It’s also maddening to think that his lawlessness will cost Travis County and its taxpayers a big sum of money. Those Texas laws were in place for a reason and Earle ignored them. It’d be impossible to convince me that Earle didn’t have a win at all costs and let the laws be damned attitude. Talk about reckless.
If that isn’t enough, it got worse when I read the part about Miss Murray denying it 39 times. Think of how long it took to ask her that question because he didn’t just ask her that question 39 straight times. Keep in mind that they’re interrogating a death where they didn’t find any DNA evidence and that we’re talking about an 11 year old.
If Mr. Hernandez is right in saying that “authorities hid her from her family for almost five days and used “unusual” interrogation techniques”, which has to be proven with real evidence, then not only should this young lady win this lawsuit but Ronnie Earle should be run out of the legal profession. I’d also pursue a criminal prosecution of Earle of breaking that Texas law if the statute of limitations hasn’t expired.
Democrats are always talking about President Bush’s Gestappo-like tactics because he interrogates hardened terrorists aggressively. But they’ve said nothing about Ronnie Earle’s truly gruesome interrogation of this little girl. (Before anyone accuses me of having a double standard, let me point out that I’m simply standing up for the Texas laws to be followed, especially by an officer of the Texas judicial system.)
It’d make my day to see Earle get sent to prison, get fined and get booted from office.
Cross-post at LetFreedomRing