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3 Indicted Victoria Officials Back in Court
Written by Shannon Dillon
Friday, 03 October 2008
DEFENSE ATTORNEY'S FOR URE, BUENTELLO AND SMITH HAVE FILED MOTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION RELATING TO THE AGGRAVATED PERJURY CHARGE THEIR CLIENTS FACE IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTIGATION OF FORMER VICTORIA COUNTY SHERIFF MICHAEL RATCLIFF. WHO WAS AT ONE TIME CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A MINOR.
IN FRIDAY'S COURTROOM....THE DEFENSE AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEVE TYLER DISAGREED AS ON WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO EACH DEFENDANT.
"To commit perjury you have to make a false statement, to second that statement, it has to be material. And the material length thats been alleged in the current indictment, the only indictment remaining is that its material to the grand jury that was investigating Michael Ratcliff," says Bruce Ure's attorney, Greg Cagle. THE DEFENSE SAID THEY NEED THE INFORMATION ON THE RATCLIFF CASE TO PREPARE FOR TRIAL. UDGE CHESHIRE RULED THAT GRAND JURY TESTIMONY WOULD BE RELEASED, SOMETHING TYLER SAYS ITS NOT COMMON.
"That has happened here it is unusual. I cannot recall another time of Judge Cheshire doing that, but it is also unusual, the charge of aggravated perjury before a grand jury, is an unsusual case," says Victoria County District Attorney, Steve Tyler.
JUDGE CHESHIRE ALSO RULED THAT COPIES OF TRANSCRIPTS USED BY THE GRAND JURY...BE HANDED OVER TO THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY'S, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE PROVIDED WITH TRANSCRIPTS OF DOCUMENTS RELATED TO OTHER CLIENTS AT THIS TIME.
JUDGE CHESHIRE ALSO ADMONISHED ALL PARTIES STATING HE RESERVED THE RIGHT TO SCHEDULE A HEARING ON ATTORNEY'S MAKING STATEMENTS ON GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS HE FOLLOWED HIS ADMONISHMENT WITH A CODE READING ON SECRECY AND DISCLOSURE OF THE GRAND JURY.
"The judge just wants to make sure we understood what he meant by his admonishment under the code adn I think we all did," sais Lt. Ralph Buentello's attorney, Scot Courtney.
MEANWHILE DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEVE TYLER IS IN THE PROCESS OF RE-INDICTING POLICE CHIEF BRUCE URE, POLICE LIEUTENANT RALPH BUENTELLO, AND FORMER CITY ATTORNEY DAVID SMITH. ON THE OCTOBER 27TH ALL PARTIES WILL GO BACK TO COURT FOR A SERIES OF MOTIONS WHICH COULD INCLUDE THE NEW INDICTMENTS, AND A MOTION TO REMOVE TYLER FROM THE CASE.
