Murder conviction appeal denied
Austin-American Statesman

A Brushy Creek man's claim that he was innocent of the 1995 beating death of a McNeil High School student was rejected Wednesday by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley said Shane Drousche, 27, was convicted in 1996 of beating 16-year-old C.W. Dean to death and sentenced to 60 years in prison.

Michael Dear, then 16, witnessed the beating and testified against Drousche, Bradley said.

Later, Dear encountered Drousche again while serving a 15-year prison sentence for drug possession, Bradley said.

He said Drousche threatened to stab Dear unless he wrote an affidavit claiming that he never saw the beating and that prosecutors had threatened him with prison unless he testified.

In January, Drousche alleged in a filing with the court that he was innocent of the murder and attached Dear's affidavit, Bradley said.

But Dear told Williamson County grand jurors that he wrote the false affidavit because he feared for his life, Bradley said.

He said Dear was moved to another prison unit. Drousche will not be eligible for parole until 2026 and could be prosecuted for aggravated perjury, Bradley said.


Has your county seen outrageous claims of innocence?

Dang! I thought this was a post about Britney Spears. I feel cheated ...

If you feel cheated now you should try buying one of her albums...

At least I didn't stoop to putting the word "naked" in the title.

And at least I don't post my own press releases as topics.

I'd answer that one, but I only get 5 posts a day.

I think John B's self-PR effort pretty much frees me of the prior judgement limiting my use of the word "banjo" in postings on this forum. Since John is observing his 5 posts per day limit today, I guess I won't hear about this until tomorrow.

By the way, my great-great-great uncle James Gilleland, an early pioneer of Bastrop, Texas, was killed serving as a Texas Ranger in the Battle of Brushy Creek in 1839. I figure since John is observing his posting limit today I might as well lay it on.

That's not funny. That's not funny. That's not funny.

Y'know, it's posts like these that provide much-needed comic relief during these late days of the session. Keep 'em coming, boys ...

BTW, good job on the case, John.

San Jose Tattle Tale
Texas Man Does Nothing Worthwhile or Important

(UPI) With the postponement of Anna Ayala's Jackson Five Victory Celebration and first annual King Michael Memorial Garage Sale, due to Anna's recent incarceration, the Tattle Tale's reporter in the field had the opportunity to spend a week last night in Huntsville, Texas.

This reporter learned, through un-named sources, and information developed but not available to law enforcement, thanks to the most important amendment since the Ten Commandments, that a local police officer who hides behind initials and a hard-to-spell last name did absolutely nothing worthy of commendation. That man, A.P. Merillat, or Merrillatt or MMMerrilaat, is an habitual 5-string banjo player and is also remembered at two different police departments for writing fewer tickets than any of his co-workers, never making his (officially undeclared) departments' quotas in 28 years of "public service."

I think you have your finger on the pulse of America, A.P.