Shannon in the news

Politicians know to say no to blood alcohol test

When Texans are arrested on suspicion of DWI, about half refuse to provide a breath or blood sample. Among elected officials, practically all do.

By Eric Dexheimer

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Sunday, February 01, 2009

Here

A review of public records and published reports turned up more than a dozen elected officials in Texas � among them representatives, senators, judges and commissioners � who in recent years were arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. In each instance, police on the scene asked for a blood or breath sample to determine whether the driver's blood-alcohol concentration exceeded the legal limit of 0.08.

With only two exceptions � both of which occurred outside Texas � the politicians refused to consent.

"Among the general public, the refusal rate is about 50 percent, but at the Capitol, the refusal rate is about 100 percent," said Shannon Edmonds, governmental relations director for the Texas District and County Attorneys Association.

Police and prosecutors say politicians fall into a larger category of savvy citizens � such as Longhorn baseball coach Augie Garrido, who declined to give a breath sample when he was arrested Jan. 17 on suspicion of DWI � who know that while there technically are consequences to saying no, they are often mitigated with skilled legal advice.

As members of the Legislature begin to discuss the meaning of equal justice under the law, this might be one of the places they could visit. As they question why police could charge someone without obtaining the most conclusive scientific evidence available to guarantee an innocent person is not arrested, this might be a good place to ask that question. And when the Legislature speaks of the need to protect innocent victims from pointless violence, again, this would be a good place to speak on that issue.

I'd swap legislative immunity for mandatory draws in a heartbeat.

Garrido pleads guilty to drunken driving charge

2/2/2009

Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido has pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge. The winningest coach in Division I made a brief appearance today in Austin, before County Court-At-Law Judge Elisabeth Earle, to enter the plea. He will be sentenced April 30. After the hearing, Garrido said it was important to be accountable for the arrest and get the guilty plea behind him.

[Charles] Barkley was stopped by police Dec. 31 shortly after leaving a Scottsdale nightclub. He was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. He had a blood-alcohol level of .149 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent in Arizona when he was pulled over.

And now he is publicly accepting responsibility:

Details.

I like his statement, "This was just my bad, no excuses." I wish more defendants would have that attitude.

That is a good quote indeed.

Parker County Commissioner Jim Webster, who faces charges of driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a weapon, said Monday that he is not seeking re-election.

Details.

[This message was edited by JB on 01-05-10 at .]

[This message was edited by JB on 01-05-10 at .]

actually its a blood sample case...