Deferred adjudication in former GOP leader Rogers assault case

[TexasTowelie]

Former state Republican Party leader Johnnie B. Rogers has been given deferred adjudication on an assault charge that was lowered from a felony to a class A misdemeanor in a 33rd District Court hearing Friday.

Rogers will serve a probationary period of six months during which he must complete an anger management course, 50 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine for assaulting Burnet Bulletin reporter James Walker at a Republican Primary watch party in May of last year.

The ruling comes as prosecutor pro-tem Bill Turner, former District Attorney for Brazos County, decided to lower the charge from a felony to a class A misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail and a fine of up to $4,000. Turner said the charge was lowered because he felt it was the proper application of the law. Rogers, 63, had been indicted on a felony charge because the victim, Walker, is over the age of 65,

"We feel it is the intent of the law to apply when you target a person because they are elderly,” Turner said. He said because both men were in their 60s, evidence he gathered showed it was a basic assault case.

http://www.llanocj.com/news_article.php?category_id=2&article_id=3995

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[Ilsa]

1. Maybe the reporter can check and let the

Local democrats know when Rogers is doing roadside trash pick-up so they can give him more stuff to pickup.

Of course, it's possible he'll be assigned to clean a building under the supervision of a GOPer deputy, in which case he'll do nothing.

[Downwinder]

2. More likely, get credit for party duties.

[sonias]

3. Maybe he won't do any community service

But at least he will have to pay $500 and complete an anger management course. It's a start. Considering the power of the GOP in Texas and in the judiciary especially it's a miracle he didn't get completely off without any penalty. If I were the victim (Walker), I would just have to accept that. Justice is usually not fair or swift in Texas. Those with money and power always end up with more purchased justice on their side. Sad but true.

Rogers will serve a probationary period of six months during which he must complete an anger management course, 50 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine for assaulting Burnet Bulletin reporter James Walker at a Republican Primary watch party in May of last year.

[TexasTowelie]

4. So much for the criminal charges.

However, we can hope that Walker will file a civil lawsuit since he was punched four or five times in the jaw and was still sore according to this story: http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/hill_country/police-gop-party-leader-hits-reporter.

I also believe that the insurance carrier for the newspaper would have legal recourse to file a subrogation lawsuit if any damages were paid on a workers' compensation claim.

[sonias]

5. Civil suit would probably be a good idea

I have no idea if Walker has the fight in him. It certainly won't be a quick trial.