Prosecutor In Cheney Trial A No-Show = UPDATE

Source: UPI

Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A prosecutor in Willacy County, Texas, failed to show up for a hearing regarding the indictments against U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, a judge says.

Judge Manuel Banales said Willacy County prosecutor Juan Angel Guerra failed to show up for a court appearance for his indictments against Cheney and former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the San Antonio Express-News said Thursday.

"At the very least, I expected the district attorney to be here," Banales said of Guerra's absence Wednesday.

Guerra's office manager, Hilda Ramirez, told Banales she had been unsuccessfully attempting to contact the prosecutor all day.

The prosecutor has been heading up the legal efforts against the vice president and Gonzales, along with state Sen. Eddie Lucio, a prison company and a number of other officials.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/11/20/Prosecutor_in_Ch... /

Prosecutor of Cheney vows to fight on

~EXCERPT
"He's not following the norms of how we usually indict people," Guerra said from Houston, where he had flown for a television interview. "Why are these people getting special treatment?"

Banales set a hearing for Friday to allow attorneys for Cheney, Gonzales and state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville and others, to argue against the indictments. Guerra said that should not have been done for weeks.

A Willacy County grand jury indicted Cheney, Gonzales, Lucio and The GEO Corp., a private prison operator, on charges related to alleged abuse in a federal immigrant detention center and in Lucio's case, of illegally profiting from prison consulting fees.

The indictment alleges that Cheney's personal investment in the Vanguard Group, which invests in private prison companies, gives him culpability in alleged prisoner abuse.

Another batch of five indictments charged two district judges, two special prosecutors and the Willacy County district clerk with abusing their powers in investigating Guerra's office.

Banales was obviously dismayed by Guerra's absence Wednesday, and sent Texas Rangers to Guerra's home to look for him.

Guerra said Thursday he was in Mexico before flying to Houston.

"(Banales) can notify me all he wants," Guerra said. "You can't just have a judge say you need to appear." He said he would show up Friday out of respect for the judge.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6123795.html

Wasn't he on Ed Schultz yesterday?	hlthe2b	Nov-20-08 05:22 PM	#1
Maybe he got a call....	tekisui	Nov-20-08 05:23 PM	#2
That is exactly what I thought! The fix is in surprise, surpise!	felinetta	Nov-20-08 07:38 PM	#21
Hmmm.	Cleita	Nov-20-08 05:24 PM	#3
He didn't commute by small aircraft did he? n/t	Earth_First	Nov-20-08 05:24 PM	#4
It's a pretty sad thing when the first thing that comes to my mind...	Greyskye	Nov-20-08 05:25 PM	#5
Which shoes go best with my tinfoil hat?	no_hypocrisy	Nov-20-08 05:26 PM	#6
Either the glass or the ruby slippers but I wear mine in bare feet. n/t	Beam Me Up	Nov-20-08 05:31 PM	#7
what happens to the case if the prosecutor is a no-show? n/t	diva77	Nov-20-08 05:48 PM	#8
screw the case...	Bush in Berkeley	Nov-20-08 05:49 PM	#10
I asked that question because I thought it might give a possible clue as to why the	diva77	Nov-20-08 05:58 PM	#14
Seriously though!	Bush in Berkeley	Nov-20-08 05:48 PM	#9
Someone by the same name was arrested in March of 2007:	tekisui	Nov-20-08 05:54 PM	#11
Very interesting article...	GoddessOfGuinness	Nov-20-08 06:56 PM	#18
All charges were dropped, and the the judge who ruled against him	tekisui	Nov-20-08 06:59 PM	#19
I'm glad the judge has been indicted...	GoddessOfGuinness	Nov-20-08 07:02 PM	#20
that will teach him to mess with organized crime.	olddad56	Nov-20-08 05:55 PM	#12
Guerra sleeps with the fishes	nbcouch	Nov-20-08 06:40 PM	#17
For Friday;s arraignment, Guerra says he’ll be there.	tekisui	Nov-20-08 05:56 PM	#13
IT WAS INTENTIONAL!!! See Here, Please:	tekisui	Nov-20-08 06:04 PM	#15
He was on Democracy Now! this morning.	bluesmail	Nov-20-08 06:05 PM	#16
A phone call would do it	OwnedByFerrets	Nov-20-08 09:54 PM	#22