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Sam Sparks v. Rissie Owens: Federal judge may unmask secretive parole process

The Austin Statesman's Mike Ward brings word ("Court cases forcing change at parole agency," Aug. 31) of a clash this week between US District Judge Sam Sparks and an attorney from the Board of Pardons and Parole:U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks had heard enough. After several days of listening to attorneys for the State of Texas defend the state parole board's operations, he became exasperated by the testimony of a parole board lawyer."The lady is wrong. She is stating issues of the law that are wrong," he told the jury.The rare display of judicial pique resulted in a mistrial after state lawyers objected that his remarks could have improperly influenced jurors. But Sparks had already made it clear that he had serious questions about whether parole board policies violate a prisoner's right to due process...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on August 31, 2009 (boomark / email).