Two Bullets in the Back

But none of this had anything to do with the shooting, said the chief. Last year, he promoted Michael Leal to sergeant. Leal was put in charge of criminal investigations, supervising everyone who had investigated him.

As for the Allens, they filed the lawsuit, they say, to find out how their son died. They know that now. Last year, they had a giant portrait of Travis painted on the southern wall of their house. An inscription reads, "The laws sometimes sleep but never die."

To reach Randall Patterson, e-mail him at randall_patterson@houstonpress.com.