Kent Schaffer

Prosecutors Dismiss Assault Charges in J Prince Gym Beating Case

Law and Disorder

In Janice Law's quests for a judgeship, the fourth time was a charm -- and now an alarm for the rest of the courthouse

Insider

Justice Free-for-all

Let's Make A Deal

Convicted felons Mike and Pat Graham are at it again, trading allegations for favors

Bar Tabs

The D.A. and county attorney dip into office funds to up the influence in judicial polls

Area Man Keeps Houston's Name In Steroids Spotlight

Juan Carlos Ballivian, a personal trainer in Houston, was sentenced last week to three years probation for dealing steroids, ending a federal investigation of a network of dealers in Texas.The investigation originally targeted professional athletes, and David Jacobs -- one of the first dealers arres ... More >>

The New DA Announces A Victim's Rights Division

Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced today she's expanding and improving the division that serves Harris County's crime victims. "Government exists to protect and to serve; that's what we're doing with this new division," Lykos tells Hair Balls. "We're ensuring that it's not bure ... More >>

Letters

Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced today she's expanding and improving the division that serves Harris County's crime victims. "Government exists to protect and to serve; that's what we're doing with this new division," Lykos tells Hair Balls. "We're ensuring that it's not bure ... More >>

The Insider

Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced today she's expanding and improving the division that serves Harris County's crime victims. "Government exists to protect and to serve; that's what we're doing with this new division," Lykos tells Hair Balls. "We're ensuring that it's not bure ... More >>

The Insider

Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced today she's expanding and improving the division that serves Harris County's crime victims. "Government exists to protect and to serve; that's what we're doing with this new division," Lykos tells Hair Balls. "We're ensuring that it's not bure ... More >>

Pain for the Prosecution

Assistant district attorney Kristen Pain sent criminals to jail -- and then went to jail herself.

Snitch Vs. Snitch

In the drug world, you can't trust anybody - especially a federal informant

The Drug Sweeps Are Ending At HISD (For One Reason Or Another)

The Houston school district is coming under heavy fire for its "no-tolerance" drug-dog searches of school parking lots, mostly because they nabbed a popular West U teacher who is very likely to be proven innocent.West U residents, when they get up in arms, tend to get results. HISD superintendent Ab ... More >>

(Not) of Counsel

In the latest chapter of Snitch Vs. Snitch, two of the city's top defense lawyers are prevented from representing a client

The Hotel Six Joker Turns Wild

A chance encounter and a federal feud endanger the sting

Numbers Man

The interim U.S. attorney is hustling small-time cases through the courts

Letters

The interim U.S. attorney is hustling small-time cases through the courts

That Roberts Elementary Teacher Is Reinstated; Kids Learn Lesson About Protesting

As promised last week, the Houston school district is trying to fast-track reinstatement for some teachers caught up in the drug-dog sweeps that caused such a kerfluffle.The district announced today that Mindy Herrick, the Roberts Elementary teacher whose arrest sparked protests from parents and stu ... More >>

Blessed and Bewildered

Recent debacles demonstrate why District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal needs more than a moustache to match the legacy of Johnny Holmes

Porn actress uses former schoolmate's name

What's in a name?

News to Use

A Pearland guy causes a Beltway firestorm

Prison Break?

Critics wonder if massive TDCJ cuts will be a prelude to privatization

An Open Mike

He wants to castrate pedophiles and purge the courts of politics. He has assailed fellow jurists, lawyers and lawmakers. He's maverick Mike McSpadden, a tennis ace with a tomahawk tongue.

Here's Johnny

Reformed and reborn, the man now pushes the word of God, not drugs. So why does it still feel like the Johnny Binder Show?

Carlos Chaves, Mall Surgeon

Sure, an unlicensed doctor was performing liposuction at a hair salon. Stranger still: Clients kept showing up.

Going Through These Things Twice

tuck inside of Hotel Six with the Houston blues again

That Roberts Elementary Teacher Is Cleared, No Matter What HISD's Drug-Sniffing Dog Says

The District Attorney's office has announced they're formally dropping the charges against Mindy Herrick, the art teacher whose arrest after a drug-sniffing-dog search sparked protests.The dog found a Xanax in her car; the pill wasn't hers. HISD reinstated her almost two months ago, so the question ... More >>

Girl In A Coma, No-Billed By A Grand Jury

​The San Antonio punk band Girl in a Coma, whose members were arrested after an altercation at Chances in Montrose this spring, have been no-billed by a grand jury and will face no charges from the incident, their lawyer tells Hair Balls.Kent Schaffer says two of the members appeared before a gran ... More >>

Grand Jury No-Bills San Antonio Trio Girl In A Coma In Spring Chances Brawl

[Update: See the statement Girl In a Coma posted on its MySpace page Monday morning after the jump.] ​The San Antonio punk band Girl in a Coma, whose members were arrested after an altercation at Chances in Montrose this spring, have been no-billed by a grand jury and will face no charges from the ... More >>

Turkeys of the Year

In a highly competitive 2009 field, Governor Rick Perry is the biggest gobbler of them all.