OFF THE WIRE
TEXAS:
Judge Strother is taking notice of the letters and interest in the case, he
> is not amused at the thought of the threatened mass of motorcycle muscle.
>
> “I operate a court of law, not a court of public opinion,” Strother
> said. “I will do what I believe the law, the evidence and justice
> requires me to do. Public sentiment and justice aren’t necessarily the
> same thing.”
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Judge Strother moved the hearing up a day to evade the court room full of riders expexted to attend. Nonetheless Judge Strother denied the Plea Bargain, Mitchelll withdrew her plea of Guilty and the judge set the Trial by Jury for August 17th. Here is the letter of thanks I mailed to judge Strother today.
Honorable Judge good Ralph Strother
19th State District Court
501 Washington Ave., Suite 303
Waco, Texas 76701
Judge Strother;
Thank you so much for denying the Plea Bargain deal in the case of Ms. Mitchell killing our friend “Hat Trick” Schroeder. You wouldn’t believe how often we have seen the same circumstance where the perpetrator was charged with Failure to Yield, paid a small fine and walked away.
Last year we worked with the legislature to nset a minimum fine for those who injure or kill an innocent party by encroaching on their right of way. We did not receive a single no vote vin the House or Senate on SB 1967. Unfortunately we did not take into consideration a Plea Bargain where they could be given adjudication and end up not being found guilty. It is apparent that we shall have to return to Senator Carona and reconstruct SB 1967 during the upcoming session to make allowances for such an occurrence.
None the less we truly appreciate your fair judgement in this case and we can only hope that the Jury will use such fine judgement. We simply have to find a way to make the driving public pay more attention to their responsibility to drive vaware.
Respectfully,
Sputnik
State Chair
Texas Motorcycle Rights Association
I have recommended that others send a thank you letter also.
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