Local News

APD arrests 24 in first night of no refusal weekend

Newsroom — Sat, 25 May 2013 20:04:00 GMT

The Austin Police Department reported that 24 people were arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated during the first night of a no-refusal weekend Friday.

Eleven of those arrested consented to Breathalyzer tests, officials said. There were 13 blood draws, with two of those consenting and 11 warrants obtained for the others, officials said.

The initiative and will continue until 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The no-refusal initiative is an effort to enforce boating while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated laws to ensure safety on Austin’s roadways and lakes, according to a news release.

Additionally, the Police Department’s lake patrol unit will prohibit the use and operation of personal water crafts, jet skis, motorized surfboards and other similar vehicles on Lake Austin until sunrise Tuesday.

STATESMAN

Man with overturned conviction seeks compensation for imprisonment

Newsroom — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:49:00 GMT

Robert Springsteen the Fourth spent nine years in prison before an appeals court overturned his sentence, but Travis County prosecutors haven't declared him innocent. Now, he wants a federal judge to clear him and award him more than $700,000 from the state. A judge dismissed murder charges against Springsteen and another man in 2009 after the appeals court ruled they were unfairly kept from cross-examining each other. Both had implicated each other. The dismissal came after prosecutors failed to meet a court-imposed deadline for retrial. A confession by Springsteen was presented at his trial, but his attorneys argued it had been coerced.

Travis Co. sheriff investigates double homicide

Newsroom — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:39:00 GMT

Travis County Sheriff's deputies found two people dead at 23006 Hog Eye Road near Elgin Friday afternoon. Deputies arrived at the home around 2:30 p.m. after a person called the sheriff's office and said they were checking on their neighbor and found the bodies. Detectives said the couple’s injuries make it clear that they are victims of foul play. Sheriff’s detectives are treating this case as a double homicide and have identified a person of interest. The investigation is ongoing, however, detectives do not believe there are any suspects at large at this time. As of Friday evening no one had been arrested.

http://www.kvue.com/news/Travis-Co-detectives-investigating-double-homicide-208892851.html

Sexual assault reports, and prosecutions, rise at Fort Hood

Newsroom — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:34:00 GMT

Reports of sexual assault at Fort Hood, the nation’s busiest wartime deployment hub, have nearly doubled in recent months, with more than 200 such reports filed since October 2011, according to officials at the post. Fort Hood soldiers made 100 reports from October 2011 to September 2012; they made just as many — 101 — in the following seven months, according to information from Fort Hood’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program. Most of the assaults — 58 percent — occurred at other locations, but were reported at Fort Hood.

Even as reports of sexual assault at Fort Hood increase, officials say prosecutions of perpetrators there far outpace the military average. About 1 in 4 Fort Hood sexual assault reports have resulted in a court-martial since October 2011, according to Fort Hood’s Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, which has two special prosecutors trained in sexual assault cases. A recent Pentagon report showed that throughout the military about 1 in 10 reports ended in a court-martial.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/sexual-assault-reports-and-prosecutions-rise-at-fo/nX3SZ/?icmp=statesman_internallink_textlink_apr2013_statesmanstubtomystatesman_launch

Neighbors not happy with forthcoming bridge

Newsroom — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:15:00 GMT

It’s been called “Austin’s Bridge to Nowhere”, and after a city council vote construction is going forward. The pedestrian and bicycle bridge will run through North Acres Park in Northeast Austin, and neighbors, like Maria Raper, have been fighting it for more than 15 years.

Raper tells KLBJ that she worries about the safety of kids crossing the bridge to go to Hart Elementary. Once the bridge is in place bus service to several neighborhoods will be stopped.

Raper says another concern is the cost. City leaders have approved a 750-thousand dollar contract. Raper says it will also be detrimental to the small park, since the bridge will occupy a large part of it.

Griffin family suing Nestande, Clive Bar in civil court

Newsroom — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:29:00 GMT

The family of a woman killed in Tarrytown by a legislative aid is now suing her, the Clive Bar and her friend in civil court.

Attorney Jeff Edwards says Gabrielle Nestande was found guilty, but only sentenced to probation. Bart Griffin, father of the victim Courtney, did not think the sentence did justice to his daughter.

Edwards says the civil suit also involves Nestande's friend William Marchbanks who drove her to her car and allowed her to drive home.

Bastrop family looking for answers after dog turns up dead in remote area

Newsroom — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:23:00 GMT

The Bastrop County Sheriff's have opened an investigation after a family looking for their missing dog finds the body of a dozen others on a remote country road.

Ellie Farmer says her dog, a Great Pyrenees named Chazak was stolen off their farm last month. She says the dog was a guard animal and would not have wondered off. She says they've been looking for him for weeks, they got a tip that he may be dead on a remote county road, "We started walking towards the smell and we came across a (dead) dog, but it wasn't ours. Then we found another, and then another. There are up to 12 bodies that we were able to document that are there."

Farmer says she has reason to believe Chazak and the others were poisoned. believes the dogs were all poisoned because no predators have gone after any of the remains. The Sheriff's are not commenting on the case. Farmer is offering a reward for any information on the case.

(AUDIO) House session erupts into shouting match over proposal that would allow lawmakers to pack heat anywhere

Newsroom — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:00 GMT

A discussion over a proposal to allow lawmakers, and others to carry guns anywhere they want erupts in a shouting match in the Texas House.

The proposal, House Bill 508 was originally intended to only allow prosecuting attorneys and judges to pack heat, but an amendment would have extended the special privilege to lawmakers. Representative Kenneth Sheets argues lawmakers should not have privileges the rest of the citizens do not, "The public has a bad perception of elected officials, and it is laws like this that give them that percention."

Representative Bill Zedler strongly disagrees, "Mr. Sheet, has this House not tried to expand gun rights this session?" To which Sheets replied, "We have tried". That is when the conversation erupted into shouting. Representative Dennis Bonnen had to gavel the lawmakers back into order, chastising them for the outburst.

The proposal was eventually sent to a conference committee for further discussion.

Hear the outburst here:

[VIDEO] [AUDIO] [PIX] Austin Scouts council gets vocal about lift of openly gay teen ban

Newsroom — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:15:00 GMT

The vote lifting the ban on gay teens in the Boy Scouts has the Austin area council's leadership speaking up.

Spokesman Charles Mead says the decision by national membership at a meeting in Dallas opens the doors on what used to be an unspoken understanding.

"Other gay teens who want to take part and enjoy the benefits of the Scouting program, they don't have that barrier anymore. And they're free to come and take part in the scouting program which has given so much to so many kids for over a hundred years in our country," Mead said.

It remains Scout policy to ban openly gay adults from leadership positions.

A recording of the entire news conference is below:

Parents angry over BSA vote to lift ban on gay boys will launch their own organization

Newsroom — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:48:00 GMT

With the adoption of the resolution that allows openly gay boy scouts, some within the organization plan to break off and create a new group for boys. Jon Stemberger, founder of 'On My honor.net', says because of the decision he is done with the scouts, "I don't like it. I don't like it at all. But it's something we have to do now. But, I'd rather be here announcing that scouting has affirmed their timeless values and recommitting to the scouting program. It gives me great sorrow and sadness to have to be making this announcement."

He says a meeting will take place next month in Louisville, Kentucky made up of scouts, parents and other organizations with the aim of creating a new character development organization for boys. Scout leaders estimate 200-400,000 will leave the boy scouts due to the decision.