SCOOP: For at least six years, a Texas district clerk divided up jurors by race and geography before assigning them to trial panels (venires). The Texas Rangers are investigating and thousands of verdicts could be challenged texasmonthly.com/news-politics/…
Rhonda Barchak, a Republican elected official, was the district clerk of Brazoria County, south of Houston, since 2010. She resigned in August and is now under state investigation. Her method of jury selection was highly unusual and possibly violated state law
Barchak’s method was described to me by her attorney Chip Lewis and confirmed by Brazoria DA Tom Selleck. It’s been an open secret in Brazoria County legal circles for weeks but is being reported here for first time.
Thanks to @TexasMonthly’s new politics editor, the great @bobmoserwrites, for shepherding this across the finish line with very little sleep.
Barchak’s lawyer alleged that “dozens” of county judges and official were aware of Barchak’s system and had no problem with it. The system only came to the attention of relatively new DA Tom Selleck because of a whistleblower complaint
The district clerk, Rhonda Barchak, has not been charged with a crime. The Rangers investigation is expected to conclude by late October
Texas civil rights leaders are calling for a federal investigation into the Brazoria County district clerk’s office and. Several told me they don’t trust the Rangers or DA Selleck. “That’s like the fox guarding the henhouse” according to Houston activist Quanell X
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