Judge finds Cooke Co. DA candidate broke law

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Posted: 12:54 PM Mar 13, 2008
Last Updated: 5:55 PM Mar 13, 2008
Reporter: From Wire Reports

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DALLAS (AP) - A Dallas judge says a former prosecutor and judge now running for Cooke County district attorney broke the law.

State District Judge Mike Snipes says Janice Warder violated the law by not disclosing evidence favorable to a man accused of raping and killing a woman.

Warder was the lead prosecutor in the case of a 1986 slaying of Galua Crosby in Garland.

She'd previously denied any wrongdoing in the murder trial against Clay Chabot. But in recommending to the Court of Criminal

Appeals that Chabot get a new trial, Snipes found yesterday that Warder failed to turn over statements and discussions to the defense.

The judge found Warder didn't disclose inconsistent statements from Chabot's brother-in-law, Gerald Pabst. Snipes also found Warder didn't reveal discussions with a witness about not being interested in prosecuting him for drug dealing.

Chabot spent 21 years in prison before DNA tests showed that Pabst was the rapist. Pabst had testified that it was Chabot who raped and killed the woman.

Information from: The Dallas Morning News,
http://www.dallasnews.com

We’ll have more on this later today on First News and KXII.com

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Gainesville Location: Gainesville on Apr 5, 2008 at 07:23 PM
Dear "unbelievable". The key word in your response is FORMER EMPLOYEES, not current employees as is the case with peterson and stormer. There's a big difference, Judge Haverkamp is not expected to have control over former employees. And as for jealousy, I find that rather hilarious when Judge Haverkamp has won every office she's run for, and had a better conviction rate than stormer. Maybe the real subject hear is "sour grapes" on petersons part. Since he was defeated by such a large margin, and from what I read in the paper lately the only words he's hearing in court of late is "NOT GUILTY" "NOT GUILTY". And these words have not come from my "beloved Judge Haverkamp" but from the good jurors of Cooke County. Could this be a case of poor prosecution? Whoops more sour grapes!!

Posted by: Unbelievable Location: Cooke County on Apr 5, 2008 at 01:26 AM
Dear "appalled". Maybe your beloved Judge Haverkamp should call off her former employees from atacking Cindy Stormer in the papers and on web sites. That's right, Roger White and Brent Hill used to work for Janelle Havekamp as did Chris Fostel. If I spent a little time on it, I could find a few other former employees of Judge Haverkamp that have attacked Mrs. Stormer. Have you seen any posts from "Fish". Ever considered who that might be that works for the Judge? A lot of this is payback for Cindy Stormer winning the last election and then running the DA's office more efficiently than her predecessor. I wonder if there is some jealousy there? Why don't you go back and look at the letters Roger White has written and the posts he has made, starting with his attack on Cindy Stormer when she almost died of a serious illness? Roger wrote a letter to the editor asking her to pay back her salary to the taxpayers while she was in the hospital. It doesn't get much worse than that.

Posted by: Gainesville Location: Gainesville on Apr 4, 2008 at 11:40 AM
I am apalled that Cindy Stormer as Cooke County DA would allow her employee Martin Peterson to have a website that is strictly dedicated to attacking District Judge Janelle Haverkamp. I can't imagine that Judge Haverkamp would allow one of her employees to do the same to Mrs. Stormer. I think this speaks volumes about Mrs.Stormers character. I will happily vote for Janice Warder knowing she will fight the criminals and not the courthouse employees!

Posted by: Curious Location: Cooke County on Mar 28, 2008 at 02:19 PM
I'm curious why this page is still available. Channel 5 ran similar article, and now when you click on their link you see this message The article you are trying to view is no longer available through this web site. The content is copyrighted by the AP, which requires nbc5i.com to delete its stories two weeks after they are originally posted. Does this not also apply to channel 12? That's beacuse Channel 5 picked up the story from the AP. We actually reported on it, and our stories stay on our site in archives for years. -Staff

Posted by: Local Resident Location: Gainesville on Mar 28, 2008 at 01:41 PM
First of all please remember and do not ever forget this blog is about Warder and her misconduct and nothing else. Fact, she put a man in jail for 22 years with perjured testimony and she knew it. Fact, she lied in two affidavits to the state court of appeals. Fact she finally admitted she was mistaken in the federal court of appeals. Fact, she was recently found by a Dallas county Judge to have violated the Brady act. This act requires the DA to provide all evidence to the defense that might help the defense. Not only did she not do that but she did not tell the second polygraph technician that there was a first polygraph that Papst passed when he said he was not at the crime scene. This was brought out at the trial in February 2008. In my opinion this is reprehensible behavior for a DA. How many other cases did she do this and get away with?????

Posted by: local resident Location: Gainesville on Mar 27, 2008 at 04:27 PM
If you know why the link was removed why don't you tell us. I'm sure it was due to either Roger Whites post giving accurate stats to the d.a. office or mine letting voters know how onesided your website is.And if you hold a DA to a higher standard what about her first DA who has a whole website dedicated to downing our County Judge Janelle Haverkamp. Exactly how does that help our community. It's disgusting and probably a big part of why Cindy Stormer lost last month.I think your group is of the opinion if you throw enough mud some of it will stick, the only problem is in that process you are the ones covered in mud!

Posted by: Local resident Location: Gainesville on Mar 27, 2008 at 06:55 AM
Local resident on mar 26. You are slanting things just like Ms. Warder. You have no idea why the link was removed. I know why and you are wrong. Ms Warder got herself in the mud and she created the mess that sent a man to prison for 22 years. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life also but I must hold a person like a DA or a Judge to a much higher standard. In my mind Ms. Warder cannot reach that standard. She has had the most expensive court in Dallas County according to the Dallas Morning News and ranked number 50 out of 52 lawyers in Dallas in her day. I do not want someone like that for the DA of Cooke County.

Posted by: local resident Location: Gainesville on Mar 26, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Most of you who are reading this are like me, you've reached this link through the cookecitizen website. There were two links to KXII but one has been removed by the editor/publisher of the fore mentioned website. It seem if comments are posted they don't like they just remove the link, do they maybe have something to hide, or maybe they just don't want voters to hear both sides of the story. I hope those of you reading this can see through the mudslinging and one-sideness and join me in voting for Janice Warder. Read quickly because i'm quite sure this link will soon dissappear also.

Posted by: James Location: Oak Ridge on Mar 17, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Warder mired herself in the mud! That Warder can do nothing but make up problems, as though Stormer were not doing the great job she is, tells me that even assuming there was need for a change Warder has no business serving as our felony prosecutor. I see where Stormer's office disposed of 52 cases in the 29 days of February. That seems pretty focused on doing her job to me.

Posted by: Yolonda Saager Location: Plano on Mar 17, 2008 at 05:13 PM
My daughter, Jorden Saager, was murdered in Gainesville in 2000. She was only 2. Our case had been dragging until Ms. Stormer came in to office. She knew what needed to be done. With that, finally in 2005, the child murderer was taken off the streets forever. Unfortunately, it took five long years for this horrible monster to be taken off the streets. Can you imagine what would have happened if this monster was still running free? Granted, I am not familiar with all of the politics regarding this race, but I know that if it were any other family that were in my same situation, you would be wanting Justice swiftly. Unfortunately, it wasn't until Ms. Stormer became elected was that final Justice delivered for my baby. She believes in the Law and in the Citzens of Cooke County. It has been 3 years since our trial and I still firmly believe Cindy Stormer should continue to be the District Attorney. She is making changes in the right direction. Not the wrong direction as her opponent.

Posted by: gainesville citizen Location: gainesville on Mar 17, 2008 at 04:45 PM
It's amazing the time our current d.a. has spent dragging Janice Warder through the mud. Surely she has cases she can focus on. The citizens of Gainesville spoke loud and clear when Mrs. Warder won the majority of the votes last month and I feel quite sure it will be a repeat performance next month!

Posted by: Barb Location: Gainesville on Mar 16, 2008 at 11:13 PM
I have known Cindy Stormer for years, first as my attorney. She is fighting for Cooke County. She is waging a war against the good ole boy system that is firming in place in the courthouse here, she is fighting to clean our county up! Stand behind someone willing to put her life, and her reputation on the line. She has devoted countless hours free of charge (we know what elected officials make)to us. Why are we willing to vote for someone from outside our county. Warder has spent years in Dallas, Cindy has spent her life right here. I'll give my vote to the locals....They care because it's there home too!

Posted by: Discusted with Warder Location: Gainesville on Mar 16, 2008 at 10:23 PM
The first time I saw Janice Warder in action I knew there was something not right with her the way she acted. I did research and found several articles from the Dallas Morning News and the Dallas Observer that indicated she lied when she prosecuted Chabot. She also lied in two affidavits on appeals at the state level but when it got to the federal level she changed her story and said she lied in her previous statements. It could mean she knew the Federal court had a harsher penalty for perjury. Now a Dallas Judge has found she violated the Brady act about disclosing evidence to the defense. SHE IS GUILTY. How many more times we do not know. But in a poll of attorneys in Dallas she ranks 50 out of 52. And she had the most expensive court in Dallas County.

Posted by: Karla Location: USA on Mar 16, 2008 at 09:41 PM
There is no excuse for denying someone their constitutional rights. Cindy Stormer is not only the most qualified, she is the candidate with the most integrity. Let the statistics speak for themselves. Justice is being served with Stormer in office. Justice was not served with Warder. Check out the stats here: http://www.cstormer.com/page2.php The bottom line is that Cooke County is a much safer place with Stormer in office. The people of Cooke County owe it to themselves and their children to keep Stormer in office. To vote for Warder would be, quite frankly, criminal.

Posted by: Chris D. Location: Gainesville on Mar 16, 2008 at 09:06 PM
It continues to amaze me that people don't care when someone who wants to be a cop or a DA has done it wrong badly and they want to blame someone else. They say the best indicator of future work is that of their past work. If this Warder did do this...I dont want one of my family being tried by a DA who violates the law as determined by a judge in a court of law. How bad does it have to be when they (Judges/Lawyers) usually cover for one another anyway??..sheesh calling the kettle black! Do you want fairness or do want to possibly be set up? Warder was responsible (as prosecutor) for some poor bloke sitting in prison for 21 years when he wasn't guilty and when she could have possibly prevented it. But no, its all about stats and all about convictions at any price. Disgusted - 1. you may hate the fliers but the truth hurts sometimes 2. It's incumbent, not opponent 3. You should research more. Wake up people !! And to you FISH - what do you know about Brady and try spell check.

Posted by: Susan Location: Gainesville on Mar 16, 2008 at 04:13 PM
I've been following this story with a great deal of concern for some time. We do not need a DA who would knowingly accept false testimony in order to get a conviction. And then to find out that false testimony was given by the man who actually committed the rape and murder is nothing short of creepy. I'm all for letting the people choose, but I know that with Cindy Stormer as DA crime has gone down 25% in Cooke County in the last four years, and cases that were backlogged are getting taken care of - without any concerns about her legal ethics. The choice seems pretty clear to me. I'm voting for Cindy Stormer.

Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 14, 2008 at 09:25 PM
SHE IS GUILTY

Posted by: fish Location: gainesville on Mar 13, 2008 at 10:55 PM
i doubt there is a single prosecuter w/ any real experience that hasn't had this very same issue come up. what constitutes brady material is based on the prosecuters opinion. in fact stormer has gone to a higher court on two occasions in an attempt to not turn over certian evidence. (both were unseccesfull) voters of cooke county lets focus on the here and now and the 2 word verdict that stormer recieved 3-12-08 in the 235th dist. court NOT GUILTY!!!! this is an all to common occurence. there has been more not guilty verdicts since cindy has been the D.A. than the total combined years that judge woodlock was D.A. until the time cindy took office!!!! lets get it right again cooke county vote for WARDER & allow the healing process to begin.

Posted by: www.cookecitizens.org Location: Cooke County on Mar 13, 2008 at 10:23 PM
Janice Warder seems to be laughing this off. She and her supporters previoulsy said she had been exonerated. Now she's laughing. Does she think she's above the law? She may fit in well with some of Cooke County's other elected officials. In one of her recent campaign mailers, she talks about her endorsement from the Gainesville Police Association. So far we can only find one member, Tim Green and he doesn't even live in Cooke County. I guess she couldn't find enough members of the Gainesville Police Officers that "endorsed" her for her mailer. Why else did she pose with three on-duty Cooke County Jailers in her mailer while claiming to be endorsed by the Gainesville Police Association? Is that legal to use Cooke County resources while on the taxpayer's clock to take photographs for her campaign mailer? Isn't that use of taxpayer resources for political purposes? I guess that's consistent with Janice Warder's lack of ethics. We've seen that all through this campaign

Posted by: More Disgusted Location: Gainesville on Mar 13, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Disgusted may be right that some voters knew that Warder violated the U. S. Constitution, but I doubt they believed it until now. What makes her so qualified? Anyone who engages in knowingly using highly questionable testimony just to secure a conviction for their record is not the kind of person I would want as a DA in 1986 or now. Stormer has plenty of experience, including more than three years as the best performing, hardest working DA Cooke County has ever had. She knows Cooke County and Cooke County knows her. We don't need some defeated Dallas Judge to continue retirement as our DA. Warder is bad news. We have a tough DA who is making great strides in reducing the age and number of pending cases so that criminals get what they deserve. Just because she managed to hide the truth for 21 years doesn't qualify Warder.

Posted by: kelly on Mar 13, 2008 at 06:28 PM
where is one that doesn`t break the law?????

Posted by: disgusted Location: muenster on Mar 13, 2008 at 01:55 PM
I did extensive research on this before I voted for Janice Warder. I still feel like she is the most qualified person for the job. I dread all the handouts her opponent will hand out again. She passed them out all over town before this was even settled. People knew this and she still got 49% of votes over Stormer who got 35% votes. Seems there is a problem with our DA now.

Posted by: Dave Location: Denison on Mar 13, 2008 at 01:30 PM
If you are going to run in a political race, you better be squeaky clean. With the internet and other items at your disposal these days, you can find out almost ANYTHING about a person. Heck just by googling my Uncles name the other day, I found out he spent 3 years in jail. Better come clean with anything else that you have done wrong.

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