PART SIX: Rusty Hight, the “Sex Offender Judge”

Sometimes we never hear about cases that our local judges have been challenged on and that have been ruled on in the Ninth District of Texas Court of Appeals in Beaumont. Undoubtedly, local Judge C.T. “Rusty” Hight (the Democrat party's candidate for the 75th District Court on the November ballot) and his nephew, Zack Zbranek (the Democrat party's candidate for County Court–at-Law Judge on the same November ballot) would have hoped no undecided voter would see or hear about the Court of Appeals rulings in the case of Jose Gregory Moore v. The State of Texas.

In Cause No. 09-06-532 CR, the Ninth District Court of Appeals gives the short version of how Zeke Zbranek and his brother-in-law, Rusty Hight, two of the proud standard bearers for the Democratic party in Liberty County, applied the type of liberalism that is infamous for giving criminals a break in life. It recounts Jose Gregory Moore’s nolo-contender plea to a serious sex offense involving a minor. It acknowledges Zbranek sentencing Moore to probation after he was found guilty. It alludes to Hight giving the same troubled convicted sex offender a very rare and inexplicable judicial clemency – but does not acknowledge knowing anything about the notice Hight had that the Houston Police Department had that a female came forward and filed a complaint against Moore for another sex offense.

The Court of Appeals briefly covers the fact that Hight signed papers wiping the sex offender’s record clean from his heinous offense in Liberty County in 2004. These papers were clearly marked in way that even non-lawyers could quickly should see the result of Hight's signature on them would be to make it more difficult to prosecute this known sex offender and more difficult to prove he deserves a long sentence in the future. In fact, the Court of Appeals even cites changes in the law that would not even allow a liberal judge to do what Hight did anymore – but there was nothing even the Justices could do about it and Hight’s clemency of a convicted sex offender  was final because the actual case occurred before the loophole in the law was closed.

Chief Justice McKeithen, Justice Gaultney, and Justice Kreger all had a firsthand look at how one of Liberty County’s courts and Hight applies the law. They unanimously followed the law and ruled that Hight could not file papers two years later to disavow his previous bizarre ruling in 2004. Hight had his chance to do the right thing from the start, but legally, after thirty days, he had lost his jurisdiction. Moore hit the “liberal Democrat Judge lottery” when he appeared before first Zbranek and then Hight! Ciiens of Liberty County are the ones that pay the price for Hight's ongoing liberal pproach in cases that are not high profile cases.

The part the Justices did not see is the video (in a previous story of LD) that accompanies this story. Watch the video and you will understand how Hight does business on your behalf.  The video will show you how a television reporter did an expose’ on the Judge that represents the 75th District Court. It is proof that Hight knows that we expect him (and we expected Zbranek) to be tougher on people who choose to harm children in Liberty County. Only after he found out a news channel was about to expose his actions did he try to do something to Moore. By then, it was too late.

Who really knows how many cases Hight has applied the same kind of liberal "give them another chance" philosophy to convicted criminals? There is no doubt in high profile cases that are in the public eye - Hight does not always let them win the lottery. He tries to make a good showing if he feels the voters may be aware of his behavior. We also know Judge Hight doesn’t go easy on his political enemies but gives pedophiles and sex offenders a free ride. It is difficult to say exactly what the magic formula is, but Hight has had ‘Wednesday deals day’ for years. So much damage, it is likely immeasurable. Because there are many to choose from Liberty Dispatch will choose one more case soon and report on it and then we will focus on other aspects and stories connected to the November election..

We do know concerned citizens questions shouldn’t end with Hight. "How are his “deals” allowed to be made?" is one of many questions that involve other officeholders. And the answer to the question should send a message to conservatives that District Attorney Mike Little is persona non-gratis. By just his name appearing in this whole deal as having “received notice”, we know Little is not the answer to problems with people that mess the system up like Hight. “WE THE PEOPLE” elected Little to stand up for our interest, and none of us heard a peep from him, time after time before during and after these deals. Little should have been the stop gap measure in all of Hight’s schemes and deals.

Republicans who want to return law and order and the rule of law to the 75th District Court need to also realize that the consistent application of justice has as its greatest enemy in Liberty County, the chief prosecutor. Mike Little’s continuous unending selective prosecution would not be so bad if we all spent every minute in the courtroom. When he is watched closely he can present a good show for the public. But Republicans should help voters with an alternative to this man. Despite his many faults, after he was appointed to replace the distinguished District Attorney W.G. Woods, Little has never had an opponent. And he definitely has a political ally in his fellow Democrat, Rusty Hight!

We have said it before but we will say it again. This is just one case that shows the public what kind of “experience” Hight has over the highly esteemed legal mind of his November challenger, Mark Morefield. Hight states in his Liberty, Texas billboard message “Years of service”.  This is NOT the kind of service/experience that makes Liberty County safer or promotes law and order.

Currently, the State of Texas Judiciary has Candidate, Democrat Carol “Rusty” Hight under investigation for judicial misconduct and has yet to rule on Hight’s alleged Judicial Misconduct, Ethics and Official Misconduct. According to sources, justices and disciplinary counsel are set to rule on Hight’s activities between now and the first of the year.

Stay tuned for our next Hight series ahead.