THE BATTLE OF THE TITANS ... ROUND ONE GOES TO LITTLE

Wednesday was round one in a what some have said is an inevitable battle of the Titans between the District Attorney’s office and the Sheriff Department. Round One goes to Mike Little as a Liberty County grand jury “no billed” Assistant District Attorney Joe Warren. In a direct confrontation, the investigation of ADA Warren by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Crimes Unit charges of tampering with a witness, terroristic threat and deadly conduct were brought to the grand jury. That grand jury has ruled there was not enough evidence to go to trial with. Now Sheriff Henry Patterson will have to decide if he wants to double down.

There is a great deal at stake, not just for Patterson and Little and Warren – but for all of us. Allegations of selective prosecution by (Democrat) District Attorney Mike Little and indifference to the juvenile problem by (Republican) Wes Hinch may seem like election time rhetoric to some, but to law enforcement it is an ongoing problem. Little and Hinch refused to prosecute former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald and former County Commissioner Lee Groce for FEMA fraud but public outcry forced federal prosecutors to get involved. The feds' grand jury indicted Fitzgerald and Groce. Little and Hinch have both failed to even comment on Liz Beausoliel stealing a District Judge's mail and preparing to misuse it for political purposes/extortion even though she is allegedly on film – “no comment” by both of them.

The way the D.A. and the County Attorney do the people’s business is of interest to many. Therefore this clash is more than the District Attorney’s and the County Attorney’s offices versus the Sheriff Patterson - he is not alone. Liberty Dispatch readers know there is group that calls themselves The Outsiders that have had several postings on Liberty Dispatch concerning this case. They have been indignant about what they have described as a travesty of justice in this case. Among other things they have alleged that there is a photograph that proves Joe Warren’s dog was the trespasser and that the victims of this case have been harassed since this case came to the public’s attention. They have also signaled this case is one in a handful of abuse of office type cases that when coupled with selective prosecution paint a picture of corruption that must be dealt with in order to have integrity in our justice system.

So with the Sheriff and The Outsiders losing round one, the question is what is next? Liberty Dispatch did not investigate this case and we do not know what the grand jurors were shown, or better yet, NOT SHOWN. But in the highly political climate these charges came to them in, we are certain that plenty of others will have something to say about this decision to “no bill” Warren. We watch and wait on the Sheriff and The Outsiders as they make their case to the people of Liberty County.

Beyond the legal aspect of this case, we are concerned about the obvious fact that Assistant Joe Warren has an anger management issue that needs to be resolved. Since District Attorney Mike Little decided early on to stand by his employee, we would hope for this community’s sake that Little signs Joe Warren up for some anger management classes. He needs to deal with whatever issues he has that led him to bring a gun over to his neighbor’s and threaten to kill their dogs and threaten to burn their house down.

It is no secret Liberty Dispatch has been very critical of Mike Little and Wes Hinch and we have laid out many reasons WE THE PEOPLE should expect better from both of them. But Liberty Dispatch will watch and wait from the sidelines as this clash of the Titans continues and The Outsiders cheer on the Special Crimes Unit in their effort to bring to trial some of the alleged criminals they posted about on their website.