Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

November 1, 2011

A grand jury in Harris County, Texas is investigating problems with roadside blood alcohol testing vans operated by the Houston Police Department. Months ago, former HPD supervisor Amanda Culbertson disclosed that the so-called BAT vans were wildly unreliable. After it became clear that the unreliable test results were leading to unjust convictions, Culbertson resigned from the department in disgust.

After Culbertson continued to speak out, the Harris County District Attorney?s office retaliated against her by cancelling a county contract with her company ? in effect, firing her.

When the Grand Jury sought to hear from Culbertson, and from former County Prosecutor Brent Mayr, the D.A. sent two assistant prosecutors to monitor their testimony. The Grand Jury Foreman instructed the DA?s representatives to leave. When that directive was ignored, the Foreman instructed the Baliff to place them under arrest if they didn?t leave.

Just as a trial jury has plenary authority to rule on both the facts and the law, a grand jury ? as an independent body of responsible citizens -- has unqualified authority to investigate government corruption. What happened in Harris County was not an example of a grand jury going rogue, but rather one behaving exactly as it should.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.