Dallas Police Officer Suspended For Lying To Judge

Dallas, Texas

A Dallas police officer recently received a 15-day suspension after internal investigators concluded he failed to show up to testify in court and then lied about his actions.

Police Officer Wayne Starks was disciplined during Sept. 30 hearing. He can appeal the decision.

According to internal affairs records released this week, Starks was sworn in to testify at a DWI trial in April 2010.

When the trial was continued into a second day, Starks told the judge that he could not be there due to a personal issue. The judge ordered starts to appear in court and told him to make arrangements for his personal issue.

On the following day, Starks did not show up as the judge had instructed. Starks later told a supervisor that he had been involved in an accident and a relative was in the car with him. He also told the supervisor that his cell phone was left in his towed vehicle and that was why he was unreachable.

Starks later admitted that he had lied about his relative being in the vehicle with him at the time of the accident, that his vehicle was towed and that his cell phone was left in the towed vehicle, internal affairs records show.

The internal investigation also found that Starks lied to a county court prosecutor regarding his reason for missing court.

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Plano Cop Blames His Gun-Mounted Flashlight In Fatal Shooting of Suspect

Plano, Texas

A Plano narcotics sergeant intended to activate a flashlight affixed to his service weapon when he accidentally pulled the trigger, fatally shooting a drug suspect in a Far North Dallas parking lot last month, the officer told investigators.

"I never intended to fire my weapon," the sergeant said in a statement to Dallas police detectives following the Oct. 13 shooting of suspected drug dealer Michael Anthony Alcala, 25. "I never intended to have my finger on the trigger. I was only attempting to operate the flashlight mechanism."

The officer, who remains on administrative leave, is not being identified because he works undercover.

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Fort Worth Officer Gets 20 Years For Intoxication Manslaughter - Killing Mother Of Two

Fort Worth, Texas

A Tarrant County jury sentenced former Fort Worth police narcotics officer Jesus Cisneros to 20 years in prison Thursday afternoon, hours after he pled guilty to driving drunk when he killed Sonia Baker, a mother of two, last December.

At the judge's instruction, the jury found him guilty and the punishment phase of the trial began. About 4:15 p.m., the jury returned the 20-year sentence, the maximum on the charge.

The former officer had a 0.17 blood-alcohol level - more than twice the legal limit - and was driving 76 mph in a 35 mph zone.

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San Saba Sheriff Could Face Investigation For Misconduct - Citizens and Tourists Raise Complaints

San Saba, Texas

A Central Texas Sheriff could face an investigation for official misconduct.

On Monday, the City Council of San Saba, about 80 miles west of Killeen, voted three-to-one to turn over statements accusing Sheriff Allen Brown of misconduct to a district attorney.

Allegations made by San Saba citizens accuse Brown of pulling over motorists without cause, and disrupting business and tourism.

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Photo: KXAN-TV Austin

Orange Police Officer Involved In Fatal Shooting 'Indefinitely Suspended'

Orange, Texas

An Orange police officer who shot a West Orange man to death after a disturbance at an auto parts store has been indefinitely suspended.

Capt. Robert Arnold fatally shot James Whitehead, 28, outside an O'Reilly Auto Parts store July 26, according to Enterprise archives. Arnold was not on duty at the time.

Whitehead had been arguing with the store's employees while trying to return an item, according to reports.

Chief Sam Kittrell decided on the indefinite suspension Wednesday after an internal review of the incident, according to an Orange Police Department news release.

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San Antonio Park Cop Pleads No Contest In Plea Deal For Molesting Teen

San Antonio, Texas

A former San Antonio Park Police officer pleads no contest to the sexual assault of a child. Investigators say 42-year-old Ricardo Rodriguez had sex multiple times with a teenage family member. Rodriguez surrendered his peace officer's license and applied for deferred adjudication which is a form of probation. Sentencing is set for January 11th.

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Galveston Internal Affairs Officer Suspended For Unknown Reason

Galveston, Texas

The city police officer who until last month was head of the department’s internal affairs office was suspended from duty Friday until further notice.

Sgt. Michael Gray, who was a lieutenant until the city’s budget cuts a week ago reduced him and several other officers in rank, said he was told of the suspension one day after being relieved of his police ID card and escorted from the police station by Capt. Jeff Heyse.

The Daily News has seen a copy of the sergeant’s suspension letter. It contained no reason for the suspension and told him to remain available to report to the police station between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. each weekday.

Police Chief Charles Wiley declined to comment, saying he "would be a fool" to speak to the media about personnel matters because of litigation against him by Galveston Municipal Police Association.

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