The North Texas Daily (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 87, Ed. 1 Friday, March 7, 1980 Page: 1 of 6
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The North Te xas Daily
FRIDAY, MARCH 7,1980
NORTH TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY. DENTON. TEXAS
63RD YEAR NO. 87
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Pholo by KAREN CLARK
A SPRINKLE A DAY—Groundswoman Barbara Windham of Denton
waters a tree growing near the Administration Building. Trees and small
shrubs on campus are oeing hand watered because the recent cold
weather makes It difficult to use the sprinkler system.
Judge disputes allegations,
replies to commission reprimand
By BILL C'HRISTENSF.N
Staff Writer
District Judge Bob Scofield replied Thursday to a
state Commission on Judicial Conduct public repri-
mand issued Wednesday, charging he was willful and
persistent in his conduct and he cast public discredit on
the judiciary.
Scofield disputed each allegation.
The reprimand alleges Scofield told the executive
director of the commission that his mother loaned him
money to pay an Internal Revenue Service judgment,
but the commission later found that at least 510,000 of
the money came from an attorney who regularly prac-
tices in his court.
"Since this conduct would convey the impression
that those attorneys are in a special position to in-
fluence you, it would be contrary to these admonitions
in the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct," the reprimand
states.
"The loan was made seven years ago," Scofield •
said. "I was privately reprimanded for it four years ago
and haven't done it since. I don't think it was proper
for it to be part of a public reprimand."
He said part of the loan came from his mother and
part from the attorney.
Scofield questioned the validity of a canon which al-
lows judges to receive political contributions from
lawyers that do not have to be paid back, but prohibits
them from accepting loans from lawyers.
The commission contends Scofield acted improperly
in chastising a jury for acquitting a defendant for at-
tempted murder. He told the jury, "I hope you have to
sleep with him. And remember to lock your doors
good. You just turned a murderer loose on the people
of this county, and I'm telling you, every one of you
12, that's what you have done. It's your conscience. I
hope you live with it the rest of your life...."
Scofield said at the time he thought the action was
proper. "I think part of the problem with the judicial
system today is that people don't speak up when they
see a miscarriage of justice."
The reprimand alleges Scofield accepted $8,000 in
season tickets to Texas Ranger baseball games,
received from the former owner of Krestmark In-
dustries, Earl Robinson. The firm contributed to
Scofield's campaign and is frequently involved in
litigation in Denton County courts, the reprimand
states.
The donation was not reported to the secretary of
state in compliance with Texas Revised Civil Statutes,
the reprimand states.
"The tickets were taken on an individual basis,"
Scofield said, "and neither Robinson nor the corpora-
tion ever appeared in my court. I don't think that is a
conflict of interest."
The reprimand states Scofield was privately
reprimanded Oct. 27, 1978, for verbal abuse of
litigants and attorneys. Most of the complaints arose
when he was outside his jurisdiction. As a result, he
was instructed to attend a college for state trial judges
in Nevada.
Despite two private reprimands, Scofield refused to
attend the college.
"I didn't think I had the time to spare," Scofield
said. "It would take me away from my docket, personal
and business affairs for six weeks."
Scofield received duplicate payments for services
rendered, the reprimand said, and repaid the state only
after the matter was called to his attention. The
money was repaid immediately after he was informed
of the mistake, Scofield said, and after he was privately
reprimanded the procedure was not repeated.
The reprimand charges Scofield was rude and dis-
courteous to a secretary He told her, "I don't have a
private secretry to place my calls and answer my
phone, and I don't have time to talk to young girls,
and I don't want you to ever call me again and bother
me. If your boss wants to see me he can traipse his ass
up here and see me in chambers...."
Scofield did not deny making the statement.
SA requests board representative
BY DENISE GARNER
Daily Reporter
The Student Association passed bills
Wednesday advocating the appointment
of a non-voting student member on the
Board of Regents and approving a $600
travel expenditure.
Letters will be sent U Gov, Bill Cle-
ments, state Rep. Tip Hall and state Sen.
Tom Creighton soliciting support for the
appointment of a student representative.
Students are now allowed to attend
open meetings of the board but not ex-
ecutive sessions, Jaynee Miller, SA
director of internal affairs, said.
The executive meetings are highly
political discussions where major deci-
sions are made. Miss Miller said. The
SA wants student representation on the
board to make its views known and the
student need not be a voting member,
she said.
No Texas universities nave a student
member on their boards.
"We may be beating our heads on the
wall, but if we don't do this anJ let them
know, they (the Legislature) will never
do anything about it," Miss Miller said.
Travel expenditure approved was for
the Texas Student Association con-
ference at Pan American University in
Edinburg March 21-23.
Five or six members will attend the
convention with the $600, SA President
Jud Moore said.
Moore, who submitted the bill, urged
its passage and the attendance of
members at the conference "since we
paid almost $500 to be a member of
TSA."
Events at the TSA convention include
officer elections for next year, speakers
from Pan American University and a
"Swap Shop" where information on stu-
dent services at other schools will be dis-
tributed, Moore said. j
Convention delegates will elect a
person to represent the TSA at the
legislative session in Austin.
Constables bypass strict police testing
By MIKE BROPHY
Daily Reporter
Individuals wishing to become peace officers
in Texas may turn to election procedures if
events in their past prevent them from receiving
appointments to such positions.
There is a loophole for such persons in the
respective screening processes. Although ap-
pointed peace officers (patrolmen, for example)
must undergo extensive background and psy-
chiatric testing before receiving approval, little
more than a signature is required to have one's
name placed on an election ballot for constable.
Such a case has arisen in Denton County. A
check of the history of Dennis Howard Horton
reveals a conviction for disorderly conduct. But
Horton also was arrested and charged with
beating his fiancee and her 3-year-old son.
Horton is unopposed in his bid for election to
constable in Denton County's 4th Precinct.
The constable's job pays $1 per year, and for a
fee Horton will serve papers in his precinct for
the justice of the peace. The position of con-
stable is similar to that of a certified peace of-
ficer He may carry a gun, make arrests and, at
the request of the sheriff, assist in keeping the
peace.
"As you can see, peace officers in this area
(Roanoke, Argyle and Bartonville) are few and
far between," Horton said. "People just don't
have enough protection. And with the sheriffs
department as understaffed as it is, I think I can
help take some of the burden off of them in this
area."
DURING THE PAST few years, Horton has
applied for appointments to peace offices in
several communities in North Texas, including
Denton. He was refused in all cases except
Flower Mound, where he served a short term
before submitting his resignation.
"The matter was treated as a resignation,"
Flower Mound Police Chief Paul Drewry said.
"He was halfway through the academy when we
accepted his resignation."
In the spring of 1978, Horton was engaged to
be married. March 21, 1978, he was arrested in
Waco and charged with aggravated assault and
injury to a child, in connection with injuries to
his fiancee and her son. The police report gave
this account:
Karen Eliase Dove said Horton was drinking
with a friend at Waco's "Something Different"
club. She had been trying to find him for some
time when she reached him at the club.
Around 5:30 p.m., Horton and his friend ar-
rived home. Horton and Ms. Dove began quar-
reling, and his friend left. After a brief argu-
ment, Horton began yelling in strong, vulgar
language. Stephen Joshua Bauer, Ms. Dove's
son, entered the house at that point.
WHILE HE STOOD by Ms. Dove, Horton
struck the child, knocking him against the televi-
sion set. The investigating officer reported a
large bruise on the child's cheek and a small cut
under his chin.
After telling Horton she did not wish to marry
him and attempting to leave, Horton struck her
with his fist. The investigating officer reported a
large cut, apparently caused by a ring, on Ms.
Dove's face.
She picked up the child and Horton knocked
them both to the ground. After a few minutes
she talked him into taking them to a hospital
Horton was arrested at the hospital.
Horton's story differed from Ms. Dove's.
"She was kind of high tempered and posses-
sive," he said. "And I was at a club where a girl
worked who I used to date. A friend of mine
asked me to go to that club. I wasn't sure I
should, because I knew Lisa wouldn't like it, but
we went anyway."
He said after Ms. Dove called him at the club,
he went home and was greeted with a cold stare.
She turned to walk away and he grabbed her by
the arm, he said.
"She pulled away and fell on top of the kid
and they both hit the table," he said. "Then on
the way to the hospital, she said to me, 'Jack,
you're not going to get away with this.'"
HE SAID JACK was Ms, Dove's former hus-
band who used to beat her, and that the state-
ment was made while she was in shock,
May 3, 1978, charges were dropped at the re-
quest of Ms, Dove.
Horton's conviction resulted from a case in
Lewisville. On May 31, 1977, Horton reported
to police that a woman had shot at him through
the window of his home. After investigation of
the incident, Horton was charged with making a
false report to a police officer.
False report to a police officer is a Class B
misdemeanor. On March 21, 1979, Horton was
convicted of disorderly conduct, a Class C mis-
demeanor, as the result of a plea bargain
between his attorney and the state, an official
from the Denton County district attorney's of-
fice said.
Requirements for eligibility for appointments
to peace offices in Texas are stringent. The
minimum standards, as set forth by the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Stan-
dards and Education, include
• Must be a citizen of the United States,
■ Must be 19 years of age.
• Must have fingerprints taken for submission
to the FBI and the Department of Public Safety
for a criminal record check,
• Must not have been convicted for driving
while intoxicated during the last 10 years, or of
any felony.
Plane fares skyrocket
Fliers to find seats open
By TERRI BANNING
Daily Reporter
Reservations are available on most
major airlines for students wishing to
make last-minute arrangements for
spring break vacations, an airline sales
manager said Thursday.
"Unlike this time last year, there are
still airline seats and services available to
just about anywhere you want to go,"
Mark Silagy, American Airlines sales
manager, said.
Extra passenger space is available due
to the economy, he said. "Many people
believe we are in a recession now, or will
go into one, so they aren't traveling as
much. Plus, the price of traveling has
gone up since last year."
Fuel costs have risen from 50 percent
to 100 percent in some areas and are
responsible for the increase in ticket
prices, Silagy said Airline fares rose 35
to 40 percent since last year. "But there
are some promotional fares that are
cheaper than last year's prices," he said.
Along with extra passenger space, ex-
panded flight schedules are making it
easier for more people to go where they
want. "For example, last year only
Braniff and Frontier flew to Denver, but
this year Delta and Texas International
are also flying to Denver," Silagy said.
American Airlines, Texas Inter-
national, Braniff and Southwest Airlines
offer discount fares for night or weekend
flights, but there are no special discounts
for students. Student discount fares of-
fered in the 1970s are no longer available
because the program was ruled dis-
criminatory.
Southwest Airlines, which flies to
Texas cities and New Orleans, offers the
lowest prices, a Southwest agent said.
"In many cases it costs less to fly than to
take the bus," she said.
"Most flights out of Dallas are still
open, and we have a good percentage of
people on standby to get flights when ar-
rangements have to be made at the last
minute," the agent said. Students should
make reservations on the inexpensive
fare flights as soon as possible, she said.
Silagy said the best traveling bargains
pre through travel agencies' air and
ground packages. "You can get a much
lower fare if you purchase one of these
packages," he said. "It's much cheaper
to buy everything at once, and you can
generally save about 50 percent."
Air packages include accommoda-
tions, airfare, transfers from airport to
hotel, baggage handling, taxes and
gratuities. Prices range from $200 to
$500, depending on the destination, Teri
Johnson, North Texas Travel Agency
consultant, said.
Although ground packages do not in-
clude airfare, they do cover hotel costs
and reservations. Ms. Johnson said lew
packages include meals and most do not
include sightseeing.
"Since space is reserved by the agency
on airlines and in hotels, you get
everthing a lot cheaper," she said. "It's
like group rates, but you only fly and
stay in the same hotel with the group.
It's not like you have to stay with them
all the time."
Several travel agency employees said
they have openings in air and ground
packages for students wishing to spend
spring break in resort areas such as Vail,
Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Tahoe, Reno
and Western Mexico.
Ms. Johnson said, however, reserva-
tions are almost full for air packages to
Mexico and various ski resorts.
"The Mexico area is almost sold out
and so are most of the ski areas," she
said. "A lot of other universities in this
area are taking spring break at the same
time NT is, so we are almost booked
up."
Payments on bookings are usually
made during a period of several months,
but if students can make a single pay-
ment, they may get reservations on
packages that are not sold out, Ms.
Johnson said.
Pholo by TERRY HASKER
COOKIc MONSTER—Luclnda Wilson, Baton Rouge.
La., freshman, (right) sits as Jason Haxton, Universal
City senior, prepares to descend on her cookies The
pair was filmed Thursday by Vlckl Jasper, Dallas
freshman who was working on a project for her film
production class
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Whitehead, Mike. The North Texas Daily (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 87, Ed. 1 Friday, March 7, 1980, newspaper, March 7, 1980; Denton, TX. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth332465/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.