The Monitor (Mabank, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 92, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 30, 2013 Page: 4 of 20
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Page 4A • The Monitor - Sunday, June 30, 2013
Police chief and District Attorney recognize community service
Assistant District Attorney Justin Weiner presented Community Service ribbon
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS-Monday
morning, Eustace Police
Chief Ken Holder and
District Attorney Scott
McKee took time to rec-
ognize efforts made by
one of McKee’s pros-
ecutors for his dedication
and service to the citizens
of Eustace and Hender-
son County.
Justin Weiner, who also
is the Eustace city pros-
ecutor, was presented a
“Community Service Rib-
bon” which is typically
displayed proudly on a
peace officer’s uniform.
The award was given
to recognize Weiner’s
outstanding efforts and
involvement within the
community, including his
participation in the East
Texas Crisis Center’s
“Walk a Mile in Her
Shoes.” The event, held
last month, raised money
and awareness of the
need to prevent sexual-
ized violence, so ofter
perpetrated against
women.
Living in Athens with
his wife and 1-year-old
son, Weiner is deeply
committed to and in-
volved in the community.
He serves as the chair-
man of the Henderson
County Child Welfare
Board, overseeing fund-
ing for and assessing the
needs of foster children
here in Henderson
County. The board pro-
vides resources such as
clothing, reading glasses,
and diapers to children
who, through no fault of
their own, have become
victims of abuse and neg-
ligence rendering their
homes unsafe.
Weiner also serves as
the president of the
Henderson County Bar
Association, is a member
of the Henderson County
Crime Stoppers Board,
and often serves as a
Judge for Henderson
County Teen Court.
District Attorney Scott
McKee who took part in
the ceremony to award
Weiner indicated that he
High court strikes down DOMA
Trial case involved high federal estate tax
charged to surviving partner
The Monitor Staff Reports
WASHINGTON, D.C.
- The Supreme Court
struck down the 1996
Defense of Marriage Act
as unconstitutional on
Wednesday, but the mling
will have no impact on the
rights of states such as
Texas to ban same-sex
marriage.
The law, known as
DOMA, denied federal
benefits to same-sex
couples who are now able
to legally marry in 12
states and the District of
Columbia. The ruling did
not address if there is a
constitutional right to
same-sex marriage.
In a related mling on the
issue of same-sex mar-
riage, the high court also
tossed out an appeal of a
lower court’s rejection of
California's Proposition 8
statewide vote overturning
a same-sex marriage law
passed by the state's leg-
islature. According to the
Los Angeles Times, the
high court mled that activ-
ists who put Proposition 8
on California ballots in
2008 did not have the right
to defend the law in fed-
eral courts after the state
refused to appeal its loss
at trial. This ruling raises
the number of states to 13
where same-sex unions
are recognized as mar-
riages.
Texans voted in 2005 to
ban same-sex marriage,
just as other states in the
South and Midwest have
done. President Bill Clinton
signed the overwhelmingly
bipartisan supported
DOMA, which defined
marriage as being between
one man and one woman,
into law 17 years ago.
Justice Anthony M.
Kennedy, who is viewed
as a swing vote, joined lib-
eral justices Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, Stephen G.
Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor
and Elena Kagan in the 5 -
to-4 decision. The justices
said DOMA “violated
equal protection to pro-
vide benefits to hetero-
sexual couples while deny-
ing them to gay couples”
in states where same-sex
marriage is legal, accord-
ing to the Washington
Post.
Kennedy said DOMA
represented same-sex
marriage as less worthy
than heterosexual mar-
riages.
“The federal statute is
invalid, for no legitimate
purpose overcomes the
purpose and effect to dis-
parage and to injure those
whom the State, by its
marriage laws, sought to
protect in personhood and
dignity,” Kennedy wrote in
his opinion.
Justice Antonin Scalia
wrote the dissenting opin-
ion, claiming the high court
had no right to rule on an
issue that should have
been left to Congress. He
said the mling unfairly la-
beled proponents of mar-
riage between a man and
a woman as “bigots.”
Scalia was joined by
Chief Justice John G. Rob-
erts Jr., Clarence Thomas
and Samuel A. Alito Jr. in
the minority opinion.
Roberts also addressed
the issue of a constitutional
right to marriage. “We may
in the future have to resolve
challenges to state mar-
riage definitions affecting
same-sex couples,” Rob-
erts wrote. “That issue,
however, is not before us
in this case.”
Windsor v. New York,
the case before the high
court related to the
DOMA decision, involved
an 83-year-old woman,
Edith Windsor, who mar-
ried Thea Speyer, in
Canada in 2007. Both
were New York residents
and lived together for 40
years.
When Spyer died in
2009, she left her estate to
Windsor, but the surviving
partner was forced to pay
an estate (death) tax bill of
$360,000 to the federal
government because
DOMA prohibited recog-
nition of their marriage,
even though it was legally
recognized in New York.
A Pew Research poll
recently showed that a
majority of Americans, in-
cluding President Barack
Obama, now favor same-
sex marriage. The poll sur-
veyed 1,504 adults May
1 -5, and deduced that 51
percent of Americans fa-
vor it and 75 percent think
it is an inevitable develop-
ment in society.
“This was discrimination
enshrined in law,” Obama
said in reaction to the
court’s ruling. “It treated
loving, committed gay and
lesbian couples as a sepa-
rate and lesser class of
people. The Supreme
Court has righted that
wrong, and our country is
better off for it,” he said.
At the same time, oppo-
nents of same-sex mar-
riage, including Republican
House Speaker John
Boehner, of Ohio, criti-
cized Obama and the high
court’s ruling in a state-
ment issued by his office.
The House of Represen-
tatives defended the con-
stitutionality of DOMA
before the high court
through its bipartisan legal
advisory group.
“Congress passed the
Defense of Marriage Act
on an overwhelmingly bi-
partisan basis and Presi-
dent Clinton signed it into
law,” Boehner said. “The
House intervened in this
case because the constitu-
tionality of a law should be
judged by the Court, not
by the president unilater-
ally. While I am obviously
disappointed in the ruling,
it is always critical that we
protect our system of
checks and balances. A
robust national debate
over marriage will continue
in the public square, and it
is my hope that states will
define marriage as the
union between one man
and one woman.”
As a result of the high
court’s ruling, same-sex
couples married in Massa-
chusetts, Connecticut,
Vermont, Iowa, New
Hampshire, New York,
Maine, Maryland, Wash-
ington, Rhode Island,
Delaware, California and
the District of Columbia
will be recognized by fed-
eral agencies as legally
married and entitled to the
benefits of any other mar-
ried couple.
Courtesy Photo
Eustace Police Chief Ken Holder (right) presents a community service award
ribbon to Henderson County assistant district attorney Justin Weiner in recognition
of his service to the city and county in his various public service roles.
was very proud of him.
“Justin is not only a first
class citizen who truly cares
about the community he
serves, he is also a top-
notch lawyer and tough-
■ indictments
on-crime prosecutor,”
McKee said.
He also indicated that
Justin has prosecuted some
of the office’s toughest
cases resulting in great re-
sults for the citizens of
Henderson County. “He is
definitely a rising star
among prosecutors and we
are very lucky he calls
Henderson County home.”
Continued from Page 1A
Wiley commented that
the DA’s Office and the
people who work there
are also victims.
“They are like any other
victim. Everyday we think
about what happened,”
Wiley said.
These murders have led
to extensive changes in the
day-to-day activities in
Kaufman County offices.
State grants will help the
county with the expenses
of installing video surveil-
lance equipment at the
Caught
main courthouse and of
prosecuting the case.
County judge Bruce
Wood said he received a
call from U.S. Senator Ted
Cruz immediately after
McLelland’s murder in
March asking how he
could help Kaufman
County.
That call was the begin-
ning of the county apply-
ing for an $122,058 state
grant for camera and video
recording system inside
and outside the main court-
house, to insure better se-
curity and safety for
county employees.
Another grant is ex-
pected to help the county
prosecute the Williamses,
who are being held in the
Kaufman County Law En-
forcement Detention Cen-
ter in lieu of bonds totaling
$10 million and $23 mil-
lion, respectively.
Wood said he expected
the trial to cost the county
hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
Continued from Page 1A
ties.
Everett was convicted in
early February 2012 for
Possession of a Controlled
Substance.
Lead prosecutors Justin
Weiner and Nancy Rumor
tried the case on behalf of
the people of Henderson
County. All it took was
seven minutes for ajury of
six men and six women to
deliver a convicting ver-
dict.
On April 3, 2012, a
month later, the court
heard evidence at a pun-
ishment hearing where
Weiner stated: “This is
someone who has failed to
take responsibility for her
actions on every level,”
Weiner stated. “While she
was out on bond, and
awaiting atrial in this court,
she was caught with even
more suspected metham-
phetamine, and went to
extremely bizarre lengths
to try to conceal evi-
dence.”
The court sentenced
Everett to a term of eight
years in prison. Her attor-
ney filed an appeal and she
was granted bail, while the
appeal was pending. Hav-
ing secured a bond, she
was out on bond, yet
again.
On April 24,2013, the
12th Court of Appeals in
Tyler affirmed the convic-
tion securing Everett’s
eight-year sentence.
Everett had been on the
run ever since, until some
hard work paid off on
Tuesday. Early in the
morning, deputy Kyle
Pochobradsky received
information regarding the
whereabouts of Everett.
She was living in a resi-
dence at 117 Estrota Drive
in Cherokee Shores with
Pete Quinonez, who also
was a fugitive from justice.
Quinonez had an outstand-
ing bond forfeiture for a
Possession of a Controlled
Substance case as well as
a Motion to Revoke pend-
ing for failure to pay child
support.
Ultimately, Everett’s
presence in the home was
verified. Captains Bryan
Tower, Kay Langford,
deputy Michael Teel, and
narcotics investigator
Wick Gabbard arrived at
the residence where a
lengthy standoff ensued.
District Attorney’s Office
investigator Ronny Halbert
and Weiner also arrived on
scene.
Everett eventually re-
moved the barricade from
the front door to the home
and came out willingly
once she realized that le-
gal forced entry was immi-
■July Fest
nent.
Both Everrett and
Quinonez were taken into
custody and transported to
the Henderson County Jail.
Everett will be transported
to the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice to serve
out her sentence.
Quinonez is being held
on pending charges with a
bond set at $10,300. A
motion to revoke commu-
nity supervision over the
nonpayment of child sup-
port and a 2012 charge of
possession of a prohited
substance in a correctional
facility are listed on his
record.
District Attorney Scott
McKee praised the work
of deputy Pochobradsky
for his efforts in locating the
fugitives.
Continued from Page 1A
hall and is set for 5-8 p.m.
Friday, July 5 at the am-
phitheater. The final ists are
set to sing-off at 8:30 p.m.
The July Fest daily
schedule includes:
Thursday, July 4
• Gates open at 4:30
p.m.
• pictures with Bmno the
Bear at 5 p.m. at the pa-
vilion.
• free community
church-hosted concerts
from 5 to 11 p.m. featur-
ing Kadie Lynn and other
soloists at the amphithe-
ater.
Friday, July 5
• kids bicycle parade
and show from 6-8 p.m.
in the pavilion.
• Shooting Star Singing
Contest from 5 to 8 p.m.
in the amphitheater.
Saturday, July 6
• car show from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m.
• Kadie Lynn performs
at 5:30 p.m., followed by
Derek Sholl, Kevin
Fowler and Vanilla Ice at
10:30 p.m. in the amphi-
theater.
• firework display at 10
p.m.
F or more information or
to register for events, call
(903) 887-1087 or go to
www.gunbarrelcity.net.
Courtesy file photo
Vanilla Ice in concert July 4, 2012 in Gun Barrel City,
returns for a repeat engagement.
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Cantrell, Pearl. The Monitor (Mabank, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 92, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 30, 2013, newspaper, June 30, 2013; Mabank, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth630450/m1/4/?q=%22Texas+Press+Association%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .