Published Tuesday, December 02, 2008 6:05 AM
Updated Saturday, February 07, 2009 9:17 PM
Officials confirm past incidents
By MATTHEW WATKINS
matthew.watkins@theeagle.com
Officers had twice been called to Bryan police chief Ty Morrow's home prior to a Nov. 23 family violence call that sparked a criminal investigation, Morrow and city officials confirmed Monday.
Morrow is on administrative leave pending criminal and internal affairs investigations.
Brazos County Attorney Rod Anderson said Monday that he requested the office of the Texas Attorney General take over investigating the case and deciding whether criminal charges were necessary.
Reports show that Morrow called police at 12:37 a.m. Nov. 23 and told them that an argument between him and his wife had become physical and he had handcuffed her. He told The Eagle on Wednesday that he "swatted" her as she was kicking him when she lost her balance and fell into a wall.
The Eagle requested documents and tapes on Monday related to the calls, but city officials declined to release them because of the pending investigation. An open records request was filed with the city.
A city spokesperson with access to a 911 dispatchers report did, however, acknowledge details from a call that came from Morrow's house on Jan. 29.
The call came in at 9:28 p.m. and the dispatcher reported hearing yelling and dogs barking in the background before the phone was abruptly hung up, said Bryan spokeswoman April Avison. The dispatcher called the house back at 9:29 p.m. and reported that somebody picked up the phone and immediately hung it up again, Avison said.
The 911 dispatcher called back at 9:31 p.m. and Morrow's wife, Cindy Morrow, answered, Avison said. Cindy Morrow said she called 911 because she thought she saw someone outside her home, Avison said.
Officer Chris Johnson arrived at the house at 9:35 p.m. and notified dispatch that there was no problem at the house, Avison said.
It was unclear in dispatch reports whether Morrow was at the house at the time of the incident, Avison said.
Police department officials told The Eagle on Nov. 24 that authorities had never responded to the couple's home prior to Nov. 23.
Several days later, police officials confirmed that an officer responded to the couple's home in February, answering either a 911 hang-up or a suspicious-person call. Officials said last week that they weren't able to provide more information about that call. On Monday, Avison said that Bryan police did not respond to any calls at the Morrow house in February.
Representatives from Bryan police on Monday refused to comment on the case, referring media inquiries to the city of Bryan.
Avison said she was comfortable confirming that the call from Morrow's home on Jan. 29 was unrelated to the current investigation.
"As to why she hung up, that is something you would have to ask Cindy Morrow," Avison said.
Reached by phone on Monday night, Ty Morrow refused to discuss the incident.
"I have already made my statement [to the media] and I am not going to comment any further," he said.
He did acknowledge that police were called to his home one other time around November or December of last year. Morrow, who lived in College Station at the time that call was made, also refused to give any information about that incident.
Lt. Rodney Sigler, spokesman at the College Station department, said late Monday that the department needed more information about the call to determine what transpired.
The situation under criminal investigation began when Morrow called police intake at 12:37 a.m. Nov. 23 and two sergeants responded to his house.
Morrow told the sergeants that he handcuffed his wife because she was hitting him. He told The Eagle last week that he "swatted" her while she was cuffed and caused her to fall as she was trying to kick him. The fall caused a hole in the wall that was about 5 inches long and 12 inches wide, according to police reports.
The husband and wife both declined to press charges, and Ty Morrow agreed to leave the home for the night. Both received minor injuries that didn't require medical attention.
While at the house, Sgt. Benson Kilgore was bitten by one of the family's Rottweilers and received a puncture wound on his right hand, city officials confirmed Monday. Morrow was given a written warning for having a biting animal but was not charged with any crime and the dog was placed in quarantine at the home, they said.
According to a preliminary police report, Cindy Morrow told police that her husband pushed her and threw her into several walls. She also said that she previously had been assaulted, including an incident in February when her husband broke her nose and blackened both eyes, the report states.
In an e-mail to reporters last week, Cindy Morrow said she was heavily intoxicated when she told police that Morrow broke her nose and that she did so because she was "angry at being handcuffed."
"In an intoxicated state, I made statements that were not true," she said.
She said in an interview with KBTX-TV that the bruises she suffered in February were the result of an aggressive sex life with her husband. She declined an interview request from The Eagle, saying that the television interview did not fairly capture her message.
The incident initially was under investigation by a Bryan sergeant, but it was transferred to the Brazos County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday at the suggestion of Anderson, the county attorney.
Anderson said he then decided to ask an agency outside of Brazos County to conduct the investigation because of the "closeness" of the groups inside the county. He said he chose the Attorney General's Office because it has the resources to pursue the matter.
"It could be any other local prosecutors, but I have contacted at least one other county and, because of their schedule and their cases, we don't have any large offices around us that can take it right now," he said.
If they choose to take the case, investigators will have the opportunity to review statements and evidence and re-interview people involved in the case, Anderson said.
City Manager David Watkins said that Morrow will not be reinstated until both the criminal and internal affairs investigations are completed.
"We just want a timely review of the criminal charges," he said. "We don't want this to drag out for a long time."
Deputy Chief Peter Scheets currently is heading the department in Morrow's absence.
"I need to get the chief back in office if he hasn't done anything criminally wrong," Watkins said. "We have been waiting now for a week for something to happen and nothing has happened. If the Attorney General's Office can move forward with the facts and get the facts, we just want to see this done -- not in a reckless matter, but expediently."
Comments
[comment]
45 comment(s) found!
Posted by:
On:
Friday, December 05, 2008 1:04 AM
Comment Title: Speak up!
While these comments are good, not that many people read them. Why not e-mail the City Council members and The Eagle with your feelings about this?
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:34 PM
Comment Title:
amen!!!!! To All of you! "reluctant Horton" How sad it that, how can you be reluctant to at least investigate these 2 guys? This is truly sad, especially the fact that Watkins is spear heading this whole investigation. Shame on him!!!!!!!
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:17 PM
Comment Title:
Look at the mayor and council person you elected to see the problem. They hired the city manager who recommended the police chief that they approved for employment.
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:03 PM
Comment Title:
Many of The people that have been run off have been life long residents of the area. The ones we went to school with and church for 45 years. Something is wrong in Bryan Government. The one's now in trouble and running the city have only been in the area a years are two.
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Posted by:
Columbo On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:44 PM
Comment Title: The Bryan Chief
Why at a meeting at city hall in Bryan the city manager Mr. Watson made a comitt to several retired employes that the chief in Bryan was a good person and commetted that the chief could get several different people involved in Police work. It is hard for me to believe that the chief on November 22 had to hand cuff his wife because she was intoxicated, broke her nose and both had scratches on their face. I would also like to know why is the chief of Bryan is living in College Station.No one is above The Law.It is a disgrace how they let all the employes that had twenty years experience or Better go. The Police Department has really gone down hill in the past few years. It will Never be as good as it was. All the good people have been let go. It is a shame how everything was changed and Not for the Better
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 11:36 AM
Comment Title:
Word has it that Southerland, Saenz. amd a reluctant Horton finally got this on the council agenda.
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 9:40 AM
Comment Title:
Saenz and Southerland are only 2 council members and if you remember right, it was voted on that it takes 3 council members to get anything done at city hall. We need to get it changed back to 2 for them to be productive up there.
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Posted by:
Jamie@CS On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 7:37 AM
Comment Title: Prison needed
The bryan police chief should spend some time in prison end of story.
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Posted by:
oldsalty On:
Thursday, December 04, 2008 6:01 AM
Comment Title: The Untouchables??
So I can go to a party tonite, get drunk, drive home while drunk, get in a verbal argument with my wife, swat her (aka hit), get bloody and scratched up, throw her in a wall, hancuff her to a piece of furniture, call the police, my dog (an agressive breed) can bite a police officer, lie about the whole thing and no one goes to jail and everyone will help cover it up!!! If this was an average person, everyone would of went to jail, including the dog! The citizens of Bryan are fed up with it!
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:36 PM
Comment Title:
Grimes county is the county for this type of behavior. The people of Bryan need to be ashamed.
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 10:21 AM
Comment Title: no more
you promise?
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Posted by:
Crystal On:
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:42 AM
Comment Title: On that note...
I will not waste anymore of my time caring about you bashers and what new negative thoughts you have. Some of us actually work for a living and have more things to do than surf the net and see what can be hated on.
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Posted by:
Crystal On:
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:22 AM
Comment Title: Not holier than thou...
but at least I won't rot in hell for judging others! And your "stupid" comment doesn't offend me, if that's what you were trying to do. You believe what you believe, I believe what I believe. I think there are better things in life to do than bash everyone. Obviously you get your joy out of trying to demean others. Keep yourself miserable. (Hope you have a blessed day!) :) (...and I'm probably more educated than most of you bashers on here!)
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Posted by:
CountyGuy On:
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 2:31 AM
Comment Title: Chief could apply in Washington County
Perhaps the Chief would like to apply for one of the jobs that just came open in nearby Washington County. You see, over there they didn't give these low paid county workers an "administrative leave" they just fired them. Do we really want to hold jailers to a higher standard than we set for the Bryan Chief of Police? Five former Washington County jail employees accused in a food stamp scam were ordered back to court after they obtain attorneys. A judge on Tuesday said the group will enter their pleas January 13. Gladys Johnson, Linda Martin, Latoya Rogers, Maryilyn Siglar and Patricia Slaughter were all indicted last week for tampering with a government document. Investigators say they received hundreds of dollars of food stamps after fraudulently applying for assistance following Hurricane Ike. All were fired from their jobs at the Washington County jail.
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Posted by:
CSTX Jay On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 11:43 PM
Comment Title:
Hello CS/AM basher that is a Bryan resident and criminal supporter. Did it take 4 Generations for your family of criminals to do this to your City? You are true low class trash. You supported this for over 1 year now. Your hero Chief.
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Posted by:
Good walls make good neighbors. On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 11:30 PM
Comment Title:
Bryan Residents put up this because the feel it is normal. College Station put up the Wall protect you self. Bryan is a crime cancer on Texas.
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Posted by:
James On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 10:19 PM
Comment Title: Fix
Bryanmom, you are absolutely correct but you are going to burn through a perfectly good keyboard trying fix stupid.
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Posted by:
bryanmom On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 10:07 PM
Comment Title:
While I never claimed to be perfect or sin free, I also never took the top job in the police department(with accompanying benefits) nor felt compelled to lock up others for domestic violence while minimizing my own actions with such putrid terms as "swat". With public service comes a responsibility and knowledge that your actions will be seen by most of your community. I can say I have never, ever in my life abused a family member and if this offends your holier-than-thou sensibilities so be it.
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Posted by:
James On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:55 PM
Comment Title: Wasted breath
Most of you guys are talking way above Crystal's comprehension level. She is on the "thou shall not" kick. The "accusations" she says everyone is making came from statements from Mr and Mrs Morrow themselves. Yes, we have had drinks, we do have sin, we usually don't "swat" our spouses, lie about it, change the story, or have bruising, broken nosed, sex. Yes, we can judge him, he works for us.
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Posted by:
AG On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:46 PM
Comment Title: Past Time
It is way past time that our city council replaces the chief and the city manager. How long are you going to let this go on? Saenz and Southerland, we need you guys to step up to the plate on this one and get these two out of here. What an embarrassment and our council is letting this go on and on.
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Posted by:
Crystal On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:45 PM
Comment Title:
Whatever floats your boat and helps you sleep at night. All I'm saying is don't be so quick to point the finger, as I'm sure you are not so perfect, innocent, or sin free. There's only one true judge, and that's God. Whatever happens is way beyond your control. I just don't see the point in blogging such negativity. It's sad that you were a victim of domestic violence...I hope the situation turned out the way you wanted, as it was *your* situation. As far as substance abuse goes...pin a rose on your nose if you have never had alcoholic beverages or been *drunk* your entire life (highly unlikely). Man, I didn't realize I lived in a perfect world...or at least community! Get real!
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Posted by:
Anderson TX. update On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:32 PM
Comment Title:
Agree
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Posted by:
FYN On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:10 PM
Comment Title: Unacceptable behavior
What makes this man think this activity is acceptable anywhere? Through either professional courtesy or incompetence by CSPD he was able to escape any consequences for this behavior in College Station. Apparently he moved to Bryan thinking since he was top cop he could do as he pleased with no consequences. Au Contraire, that behavior is definitely not acceptable in Bryan as he is now realizing. Bryan should be replacing their police chief shortly along with a couple of investigating officers. While they are in the mood, they might replace their city manager also. And their mayor, and most of the council.
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Posted by:
Anderson TX. On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 8:13 PM
Comment Title:
Bryan is self bashing now. I feel pity for The CS/TAMU Basher from Bryan.
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 8:07 PM
Comment Title:
This type of behavior is not acceptable in College station. You Bryan Police chief found out and Moved to Bryan.
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Posted by:
NBA-Normal Bryan Activity. On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 7:19 PM
Comment Title:
New low point in Bryan.
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Posted by:
bryanmom On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:47 PM
Comment Title: crystal
Wow, where to begin? First, due to the availability of information that can be gleaned from posting identifiable info on the web, of course I don't use my real name-there's a lot of folks out there who may or may not have all the dots on their dominoes; if you catch my drift. Second, as a victim of domestic violence myself, I can tell you that even the scant details contained in the media reports there are many red flags that indicate both a history of domestic violence as well as substance abuse-a bad combination. Also, I'm sure there are many Brazos Valley citizens who found themselves in the same type of situation who would have loved to keep the details in house, so to speak, but police acted appropriately and someone went to jail and possibly cost them jobs, homes and friends. Why should someone be above paying the price simply because of their standing in the community. There's a reason the chief of police and the city manager make large salaries, live in nice homes and such...because they supposedly have more training/experience/skills that should make them even more aware of such consequences than the average citizen. As to what I teach my children; I teach them that there are consequences for their actions and there's no inherent entitlement just because someone has more money or a fancy job title.
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Posted by:
Crystal On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:01 PM
Comment Title: bryanmom
Most of you don't even use a name, just a cover up to post all your accusations! I will say it again, you only hear parts of a whole. Do what makes you feel better, afterall, everyone deserves to get their kicks, even if it's at someone else's expense. Why don't you let the public servants do their job? And again, by all means, be the first to cast your stones since you are obviously so perfect and free of sin. Mrs. Morrow is screwed either way she goes...speaks-she's lying, keeps her mouth zipped-she's covering something up. You, yourself, have proven this. I hope you are teaching your children to be as innocent as you seem to be.
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Posted by:
bryanmom On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 3:11 PM
Comment Title: re: Crystal
It's not a matter of "getting a life", rather a matter of playing by the same rules they (the police department) require the rest of us lowly citizens to play by. The reason this continues to be a story and generating loads of comments is that Chief Morrow and Mrs Morrow's stories keep changing and it carries the whiff of cover-up. Domestic violence is the most despicable crime when it comes to covering up; especially when ordinary citizens would have had at least one arrest at the scene as well as subsequent charges for false statements to police. It needs to be investigated and if applicable, charges filed.
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Posted by:
Crystal On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 3:01 PM
Comment Title: Get a life...
Seriously, do you have nothing better to do with your time than to blog all day everday? You don't know what's going on. All you know is what the media has shown you...and we all know they tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!...YEAH RIGHT! Any story can be told anyway someone wants you to view it. "Let the person among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 12:08 PM
Comment Title:
So this guy is one of those trashy College Station residents? Let him stay there and CSPD can teach him how to write speeding and jaywalking tickets.
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Posted by:
CSTX On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 11:48 AM
Comment Title:
Now the Bryan chief incident has a new twist. CSPD was called at his CS home. You Bryan people take the cake. Your city looks to be run by people of bad judgment. How can a city the size of Bryan have a Police chief that does all this. Bryan you are the fools of Texas. Let's hope College Station Police did not cover up anything.
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 11:24 AM
Comment Title: Bryan chief
How can the police chief of Bryan even move to College Station. He should have been in Bryan the whole time. Then again if I had a family I would want them in a safer city also. He must have moved been made to move at a later date. The city should insist that the new chief live in Bryan from day one. This just gets to be a bigger black eye for the city every day.
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 11:12 AM
Comment Title: doesn't apply
Haven't you learned by now, rules are for OTHER people- certainly not those at the top!
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Posted by:
bryanmom On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:51 AM
Comment Title: Why wasn't the dog quarantined?
Per the Bryan Police Department General Orders Manual: 6. Conducting investigations on animal bites. a. Reporting of bite incidents and quarantines. (1) Animal Control Officers are required to write a complete report on any animal bite incident. In the absence of an Animal Control Officer, a Police Officer may take the bite report and forward a copy to the Animal Control Unit for follow-up. (2) Animal bite reports shall contain: (a) The name and address of the victim and the name of a responsible adult if the victim is a juvenile. (b) The part of the body that was bitten. (c) The name and address of the animal owner. (d) The location of the animal. (e) The vaccination and license information. (f) Medical treatment information. (g) Photographs of injuries. (3) If the biting animal is dead and being turned over to the Brazos Animal Shelter for lab analysis, lab submission paperwork must be completed. This paperwork is available at the Brazos Animal Shelter and must be completed when the animal is released to the shelter. b. The rabies quarantine period shall start on the day of the bite incident. (1) Dogs, cats, and ferrets (domestic) regardless of vaccination status must be quarantined for a period of not less than ten (10) days. (2) High risk animals such as skunks, bats, foxes, coyotes and raccoons must be humanely killed and their heads submitted for rabies testing. (3) Low risk animals such as opossums, shrews, moles, squirrels, gophers, mice, rabbits, rats, and armadillos do not need to be tested unless the Local Rabies Control Authority has reason to believe the biting animal has rabies. 04-39.1 Page 3 of 9 According to their own police manual, the chief's dog should have been quarantined after biting an officer
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:33 AM
Comment Title: Must be nice.
In the State of Texas. on a domestic violence call, someone goes to jail. It doesn't matter if either parties involved wants to press charges or not, the state does. On such a call someone ALWAYS goes to jail. State law. Even if there are not any marks on the people, someone goes to jail and the state is who will press charges. Must be nice to be the chief...............
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Posted by:
Time to go On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 8:53 AM
Comment Title: aggressive sex life?
Lies, lies and more lies. What kind of sex breaks your nose and gives you black eyes? We don't need any SEXUAL DEVIANTS as police chief either! I think Mrs. Morrow just keeps getting in deeper and deeper with her mouth. Better watch out or the chief will "swat" her again! Maybe the chief thinks this type of activity is OK since he is boss over the "SWAT" team...
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Posted by:
Why was The police Chief of Bryan Living in College Station? On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 8:23 AM
Comment Title:
I to not believe anything coming out of Bryan. The Eagle reported last week the where no calls at his home then change the PD changed the store. I never seen a DV case that two officers did not show up on. Who was the 2nd one?
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 8:15 AM
Comment Title:
Stopping and interferring with a 911 call is a crime who did this? serious stuff.
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 7:52 AM
Comment Title:
We have yelling on a 911 tape. A 911 hang up and everything is fine. Did officer french answers this call and have a problem with it? How can you believe anyone at BPD. The Mayor sounds clueless. Is anyone investigating the city MGR for his disturbance?
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 7:42 AM
Comment Title:
We need to remember this at election time. This mess is Bad even by Bryan standards.
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 7:40 AM
Comment Title:
Bryan criminals are out of control. Why not city hall?
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 7:29 AM
Comment Title: Swat?
Let's see. I handcuff my wife. I swat her - different word than hit or strike. I cause my drunk, handcuffed wife to fall causing a hole in a wall 5 inches by 12 inches in size. Nope, that is not domestic violence if you are the Chief of Police. Just the usual Saturday night family discussion. What an interesting choice of words. Swat? Is she a fly? Or are the investigators fools?
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 7:26 AM
Comment Title: Big trouble
in little Bryan. This does not look very good for either of these public officials. Records will not be released during investigations, but investigations are at least being conducted. What a mess.
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Posted by:
Robert Bigham, Bryan On:
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 6:36 AM
Comment Title: Officials confirm past incidents
The police have been called to the police chief's house three times and the city manager's house once because of domestic disturbances. OMG. Where do they get these people? Where is the common sense in the selection process? What percentage of the general population has to have the cops come to referee a domestic spat, ever? How many husbands handcuff their wives to restrain them from doing violence, ever? Where DO they get these people? How are they selected?
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