Whether it's a half-d0zen dossiers on the "crookedness" or "corrupt" judges in Cameron County or the transcripts from the four times convicted racketeer former 404th District Judge Abel Limas wore the wire for the feds, it has become apparent that much more remains on the government's plate in their corruption probe into the local judiciary.
But how credible is their main witness, Limas himself, turning out to be?
It is up to Limas, apparently, to discern the fine line between a bribe and a loan, one repayable, the other not; between those attorneys who "gave" him money for friendship and those who he though did it to attain favorable rulings in his court.
And the government has now shown itself to be compliant toward the admitted g
ambling addict who on more than a dozen occasions accepted gambling outings in Las Vegas from attorneys with cases before his bench.Then there's the maudlin "Code of Silence" supposedly in effect in Limas' little mind where nothing is a crime unless you speak it. The word, in other words, becomes flesh. If you invoke the demon, it apparently will appear.
There are attorneys like Ocars De la Fuente who was a friend in deed, when Limas wanted cash. How did De la Fuente escape an indictment after Limas admitted on the bench that he had taken a $4,000 kickback from the San Benito lawyer in exchange for a lucrative ad litem appointment in a "good" case?
And how about former City of Brownsville Mayor Edde Treviño, another Limas "friend" who handed him $2,000 in cash for his campaign and Limas never reported it as a contribution?
And how about the $1,300 Limas got from Charles Willette at the time when the attorney (now retired) had an important case involving millions of dollars in his court?
The list goes on and on. Why weren't these people indicted just as Marchan and Joe Valle were? Was it at Limas' weasel-wording discretion?
Now we are being asked to believe Limas when he makes the fine distinction between a bribe, a kickback and a loan? You've got to give him credit. Whatever it was, he's not paying it back.
The federal government is seeking to keep Limas' stuff on the judges under wraps just as it is trying to keep the contents of the wiretaps Limas performed for them also from the public eye. The local federal judge apparently is content to allow the government to insinuate it has the dirt on the lawyers and jurists without having to show anyone the evidence.
In fact, defense attorneys had to ask the judge to make Limas' wife available to them because they couldn't locate her to seek exculpatory evidence for their client Marchan.
Yet, federal prosecutors felt they could introduce irrelevant evidence impugning others with crimes even though they were not relevant in Marchan's case.
Federal prosecutors had Limas testify that he received money from Cameron County District Attorney Armando R. Villalobos – who is present in court – to stop an investigation into events surrounding the Amit Livingston case.
According to Limas, he received the payment in order to stop the investigation and not take any judicial action regarding an inquiry that he, Limas, had started. This line of questioning came to a stop after defense attorneys objected based on relevance.
The questioning stopped after U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen quietly talked to both defense and prosecuting attorneys.
This is a very fine tightrope that the trial has begun to cross the chasm of public credibility.
The main liability to the government's case now seems to be its main witness: Limas, a man who has shown no respect for the public that elected him, the "friends" who have helped him or the lawyers who wined and dined him and threw gambling chips his way. He has shown that he would throw the respect and reputation of his own parents under the bus to save his skin and that of his wife and son who are caught on some government tapes fighting like vulgar thieves over the spoils of his corruption.
This is a very fine tightrope that the trial has begun to cross the chasm of public credibility.
The main liability to the government's case now seems to be its main witness: Limas, a man who has shown no respect for the public that elected him, the "friends" who have helped him or the lawyers who wined and dined him and threw gambling chips his way. He has shown that he would throw the respect and reputation of his own parents under the bus to save his skin and that of his wife and son who are caught on some government tapes fighting like vulgar thieves over the spoils of his corruption.
11 comments:
Limas hasn't been sentenced yet. The feds have plenty of leverage.
You ignorance of the law is showing Juan. Marchan is charged under the RICO laws and the Feds have to show that Marchan and Limas were part of a criminal organization. So, it is relevant to show there were others involved. This is part of the case they must prove.
They have no need and indeed it is not relevant now, that the Feds turn over all of their cards on the others members of this criminal organization. The Feds are showing just enough to prove there were a number of people in this crooked courthouse that were linked together. Limas is the common link.
Limas is a scumbag and it is always bad to have a scumbag as your principal witness, because as you said, there is a credibility issues. Thus, the Feds have to introduce enough other evidence (wire tape, photos, bank records etc. etc.) that back up their scumbag witness story and indicate to the jury that the scumbag can be believed.
We have no yet heard from Marchan's defense lawyers, but unless they can pull a rabbit out of a hat, Marchan is toast. He should have taken the deal.
As to the rest of the scumbags, the Feds are still squeezing them and they are spilling their guts all over each other.
The Fat Lady has yet to sing. There will be more.
I have been there like a jury member and no way now way is Marchan guilty ! ! Yea he had to do whatever the judge asked and that dont make Marchan guilty.
With a gun to your head, you too would give the judge what ever he asks.
Bad lawyer yes. Crook No Marchan will rely on the Jury to see the case is built on a lying, cheating, gambler, with no ends and Marchan was a victum ! !
Not guilty Not guilty Not guilty.
I want to hear Gilberto squeal like a stuck piggie! Come on! Give it to me, now!
The Jury of mostly women look to be the most dedicated respectable and honest US citizens who will make the right decision and see that Limas would say and did say anything on the stand to satisfy the Feds.
No other evidence against Attorney Marchan who had a gun to his head by the Judge since he was the only Cameron County attorney making anymoney ! !
Limas knew he had a pot of gold with Marchan and knew how to squeeezeeee for money at the right time.
NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY
Defense Atty Noe Garza and his bulldog asst A K Garza are doing a great job and have Judge Hanen on his toes.
Keep up the pace! Stay the course !
And the Defense has not yet started to put on their case.
The Jury is following step by step, word by word and you are making the case for reasonable doubt with just about every turn.
Week two and I would have thought the evidence showing a crime would have ben presented.
Have you ever heard 4 engineers in a conversation over a project ?
Have you ever heard 4 doctors in a conversation over a medical procedure ?
Have you ever heard 4 policemen in a coversation over a police matter ?
Have you ever heard 4 attorneys and a Judge (also an attorney) in a conversation over an on-going lawsuit ?
the language, the frankness, slang terms, technical jargon makes you think they are TALKING IN CODE but boy it is hard to listen to but is normal for each profession.
The Feds are only presenting behind the scences talk between 4 attorneys and a Judge to try and hang Marchan.
Wont work. The Jury will see thru the confusion and find NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY.
Your dedication and digging into this story is impressive. I appreciate your work.
It would be very interesting to see how much money Vela and his wife have earned in the past doing the same kind of work and how much they have earned when they have been appointed by a judge. I would say over $150,000-$250,000.....
I am also sure that the federal judge and prosecuting attorneys have also accepted money from their "appointments" from their friendly judges. (Please do some of your excellent digging on this)
Why have the others who have been mentioned to have given money via kickbacks, bribes, loans not been indicted?
All I see is that millions of dollars have been wasted on this case over the years and the feds only witness is a compulsive gambler and liar. I am now more than convinced that this witch hunt is nothing but a smoke screen hiding the real puppet masters hiding behind the Velas' skirts.
So if you say Limas is lying, when he says he did receive a kick back from Marchan, doesn't that make Limas INNOCENT too????? If Marchan never bribed him, then Limas never received a bribe. This case is US vs Marchan.
(So if you say Limas is lying, when he says)
Marchan is guilty and he's going to prison. The trial is just part of the performance(dance).
Gunthy Renker
Limas reminded me of richard M Nixon, I am not a crook, it was only a loan your honer
Juan check deeper into the ad litem fees, you will be surprised at what you find trust me
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