Daily Telegram
June 10, 1987
Attorney: Had Feazell Deal To Split Fees
AUSTIN (AP) – A Waco attorney testified Tuesday that he and his law partner had an agreement with District Attorney Vic Feazell to divide equally all money received in getting court cases dismissed.
“The understanding was that Vic would get one-third and all three of us would share alike,” said Dick Kettler, a witness of the government.
The McLennan County prosecutor is charged with accepting bribes or illegal campaign contributions in exchange for his influence over criminal cases.
The trial is in its third week in U.S. District Court.
Kettler said he had talked with Feazell several times in 1984 about getting DWI charges dismissed without offering any money.
“I began having trouble talking to Vic, and my partner (Don Hall) went over to see Feazell,” Kettler said.
“Hall came back and said Vic wants a piece of the action. That’s the way he put it.” Kettler said. “Hall said that’s what it’s going to take to do business over there.”
Kettler said he later made a tape recording of a conversation with Feazell in his own office on Sept. 12, 1986, with the help of the FBI.
Earlier, a member of Feazell’s staff testified Tuesday that attorneys often tried to influence Feazell because they considered him “soft-hearted.”
“One of my biggest problems was that attorneys would come and talk with me or one of the assistant district attorneys and when they didn’t like the negotiations they would go to Vic,” said Deanna FitzGerald, who is chief of the misdemeanors section in Feazell’s office.
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