Caller-Times
May 30, 1987
Feazell assistant says he saw no bribe
The Associated Press
AUSTIN – The former top assistant to McLennan County District Attorney Vic Feazell testified Friday that he never witnessed his boss take a bribe.
U.S. Magistrate Dennis Green of Waco, who worked as Feazell’s first assistant in 1983, said prosecutors sometimes take into account the defendant’s circumstances when deciding what punishments to recommend.
Feazell also tried to be merciful in cases that warranted it, Green said during the fourth day of Feazell’s federal bribery trial.
“Did he ever have a policy of justice tempered with money?” prosecuting Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Frel asked Green.
“No sir,” Green replied.
Prosecutors allege that Feazell accepted bribes from certain lawyers in exchange for having their cases dismissed or arranging for reduced punishments.
Feazell also has been charged with seven counts of mail fraud. Prosecutors allege he mailed fraudulent reports to law enforcement agencies.
Green spent most of the morning criticizing operations in the district attorney’s office before Feazell took over. He said when Feazell took office in January 1983, it was completely disorganized.
Feazell beat incumbent Felipe Reyna during the November 1982 election.
The previous administration left the office disorganized, leaving Feazell and his staff with many long nights of work, Green said.
“When we first came in, it was about as close to anarchy as it could be,” Green said.
“Records were kept on a Rolodex. That was the first time I had seen that used for anything other than phone numbers. That was more or less permanent file at the time.”
Green said he left at the end of 1983 after a “frustrating year.”
Friday’s testimony was delayed by a discussion of props being used by the prosecution. Frel had government staff members assemble huge, blank easels on which he said he’d display calendars later in the trial.
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