Advocate
June 10, 1987
Witness Says Attorneys Tried Personal Appeals With Feazell
AUSTIN (AP) – A member of McLennan County District Attorney Vic Feazell’s staff testified Tuesday that attorneys often tried to influence the prosecutor because they considered him soft-hearted.
Feazell’s trial is in its second week in U.S. District Court and is expected to continue for at least two more weeks.
The prosecutor is charged on 10 counts of accepting bribes or illegal campaign contributions in exchange for his influence over criminal cases.
“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.
“They would cry and moan and try to make Vic believe their clients were not guilty. Some people said he was too soft-hearted,” she said.
Ms. Fitzgerald said the attorneys who sought personal attention from Feazell, 35, included Waco attorneys Dick Kettler, Ken Crow and Don Hall, all of whom have testified for the government against Feazell.
The government introduced a tape recording Tuesday that was secretly made by Kettler the day after Feazell was arrested.
U.S. Assistant Attorney Jack Frels indicated the tape would be used later in the trial.
Attorney Ron Moody testified Monday he and Crow gave Feazell a check for $500 and $4,500 in cash after a 1983 meeting in which Feazell mentioned he had a “substantial” campaign debt and asked if they could help.
The lawyer said he and Crow also gave Feazell a $400 check and $4,600 in cash when Feazell was having a fund-raiser in September 1984.
Feazell has been accused of taking $19,000 in bribes from a circle of Waco attorneys in exchange for dismissing charges against their clients or reducing their punishments. A 10-count federal racketeering indictment also charges him with mail fraud.
Moody and Crow pleaded guilty two weeks ago to misdemeanor tax evasion in exchange for testimony against Feazell.
Feazell says the charges were initiated by the Department of Public Safety, which he says is seeking revenge because of his investigation into Henry Lee Lucas.
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