Keeping Up Appearances
Appearance of impropriety between Robert Durst’s attorney, Chip B. Lewis, and Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson
2520 Robinhood is home to a small high rise blocks away from Rice University. This address is also the location of Robert Durst’s safe house. Durst is a registered voter in Harris County and in the Conductor’s Circle level of giving to the Houston Symphony. In Houston, Durst’s security consists of Chip Lewis, not a registered voter; but, an attorney with special influence at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center.
If you turned on your television Sunday evening, you could not get away from Lewis. He seems to be using Durst’s latest misfortunes as his personal press junket. So, who is this opportunist?
Lewis spent the last half of the 1990s as a Harris County Assistant District Attorney. During 1999, his last year at the District Attorney’s office, Lewis represented the State of Texas in the prosecution of three Second Baptist School students alleged of aggravated sexual assault. For months, Lewis worked with fellow prosecutors Terese Buess and Lisa Andrews to prosecute these cases.
On the eve of trial, Lewis convinced the victim and her family to bless off on a plea bargain that dismissed the rape cases. In return, one of the three defendants, represented by Dan Cogdell, pled no contest to unlawful restraint and received deferred adjudication. This plea assured Cogdell that his client would not be labeled a sex offender because the plea bargain relieved the defendant of the sex offender registration requirements. Devon Anderson’s husband, Mike, accepted the plea bargain as judge of the 262nd District Court.
Following the conclusion of this deal, Lewis left the DA’s office and went to work for Cogdell. Meanwhile, the victim and her family were forced to file a civil lawsuit to recover restitution for her medical treatment
Lewis knows the media. Weeks after her husband’s passing, Devon Anderson was appointed to serve as Harris County District Attorney. Lewis served as a backchannel telling Chron reporter Brian Rogers that he “understood that Judge Anderson and Judge Hill discussed this [appointment] extensively.” How would he know?
So far, in one year, Lewis has donated $25,100 to Devon Anderson. Who knows if Durst has contributed under one of his many aliases.
- $10,000 on February 4, 2014
- $5,000 on May 23, 2014
- $1,000 on September 17, 2014
- $9,100 on September 25, 2014
This does not include the funds that Lewis donated to Mike Anderson, which were ultimately transferred to Devon’s campaign account. Lewis gave Mike Anderson $12,531.
- $10,000 on February 27, 2012
- $1,531 on June 12, 2012
- $1,000 on April 2, 2013
Even in the shadow of the latest courthouse rumors surrounding Lewis, he is hosting a fundraiser for Devon later this month. What has Chip’s investment in the Andersons done for him?
When Durst was arrested in June 2014 for urinating on candy at his local CVS, he was filed on for a class b misdemeanor. Three months ago (and post-election), Devon Anderson’s office reduced the charge to a fine only class c charge. Certainly a tough prosecutor like Devon called LA and Westchester County to let them know that their creepy serial killer is spraying his urine all over candy right here in Harris County, right? Devon Anderson sent the jinx back home to Rice Village. I am sure there is a very good reason why Robert Durst’s criminal defense attorney is Devon Anderson’s largest legal campaign contributor.
Since Devon Anderson assumed the position of District Attorney in September 2013, Lewis has received approximately 40 dismissals for his clients – this does not include the numerous dismissals under her husband’s administration. Victor Trevino, another Lewis client, received probation with no jail time for misapplying money. Trevino’s three other cases were dismissed.
Lewis represented Doug Karpen, the “Texas Gosnell.” Under Devon’s leadership, Karpen was no billed by a grand jury.
Lewis’s involvement in the 185th runaway grand jury is well recorded. Lewis and his client, Amanda Culbertson, sold a fabricated story to the grand jury, manipulated the system, and used the process to get Mike Anderson elected. Lewis and Culbertson subsequently attempted to use the federal court system to silence my wife and they have been unsuccessful. In fact, during one of the hearings, Lewis simply left the court during a break and was chastised by Judge Lynn Hughes.
The story of the worthless HPD homicide detective, Ryan Chandler, has been a consistent narrative over the past year. The former detective is married to Devon’s chief of post-conviction review, which is an area of the office supposedly dedicated to the review of innocence claims. For some reason, Lewis has openly supported the former detective and attempted to manipulate the media to favor this man who failed to investigate at least 25 Houston murder cases.
Devon Anderson needs to account for her relationship with Mr. Lewis. His campaign donations and results at the courthouse, at a minimum, appear improper.
The Andersons campaigned on their tough on crime stance. If you look around town, you can find evidence of a serious crime wave in Harris County. Tagging isn’t just graffiti – it is a criminal element marking their territory. The local news is filled with shootings, kidnappings, and robberies.
Harris County residents are riding a crime wave and the smart criminals know where to go. I am sure that the Rice University area residents are praying that the criminal justice system is less corrupt in New Orleans and LA County than in Houston. Maybe we can rename the open carry bill after Robert Durst.
Hmmm, another quick dismissal?
I have been asking, no one has ever heard of a dismissal before the 1st trial setting, and before it went to the Grand Jury where the car was reported stolen and the defendant was caught in it, a felony. Devon, you are making this way too easy;-)
Devon can investigate a UH fraternity, but not Chip for the incident in the 184th, c’mon 2016.
Arrest watch continues!
Well, I think the complaining witness had a change of heart for good reason…this wasn’t some random incident…more like a “date” gone wrong…
Miami,
A lot of dates go bad for many reasons at Treasurers. Some entitled strippers take their dates cars after a night of hard partying. It tends to go bad when said date has to fly home to his wife and has to explain to the rental car company where his rental is? It gets better for the stripper when she allows the defense attorney to work it all out for some jury room time. Did I miss anything?
Of course Murray perjured himself, what did you expect.
And Murray sure knows a lot about the need for Grand Jury reform. Craig, are you sure Murray didn’t give Lisa the story in the beginning?
Murray, you were fired for incompetence. Not only were you a drunk but you seemed to have had the habit of regularly breaking the law. This is about to come back and bite you in a very horrible way.
Ms. Gotro and Mr. Schneider can explain all this to you. Or, you can wait to read about it all right here. Bald, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life. Now you get to take Kelly down with you.
Devon has had to hire outside people to shore up the trial bureau because so many people have fled the Anderson disaster. This is not Jim Leitner’s fault. The fault remains squarely on those who used a corrupt grand jury to undermine the DA’s office.
Who says a Hooper can’t walk into the 185th and not get arrested. Not only did I not get arrested I got Murray’s David Temple transcript.
Now we are going to have some fun!
Roe Wilson, Lance Long, wow!
Do any of the posters on Murray’s blog actually work at the DA’s office? I say this because Devon took her bureau chiefs, and Susan Brown of course on and all expense paid trip to DC. This occurred during the flood. You have to ask yourself why I know this and Murray’s posters don’t.
Hmmm, the curious story of Patricia Pollard and Alfred Dewayne Brown.
Get a rope!
Murray has written about the horrible and dispecable acts of Charles Sebesta. He should be in prison all right. Time to start beating the fool again. Is there a more idiotic individual who ever set foot in the court house. Gosh this is going to be a hoot. Pop the corn folks!
Kelly Siegler and the jiggery pokery gang, new working title.
Over/Under on how long Kelly, Murray and the rest of the Jiggery Pokery Gang keep there bar cards.