Former Collin County DA John Roach and prez of his posse, former Judge Charles Sandoval, have stirred up so much drama that I’m pretty sure they’re responsible for the cancellation of All My Children.
Dedicated to scoop in the Park Cities, I’ve had my eye on the chapter involving University Park resident David Cary and his wife, Stacy Stine Cary. David’s child custody case was in Sandoval’s court, and when Sandoval lost the seat to Suzanne Wooten in 2008, the Carys found themselves in the crossfire of McKinney’s version of The Sopranos.
Along with Wooten and her campaign manager, the Carys were indicted last year (after the case was presented to at least 3 and possibly 6 grand juries) for, according to Brian Chandler, an assistant state attorney general, bribery by donating funds, “to have Suzanne Wooten run for the position, to be elected, and when she was elected, rule in favor of the Carys.” Quite an elaborate plot. Especially confusing since, after winning the seat, Suzanne Wooten recused herself from the case.
So what’s the crime if it’s perfectly legal to donate money to a campaign? That’s what the defendant’s attorney, Keith Gore, is trying to figure out as the saga continues. According to the Motion to Quash Indictment filed on April 14, Gore says, “…the State has presented an indictment that alleges a conspiracy to commit legal acts and, therefore, has not alleged a violation of the law.” That just sounds so totally cool. I bet Gore doesn’t look at explosions.
10 comments
In the years I have known Judge Wooten, including her years in private practice, I always found her to be a good attorney, and good to work cases with. I wish her the best.
I have known Suzanne for almost 2 decades. She was a law clerk at the first firm I worked for (I was a Legal Assistant/Secretary)…she treated me as an equal, imparting her knowledge when she could, and was always the most courteous, fair, direct & decent person I know. There is not a person on this planet that could convince me that she would intentionally violate any law. Period.
I wish her and her family well.
I’ve heard nothing but the highest praise for Wooten.
Thank goodness a new day dawned in Collin County — it was starting to feel like Libya — with Roach and his ilk, including hatchet man Chris Milner, out. Finally Collin County has some good judges on the bench and an outstanding D.A. with a top-flight staff. It’s actually a pleasure to practice law up there again.
The Cary’s attorney Keith Gore ran for Judge in Collin County in the last election. He was following in the footsteps of his father in law, Judge John McGraw I guess. That would be the Judge John McGraw who presided over the Cary’s latest custody trial in Collin County. According to public records, Mr. Cary donated to Keith Gores campaign. Nothing wrong with that? He made the donation during said custody trial. His friend and one of his attorneys was the presiding Judge’s son in law, and he donated to his political campaign DURING his custody trial. I wonder how much they’ve paid Mr. Gore over the years? But surely Judge McGraw’s rulings in the favor of the Cary’s, making a complete reversal of previous custody trials, giving them for the first time primary custody was just because of the Stine-Cary’s flawless record as upstanding citizens, it had nothing to do with politics or the major $$ his daughters husband was making off of these folks standing before him for judgment….oh, wait…let’s use public records again and go back to the day Stacy Stine and David Cary got married:
University Park Police Department – Adult Arrest Report
Case # 1-06-015562-001, filed 12-04-06
Defendant Stacy Stine Cary charged with public intoxication, disorderly conduct, displaying a firearm in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm (penal Code 42.01 (a) sec. (8).
As reported by Ball, John L
On 12 – 03 -06 at approximately 2128 hours I officer Velasquez received a disturbance call in reference to a person knocking real hard on the complainants front door with a rifle in their hand. The caller and her husband and their young son stood away front the front door and called the police dispatcher from the backyard stating to the dispatcher that there was someone at their front door screaming loudly, knocking hard on their front door with a rifle in their hand, as they could see the barrel pointing downward through the front door window.
Upon arrival at 2130 hours I had observed the arrested defendant Stacy Stine walking from the front porch of XXXX Lovers Lane southbound through the front yard and over to my parked patrol unit. At the time of contact with the defendant she did not have a weapon in her hand, she appeared intoxicated and disoriented. When she approached me, I asked her, where is the gun? The defendant stated that it was on the side of the house. Upon Sgt. Ball’s arrival I had him detain the defendant while retrieved a Smith and Wesson 12 gauge pump action shotgun, model #1000P, serial #FB01039, found leaning against the west wall of the house next to the front porch (shotgun was not loaded). The defendant in her intoxicated state was never clear as to why she had the shotgun, only that she needed help finding her car keys to her vehicle in order to get some type of eye solution and that is why she went to her neighbors house for help.
Officer Clark obtained statements from the victims who stated they were alarmed and scared by the incident and that their son was very upset and could not sleep. The defendant was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct displaying a firearm in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm. The defendant was placed under arrest, handcuffed and placed in patrol unit 1565 which was checked before and after arrest. The defendant was transported to the city jail where she was booked in and processed.
The defendant had a very strong odor of alcoholic beverage on and about her person and breath, slurred speech, blood shot eyes, and was unsteady on her feet. The defendant was loud, uncooperative and a danger to herself and others in that she was not capable of taking care of herself due to her state of mind and level of intoxication. The defendant was wearing a floral pattern cream colored blouse and a pair of purple shorts, and no shoes. At time of this incident it was night time, dark and the weather was windy and cold.
All of that happened at the Ms. Stine-Cary’s next door neighbor’s house. Next door neighbors that had never, ever met her before, they had no idea who she was. The victims are still waiting for an explanation (and maybe an apology?) as to why they were terrorized by the drunken, gun toting woman that night. But I guess Ms. Stine-Cary is still angry that she spent her wedding night behind bars? And her 2 kids were just fine that night while mommy waved a gun around then was arrested, they had their new step daddy of several hours to stay with them while she was hauled screaming off to jail.
These latest charges did not come out of Collin County, they came from the State attorney generals office Ms. Wooten, David & Stacy Stine Cary and Keith Gore can work the court of public opinion all they want, come June all the evidence will be revealed in a real court, not one in Collin County that is for sale, then true judgments can be made.
If only the Wooten/Cary/Collin County case was unique — a disturbing aberration in an otherwise trustworthy family law system. Alas, what the Wooten/Cary/Collin County case is is not the tip of the family law system iceberg … it is the gleam of light reflecting off the tip of the iceberg a hundred miles away. There are unspeakably shameful outrages like this ongoing all over the state.
When judges are invested with the tremendous power to, in effect, take over people’s lives by using people’s children as, in effect, hostages … it can be counted on that judges will become tyrants (as Sandoval was) — and not even particularly clever tyrants (i.e., anyone with experience can see through what they do). Half of the families in our state are subject to the same shenanigans that the Carys have been forced to endure. Do we really not understand that “absolute power” corrupts? Do we really not understand that our laws (as they have been generally interpreted by the appellate courts) in effect vest absolute power in judges? Is there any reason to be surprised at the outcomes?
Enough is enough. Unless parents commit overt acts of abuse, neglect or endangerment of their children, the courts must be removed from families. Otherwise the temptations of power will be too much for too many judges and we will continue to have petty little tyrannies in every little county courthouse in the state.
This is the family law system we have now. Just ask around. And if you imagine that it’s redeemed because judges rule in the “best interest of the child” (or even know what that is in most cases) then you are probably impressed with cigarette companies putting warning labels on their products.
I had a long-term relationship with the new stepmom here. In more than 10 years I never knew the real story of her income other than it rotated through a number of bank accounts to attempt to hide the source from the IRS. I would question why the public intoxication does not show up on her record and who she paid here. I question the real estate business she says she runs and there is no sign of a Holistic Health of Texas as she stated she runs. There is a dark side here. I question if she knows how to tell the straight truth.
Billy Ray,
I married Stacy after you. I have never met you and I have always encouraged kindness and understanding towards everyone, including you, and still do. However, Stacy is the finest woman I have known in all my life and the fact that you could not keep her love speaks ill of you and not her. She certainly is not as you say.
I live my life publically and I am always available should you wish to explore this further.
Someone might want to look in the case file….it appears Roach called in this group of AGs in 2008, before Wooten took the bench in response to Sandoval’s crying about losing. The AGs have been there all along, working hand-in-hand with Roach and his minions, investigation, being in the grand jury sessions. After people starting asking Roach why he was investigating his own back yard, he goes to a judge and asks to have the same AGs appointed as independent prosecutors in mid-2010!!! AG Glickler, in this SAME group, was called in by Roach/Davis to go after now DA Willis at the end of 2009 before Willis was elected. Check out glicklerforjudge.com – he brags about destroying people’s lives and now HE is running for judge. Roach and this group of AG were in bed together for years – not really hard to see the motivation and how they “protect their own”.
Time to update your story, D Magazine! Today, justice was served and not sold in Collin County. Judge Wooten was found guilty on all counts by the jury. The good fight continues. Now comes the time of reckoning for Spencer and Stacy and David Cary. Those involved must be held accountable for their bad choices, illegal actions and evil intentions. Good prevails. Money and power can’t buy love or justice. May the coming trials be swift and fair so that the wrongdoings of these law breakers can be set right.
Read the outcome of the first in the series of Collin County cases to hold Wooten, Spencer and the Carys accountable for their actions and intentions.
http://www.baumbach.org/b2evolution/blogs/index.php?blog=2&title=wooten_guilty&page=1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single