Chuck Rosenthal (district attorney)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chuck Rosenthal
Chuck Rosenthal (district attorney)
In office
January 1, 2001 – February 15, 2008
Preceded by Johnny Holmes
Succeeded by Kenneth Magidson
Born 1946
Alice, Texas
Political party Republican
Spouse Cindy Rosenthal
Residence Houston, Texas
Alma mater Baylor University and South Texas College of Law
Religion Baptist
For other uses, see Chuck Rosenthal.

Charles A. "Chuck" Rosenthal, Jr. is an American lawyer who was formerly the District Attorney of Harris County, Texas, United States.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Born in Alice, Texas in 1946, he attended Houston public schools, received his undergraduate degree from Baylor University, and went to law school at South Texas College of Law. He served as Harris County assistant district attorney under Carol Vance starting in March, 1977.[1]

After his predecessor, Johnny Holmes, retired, Rosenthal was elected Harris County District Attorney after facing Pat Lykos, County Attorney Michael Stafford and many others in the Republican primary. He was re-elected in 2004.[1]

In 2002, he argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in Lawrence v. Texas that laws against sodomy are constitutional. The Court disagreed with him, holding 6-3 that prosecutions for private sexual conduct violates the United States Constitution.

Rosenthal is currently married to Cindy Rosenthal[2], a retired FBI Special Agent.[1]

On February 15, 2008, Chuck Rosenthal resigned as Harris County district attorney, following the filing of a lawsuit petitioning for his removal from office. The press release issued by Rosenthal[3] suggests substance abuse played a part in his decision. Rosenthal's official release claims, "Although I have enjoyed excellent medical and pharmacological treatment, I have come to learn that the particular combination of drugs prescribed for me in the past has caused some impairment in my judgment."[4] The same lawsuit also calls for the removal of Sheriff Tommy Thomas.

[edit] Controversies

In a federal court case, emails in the Harris County District Attorney's office were under subpoena.[5] Some of those emails exposed his extramarital affair with his secretary as well as being found to be using government computers for campaigning and receiving and sending racist emails. After an emergency meeting with local GOP leaders, the GOP asked him to step aside and to not seek reelection. On January 4, 2008, he announced that he would not seek reelection, but will finish out his current term.[6][7]

Quanell X has gotten into the fray calling for his resignation and had organized a rally that took place outside the county courthouse January 24, 2008.[8]

More recent controversies involving Chuck Rosenthal include:

  • Multiple Houston-area community groups are calling for Rosenthal's resignation[9], as well as the resignation of Harris County sheriff Tommy Thomas for similarly racist e-mails.[10] Community groups are sensitive to racism because Rosenthal "presides over an office that sends more convicts to death row than any other prosecutor's office in the nation."[11]
  • The Texas attorney general's office is investigating if any of the hundreds of e-mails discovered in the DA's county computer are evidence of criminal activity, such as Rosenthal's alleged use of public assets to engage in his now-withdrawn political re-election campaign.[12]
  • 32 indictments have been thrown out due to a paperwork snafu under Rosenthal's watch.[13]
  • Approved a former lover's $11,000 raise[14]
  • On 28-Mar-2008, Rosenthal was found in contempt of court for destroying 2500 e-mails subpoenaed in a federal court case.[15]
  • Harris County taxpayers are paying US$400 per hour for attorney fees to represent Rosenthal in his contempt hearing. Although the contract is presently capped at US$50,000, taxpayers are expected to pay the full bill.[16]
  • Kelly Siegler is the latest prominent Republican to call for Rosenthal's resignation. She worked under Rosenthal for the past 20 years but is now running for Harris County District Attorney.[17] Siegler lost in the April 8, 2008 runoff election to former judge Patricia Lykos - a former Rosenthal primary opponent who campaigned in 2000.

On February 15, 2008, Rosenthal resigned shortly after a lawsuit was filed by attorney Lloyd Kelley, seeking to remove Rosenthal from office on the grounds of official misconduct, incompetency or intoxication. [18]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Rosenthal, Chuck. Re-Elect Chuck Rosenthal for Harris County District Attorney. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
  2. ^ Rosenthal, Cindy. "Rosenthal's wife responds", Houston Chronicle, 2008-01-25. Retrieved on 2008-01-27. 
  3. ^ Rosenthal, Chuck. "Open letter from Chuck Rosenthal", ABC13.com, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. 
  4. ^ Shay, Miya. "Rosenthal Resigns!", ABC13.com, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. 
  5. ^ Oberg, Ted. "Why Rosenthal had to turn over email", abc13.com, 2008-01-30. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
  6. ^ Stiles, Matt; Rogers, Brian. "Rosenthal could lose his job or face criminal charges", Houston Chronicle, 2008-01-10. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  7. ^ Rogers, Brian; Bernstein, Alan and Stiles, Matt. "More e-mails emerge in Harris County DA scandal", Houston Chronicle, 2008-01-09. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  8. ^ Casimir, Leslie. "Black leaders urge Rosenthal to step down", Houston Chronicle, 2008-01-12. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  9. ^ James, Eric. "More calls for Rosenthal's resignation", abc13.com, 2008-01-11. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  10. ^ Willis, Carl. "Ministers Against Crime Want Sheriff To Resign", abc13.com, 2008-01-24. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  11. ^ Peterson, Liz Austin. "Prosecutor's contempt hearing pauses abruptly", Associated Press, 2008-02-01. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
  12. ^ Archer, Phil. "State Begins Rosenthal E-Mail Investigation", Click2Houston.com, 2008-01-16. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  13. ^ Associated Press. "Judge disbands grand jury", KHOU.com, 2008-01-23. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  14. ^ Archer, Phil. "DA Approved Former Lover's $11,000 Raise", Click2Houston.com, 2008-01-24. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  15. ^ "Rosenthal found in contempt of court", abc13.com, 2008-03-28. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  16. ^ McGuire, Lee. "Taxpayers' tab for Rosenthal’s defense: $400 an hour", KHOU.com, 2008-02-04. Retrieved on 2008-02-05. 
  17. ^ Scarborough, Elizabeth. "Siegler Calls For Rosenthal's Resignation", Click2Houston.com, 2008-02-05. Retrieved on 2008-02-05. 
  18. ^ Rogers, Brian. "Rosenthal cites prescription drugs in decision to quit DA post", chron.com, 2008-02-16. Retrieved on 2008-02-16. 
  19. ^ Bernstein, Alan. "Challenge to Rosenthal ballot pullout is now unlikely", Houston Chronicle, 2008-01-15. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.