Former Dallas district judge Catherine Crier was on the Today show this morning to serve as an "expert" on the recent news of TABC agents arresting people in bars for public intoxication.
She said, "understand that the issue is whether a person the person arrested has lost the normal use of his mental or physical faculties." That's not right. Although that is the standard for intoxication in DWI cases, the standard in public intoxication cases is whether the person "is a danger to himself and to others."
She also said that "every new prosecutor begins trying these kind [public intoxication] cases." That's not right either. PI is a Class C which is filed in JP or municipal courts. Ninety-nine percent of prosecutors never try a case in those courts.
And she's got a national TV show.
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3.24.2006
Small Rant
Former Dallas district judge Catherine Crier was on the Today show this morning to serve as an "expert" on the recent news of TABC agents arresting people in bars for public intoxication.
She said, "understand that the issue is whether a person the person arrested has lost the normal use of his mental or physical faculties." That's not right. Although that is the standard for intoxication in DWI cases, the standard in public intoxication cases is whether the person "is a danger to himself and to others."
She also said that "every new prosecutor begins trying these kind [public intoxication] cases." That's not right either. PI is a Class C which is filed in JP or municipal courts. Ninety-nine percent of prosecutors never try a case in those courts.
And she's got a national TV show.
