CORRUPTION IN THE RIVER

 

L to R: CoachRichardson, Rev. Fred Stovall, Mark

 

 

SETTING & HISTORY

Clarksville, TX is a town located 59 miles west of Texarkana, TX and is the seat of Red River County. The town reeks of the past by its dilapidated buildings, brick streets and weathered old houses. As of 2000, town population was somewhere around 3,800 with 49.6% White, 42.2% Black, and 7.3% Hispanic, other races make up the remaining .09%. Lurking also in the balance of it’s not so rich history, is the town’s Confederate monument which is facing northwest toward the predominantly black neighborhood in Clarksville, TX; confederate monuments should face northeast. In addition to this, Clarksville flaunts its’ disparaging past by having also erected a monument to a hanging tree located inside the city’s cemetery.

 

But a situation more disturbing threatens to overshadow the not so great past of Red River County. Since the old hanging tree can no longer be used to hang individuals, the town has deliberately used its justice system to maliciously prosecute people of the African American community and has also unjustly indicted and arrested others of the same. Even poor whites that are disenfranchised have also been targeted by the rude behavior of those elected officials and so-called law enforcement officers whose past is questionable and integrity should be scrutinized.

 

MAJOR PLAYERS

Playing as major antagonist in this saga are Shelley Benton, clerk-turned magistrate who has an arrest record consisting of DWI’s and reckless driving, Val Varley, County Attorney who has been accused of cattle rustling, Tim Shimpock, County Constable, Terry Reed, Sheriff, Robert Bridges, incoming sheriff and Brandon Harbison, chief of Police.  Each of these individual’s integrity is dubious to say the least and under much suspicion ranging from allegations of murder, racism, abuse of power and position, malicious prosecution and wrongful arrest with the intent to inflict emotional distress and anguish. Reigning at the head of the antagonism are 102nd District Judge John F. Miller and 6th District Judge Jim D. Lovett, whose reputations and credibility are also problematic.

 

These conspirators have arrested and tried to convict elementary to middle grade black school students for assault for throwing rocks at a bus. They have convicted a black woman for defending herself against a white woman, when the white woman attacked the black woman first. The county attorney has refused to drop several cases that are unfounded and unsubstantiated including a murder charge against an African American father whose 4 month old son’s death was ruled accidental by the medical examiners’ office. Several cases involving plea bargain deals have been used unjustly to trap African Americans in the prison

 

MODERN DAY LYNCHING

A more recent egregious act upon the part of the antagonist is a case against then, head basketball coach of Liberty Eylau High School in Texarkana, TX, Vergil Richardson. Coach Richardson is an African American male who was arrested on November 17, 2007 along with several others of his family on bogus charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and manufacturing and delivery of controlled substances. Bond was made for each of them in the amount of $5,000 each then later the charges were dropped, but did not end the story.

 

In March of 2008, County Attorney, Val Varley issued a sealed indictment in this same case and sent the indictment to an address uninhabited. It was only by chance that a relative would find out and intercept the mail and inform the Richardson’s who would turn themselves in saving them the hassle of being arrested all over again. This time, each bonded on $2,500 costing them more money, shame and embarrassment. Charges under the sealed indictment were possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver meth and organized criminal activity.

 

NIGHT OF ARREST

As was his custom, Vergil’s intentions were to travel from Texarkana, AR where he lived to Clarksville, TX to spend the night with his half brother, Kevin Calloway and on the morning pick up his son from Paris, TX then head to Mississippi for the Thanksgiving Holiday. A short time after Vergil arrived, others of his family begin to pour in as well, some who lived in Clarksville like Edward Charles Richardson, Jermicole Savory Richardson and Xavier Richardson. His brother, Mark Richardson came down from Mt. Pleasant, TX to enjoy the family and was later joined by a female companion, Tarsha Norman who resides in Paris, TX.

 

Around 10:30p.m., all windows in the house were up and front door open at 1103 Columbia St. in Clarksville, TX, where Vergil and his half-brother, Kevin Calloway were sitting at the dining table playing dominoes, Edward Charles Richardson was in one room watching a football game, Xavier and Jermicole were in another room asleep, and Mark and Ms. Norman were outside sitting in a car. Not long thereafter, several police officers emerged on the home including Robert Bridges and Lt. Brandon Harbison. In addition to these law enforcement officials, Val Varley, County Attorney also entered the premises, rifle in hand. The officers handcuffed each individual in the home and placed them under arrest without ever producing a search warrant or reading them their rights.

 

According to some sources, there is some statute which states that whenever a premise is being searched, that those under suspicion should be privy to the search, however Vergil and his family except Charles Edward Richardson were taken outside while the house was searched. While handcuffed, Edward Charles was brought out of the back bedroom he was in and was guided to a couch in the living room. As the officer was seating Edward Charles on a couch in the living room, another officer advised him not to do so, but to sit him in a chair that he pulled out. After doing so, the officer that pulled out the chair, kicks up a pillow on the couch, points to a clear bag containing a powdery substance and says, “What do we have here?” Later, toxicology reports would prove this bag did not contain drugs, powdery substance unknown.

 

At some point during this raid, Brandon Harbison pulls Vergil Richardson to the side and advised him that Kevin was selling marijuana out of the home. Vergil responds by asking him if he knew this then why didn’t he tell him. All in all, the Richardson’s civil rights were violated, physical injuries incurred, loss of freedom, mental anguish, emotional distress, mental depression, lost employment and intentional infliction of undue and unlawful imprisonment were a result of this horrendous and vindictive case against the Richardson family.

 

DISSECTING THE SEARCH WARRANT

The Search and Arrest Warrant was authorized on November 17, 2007 at 10:49pm by Shelley Benton, who by the way has a criminal record for DWI out of Lamar County. The warrant consists of several contradictions which gives rise to the confusion and fragility of the warrant. First there is the frivolous case of a missing person by the name of JC. According to the warrant affidavit, JC, a black male in his mid twenties and said to be about 5’ 8”, weighing 160lbs was the said suspect. Problem is there was no one there by the name of JC and the only person living at the residence was Kevin Terrell Callaway whose initials are not JC. Moreover, no one with the initials of JC was ever at the property.

 

Other official documents from the County of Red River states that law enforcement acting upon a tip from Crime Stoppers was the initial factor upon which the warrant was issued. Contrary to this is the statement that is made in the warrant that the raid was a result of months of extensive investigation. The Affiant, Robert Bridges, is supposed to have months of training and years of investigative experience. He is also the head of the Drug Task Force and said to be an expert in drug transactions including drug paraphernalia and equipment used. However, a doctored Probable Cause Affidavit indicates that said suspect was approached by CI to purchase a quarter pound of marijuana for $200. Later, it would be discovered that said purchase was a little over 2 ounces of marijuana and Robert Bridges actually gave the suspect $200 for it.

 

Moving along in this bogus warrant, Robert Bridges amends the Probable Cause Affidavit and misidentifies the defendant as Kevin Terrell Taylor and not, Kevin Terrell Callaway. In addition to this, at the very end of the document it states that “a positive id was made on JC and he was positively identified as Kevin Terrell (KT) Callaway, DOB 03-20-83.” This was added at the end of the original affidavit and doctored to appear legitimate.  From what little knowledge I have, this alone should be enough to render this entire investigation and case null and void. Moving along the discrepancies in said document, it is also mentioned that Robert Bridges, being the expert he is knows that 9 factors surround the illegal sale and distribution of drugs. Out of the 9 mentioned factors, only 1, which is factor H is relevant to this case and even then doesn’t substantiate a search warrant.

 

Furthermore, the warrant advises that the suspect ‘weighed’ the marijuana in front of the CI; however no scale was confiscated at the premise. As a matter of fact, there were no guns, weapons of any kind and no drugs found on anyone’s person save 2 and Vergil and his brother Mark are not those two. Adding to this crock of bull is the fact that there was no substantial amount of drugs confiscated and some of the evidence that was taken turned out not to be drugs at all. This does not align with months of extensive investigation any more than Robert Bridges fighting drug crimes when he’s advocated marijuana use and racial profiling on his MySpace page.

 

EARLIER THAT DAY

Kevin Callaway, who was living at the residence and who is the sole responsible party for what little drugs were sold talked to the CI. She (CI) was advised that his family, not a party, as purported by Robert Bridges, were to be there later that night. He didn’t tell her that they would be selling drugs, nor did he hint to the idea that drugs were involved. He simply told her that his family would be in town. This is information that Robert Bridges knew and gave him the prime opportunity to conjure a diabolical scheme to ruin the image and reputation of the Richardson family. Adding to the idea of a conspiracy is the fact that the search warrant was signed at 10:49 p.m. by Shelley Benton who lives some 15 to 20 minutes away, but was executed according to authorities at 10:30 p.m.

 

COACH RICHARDSON’S CHARACTER

Vergil Richardson exemplifies the true upstanding citizen with uncompromising character. He is a man of honest report and impeccable reputation for he had never been in jail or had a speeding ticket. He is the kind of person that parents could depend on to keep their children in line and they would often trust him to go so far as to discipline them. He spoke with his students about the importance of staying off drugs, out of jail and keeping their pants pulled up. As described by his brothers, Vergil is the house kid, the one that would never get in the street and into trouble. If ever he was out with his brothers and they ran across any of Vergil’s students, Vergil would ensure that his brothers were on their best behavior so as to not give a bad impression to the kids. This is Vergil Richardson’s character and anyone that knows him or would take the time to know him would know that he is highly incapable of selling, buying or using drugs.

 

JUDGE MILLER

In America, there is the presumption of innocence which states a person is innocent until proven guilty. Well, at least that’s how it supposed to work anyway, but not according to Judge Miller. Attorneys Mark Lesher and Clyde Lee heard Judge Miller state, “The Liberty Eylau coach trying to make him a little extra money.” With this type of attitude and position, Judge Miller ought to do the ‘noble thing’ and recuse himself from this case seeing that he’s already formed an opinion in his mind regarding Vergil’s innocence or the lack of it anyway. The presumption of innocence is the legal right of the accused and places the burden of proof on the prosecution.

 

There should be enough legally obtained and compelling evidence to convince the judge and jury, who are constrained and required by law to consider only actual evidence and if the accused isn’t guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, then he or she is to be acquitted. By the way, Judge Miller has also been very adamant about not allowing depositions of the police force and the special arrest team that was used to raid the home. This in itself is a daring attempt to hide evidence and hinder a thorough defense from taking place.

 

“THE NOBLE THING TO DO”

On November 18, 2008 there was a hearing in which Val Varley recused himself from the case citing he didn’t want anyone to think it was personal. In fact, it was already widely known that Judge Miller was going to recuse Val from the case anyway because he is a material witness to the arrest. Judge Miller upon hearing Val’s request to be removed from the case advised Val that it was the ‘noble thing to do.’ Judge Miller can add to the nobility by stepping down from the case himself.  A special prosecutor, Lisa Tanner, will be brought in to prosecute the case and Judge Miller exclaims during the hearing, “oh yeah she’s good.” Presuming that was to incite fear or intimidation into the Richardson family.

 

Later newspaper reports would cite Val Varley as saying that Lisa Tanner was especially interested in the case because “it involved a school teacher.” Again, so much for the presumption of innocence as Val Varley starts his malicious telephone campaign and God only knows what else in ruining the reputation, life and career of Vergil Richardson. On several occasions it has been reported that Val Varley told people that he would drop the charges against Vergil and his family if no fingerprints came back on any of the drugs. Not only did Val Varley not keep his word, he viciously called the school where Vergil was employed and told the administration that there were drugs found all on the table where Vergil and his brother was playing dominoes. If drugs were there that would mean that Vergil was touching them or using them. He went to have a drug test done to prove that he definitely wasn’t a user, and lab reports have no fingerprints.

 

WHERE ARE THE DRUGS?

Generally, this piece of information would be crucial enough to go into the evidentiary discovery, but it isn’t there because Val knows as well as everyone else there that drugs were not on the table. As a matter of fact, many pieces to this puzzle are missing. Several questions have gone unanswered and in the process lives have been ruined.  Hanging in the balance of questions is the mystery as to how the drugs that the conspirators found total 75.1, but when it was all said and done there was actually only 56 grams of drugs total that were there.

 

The arrest warrant gleamed on the fact that marijuana was being sold out of the house and that is what supposed to be searched for and that is what said suspect is to be arrested for. It’s no small wonder why there was only 43.03g of marijuana, 8.66g of cocaine, 4.31g of meth found in a storage building outside and why what small amount of substance found in the house turned out not to be drugs at all. It’s no small wonder, theory is they were planted.  Well, needless to say, no fingerprints came back on any of the drugs, but Vergil and his family are still caught up in this cobweb of malicious prosecution for the sake of prosecution.

 

COMMON DENOMINATOR

Let’s not forget that the only person arrested that lived at the house was Kevin T. Callaway, everyone else lived somewhere else, Vergil and his brother Mark lives out of town. However, a young woman was there that night also; she was arrested and questioned only by Val Varley. Her arrest according to official paperwork was due only because she had warrants in another county. This being the case, then others who didn’t live there should have also not been arrested. This means that there should be substantial and compelling evidence that Vergil, his brother Mark and other family members are guilty of the crimes in which they have been accused. Actually, there is no evidence; no physical evidence, no corroborating witness testimony, no video surveillance, no one placing Vergil Richardson at the residence as someone who sold or bought drugs.

 

BUILT-IN DEFENSE

Kevin Callaway has signed a confession admitting that he alone is the sole responsible party for the drugs that were found on the premises, and that none of the other persons there had any knowledge of the fact. Why haven’t they asked him who he really got the drugs from then? This further proves the incompetence and lack of good judgment on behalf of Varley. Any prudent, fair and honest person would have dropped these charges against the Richardson a long time ago, but not Val Varley. He’s been getting away with railroading people for so long, he was on his way to doing it again but little did he know. The Richardson family has teamed up with others in the community such as local residents, activists and grassroots organizations to emphatically proclaim their innocence. Two rallies have already been held and a third is scheduled for December 27 around three O’clock p.m. and more will follow.

  

MY CONVERSATION WITH VAL

I called Val Varley and advised him that Vergil and his family are not guilty of the charges that he had trumped up against them. He asked me how I knew they were innocent and I advised him that I know because I know them and they are not capable of anything like that. I asked him other than the drugs that were found what other evidence he had and what happened to him dropping the charges if no fingerprints came back. He said, “Nothing, except people know them.” I advised him at that time that I could easily form an opinion of him from reading www.rrpolitics.org, but I hadn’t. He then advised me that people don’t know what he knows and basically from what he’s heard it’s hurt him to hear that Vergil would do such a thing, again ‘he say, she say.’

 

 I asked him if race had anything to do with it, and he began to tell me about how close he was to Clarence Nix. I told him that meant nothing to me and that the integrity of his office is being called into question. Val advised me that some of Vergil’s family has been in trouble in past time for selling drugs; I advised him that my mother smoked, but that doesn’t make me a smoker. I then asked about Kevin’s confession and he said that he took Kevin and questioned him regarding the drugs that were found in the shed and Kevin was unable to talk about them, i.e. color of the bags, how many etc. Later, it would be discovered that Val Varley never questioned Kevin specifically about those drugs. After all, who would know specifics about drugs that had been planted?

 

Moreover, is Val Varley implying that Vergil planted them there? Surely not, and he is working as a full time teacher. It isn’t typical for a person supplying drugs to a middle man to be the person to store the drugs. That’s preposterous. Anyhow, I told Val Varley that I pray he would make the right decision and he said to please do because in the end he wants the guilty to be punished and the innocent go free.

 

TULIA CONNECTION

Tulia, TX a town of about 5,000 people became the center of national attention in July of 1999. A rogue cop by the name of Tom Coleman fabricated tales of drug sale, manufacturing and distribution to secure the arrest of 46 people, 40 of them black. The remaining 6 were white people who live in black neighborhoods and/or dated black people. The accused drug dealers showed no signs of having any income associated with selling drugs. The drugs Coleman claimed to have bought from the accused did not have the fingerprints of the accused on them or their baggies. No independent witnesses could corroborate Coleman's claims.

 

During his testimony, Coleman gave inaccurate descriptions of the "dealers" he had allegedly bought cocaine from. His devious crime against humanity was discovered after many of the defendants had already served several years in prison. In 2004, after enough money was raised to challenge the case, Governor Rick Perry had exonerated and declared most of the Tulia 46 innocent. In the end, a whopping $6,000,000 lawsuit settlement was reached to avoid further litigation in civil court. The case bears striking similarities to that of the Richardson’s case, howbeit, the judicial process has the opportunity to make this travesty right before it goes this far. What will they do?

 

HEARNE CONNECTION

In November of 2000, a Tulia-like case was discovered in the city of Hearne, TX, which is in the County of Robertson in what the ACLU termed wrongful and malicious prosecution and a gross miscarriage of justice. 15 percent of the towns’ African American male population was arrested on drug charges which would later prove bogus and unmerited. The ACLU filed suit against the South Central Texas Regional Narcotics Task Force and all of its agents, including the City of Hearne and the County of Robertson. Also named as a defendant is John Paschal, the Hearne District Attorney; and former head of the task force's Hearne unit.

 

COLOMB FAMILY CONNECTION

In addition to the Tulia and Hearne Texas fiasco, there was another ‘fake’ drug case against an entire black family in Church Point, LA. A family by the last name of Colomb was wrongfully accused by the US Government of the sale, manufacturing and distribution of different types of drugs. Their life was completely ruined; they spent several months in prison, some suffering diabetic and nervous attacks. Sum it all up, the government’s case against them at some point unraveled. The sneaky and conniving way that the government would make confidential informants out of people with shady backgrounds, prisoners and jailhouse convicts would add to the shame and downright disregard for civil rights of Americans.

 

This madness has got to end. Instead of waiting until the Richardson’s life is ripped apart any further through unlawful conviction, there is a demand for proactive intervention that will eliminate and discourage such actions based solely on race and vindictive and malicious prosecution for the sake of prosecution. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee has introduced the No More Tulias 46: Law Enforcement and Evidentiary Standards Improvement Act which details a comprehensive plan to ensure the rights of African Americans are protected from gross misconduct on behalf of law enforcement and judicial officials.

 

WAR ON DRUGS

The so-called "war on drugs" has created a national disaster: 1 in 9 young Black men in America are now behind bars. It's not because they commit more crime but because of unfair sentencing rules that treat 5 grams of crack cocaine, the kind found in poor Black communities, the same as 500 grams of powder cocaine the kind found in White and wealthier communities. These sentencing laws are destroying communities across the country and have done almost nothing to reduce the level of drug use and crime.

 

Senator Joe Biden is one of the original creators of these laws and is now trying to fix the problem. But some of his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee are standing in the way. I've signed on with ColorOfChange.org to tell them to stand with Joe Biden and undo this disaster once and for all. Will you join me? It just takes a moment and you can start by clicking on the link below:

http://www.colorofchange.org/crackpowder/

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

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