In the Wake of Kaufman Slayings, Dallas County Prosecutors Encouraged to Ammo Up

By Eric Nicholson Mon., Apr. 1 2013 at 2:27 PM

@KenKatlthoffNBC5

First Assistant DA Heath Harris speaking to reporters about increased security measures at his office.

The murder this weekend of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, two months after assistant DA Mark Hasse was gunned down in broad daylight, has Texas prosecutors on high alert.

The Associated Press reports today that district attorneys throughout the state are taking extra precautions as they head back to work after the Easter weekend. In Houston, Harris County DA Mike Anderson and his family now have round-the-clock security and is looking at how to beef up security at the office.

District Attorney Craig Watkins does not yet have a personal body guard, at least not so far as we can tell. At a press conference today, first assistant DA Heath Harris provided few specifics about efforts to protect Watkins and his staff, citing security concerns.

"Clearly being the first African American district attorney in the state of Texas, we've always had those concerns for DA Watkins," Harris said, according to the Morning News. "We will be heightening our security around him."

County Judge Clay Jenkins, in Austin today for a news conference advocating for Medicaid expansion, confirmed as much but also declined to provide detail. The only two tidbits we have are Harris' statement that his office will "encourage" its employees to obtain a license and carry concealed weapons.

Watkins himself didn't appear at the news conference. He's been keeping a low-profile since the imbroglio over the Al Hill case and likely wanted to avoid making pronouncements about the Kaufman County case. We know how that went last time.

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garlandsucks

maybe this could be a life lesson to DAs everywhere to strive for guilt/innocence and not just conviction rate

scottindallas topcommenter

well, at least someone can find Ammo.

Oxtail

The life expectancy for DA's in Kaufman appears really short. Remember this:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15592444/#.UVn_rBxthBk

cantkeepthetruthdown

All this talk of heightened security is just more theater. These fools are clueless and inept at protecting anyone and yet many want to cede all responsibility over to them and the police.

How many days has it been since the ADA was shot in public? How many suspects have been arrested? Was security not 'heightened' after that? If so... fat load of good it did the DA and his wife.

cantkeepthetruthdown

" Why does anyone need an AR-15 and high capacity magazines?"

Seems to be answered in Kaufmann county

ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul topcommenter

An ADA and now the DA for Kaufmann County have been murdered by what appears to be a targeted killing.

I think that the investigators are holding back information on the criminals that have been prosecuted and jailed in Kaufmann county.

If I had been on a criminal jury in Kaufmann county that had anything to do with drugs or gun running or any type of corrupt organization, I would be very very worried at this point.

UnCoverUp_2

@Oxtail Romans 6:23 -- "For the wages of sin is death..."

mavdog topcommenter

@cantkeepthetruthdown

yes, you're right, the assailants benefitted from access to this type of weaponry.

couldn't have made a better case against their easy access.

cantkeepthetruthdown

@ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul We're all just supposed to believe it's the 'Aryan Brotherhood'

Highly doubtful.

cantkeepthetruthdown

@mavdog "like YOU have any idea or insight"

cheeseburger

@mavdog If it's the AB or the Cartels like it's been suggested, they have access to better weapons than the AR-15...

scottindallas topcommenter

@cantkeepthetruthdown @ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul why is that so doubtful? They have issued these type of threats. They have an illicit organization running drugs, guns and other contraband. Why do you say it's doubtful?

mavdog topcommenter

@cantkeepthetruthdown

"highly doubtful"??

like YOU have any idea or insight. could be those nazi's in the AB, or could be some other group. the DA and the asst DA, surely not a random act

good grief.

scottindallas topcommenter

@DarnellLax @scottindallas @cantkeepthetruthdown @ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul the drug cartels, some of which seem to have curried the favor/protection of the US/Mex gov't are indeed depraved, but they aren't doing this here. Whereas the Aryans have made precisely these threats.

DarnellLax

@scottindallas @cantkeepthetruthdown @ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul I cant think of any reason to "doubt" that its the Aryan Brotherhood, but neither can I think of any reason that its probably them. I'm leaning toward the Mexican drug gangs myself, this is precisely the kind of public spectacle they like to make. The Aryan Brotherhood hasnt typically painted so large a target on their own backs before.