Ken Paxton securities fraud trial continues in Houston

HOUSTON — Texas’ highest criminal court ruled on Wednesday in a securities fraud case against the currently suspended attorney general. by Ken Paxton Paxton faces impeachment trial in the Texas Senate this summer, so he should stay in Houston to settle key issues in the eight-year-old lawsuit.

In a 6-3 ruling, Texas Court of Criminal Appealsmade of 9 Republicans No Democrat overturned a lower court ruling that Paxton’s case was wrongfully moved from Collin County, where he lives, to Harris County. They said the trial judge had lost jurisdiction over the matter.

“The standards by which we judge will inevitably be applied against us. The means cannot be justified,” Justice Bert Richardson wrote to the majority. “Today we are doing our duty by defending the Constitution” is to affirm the rule of law and the wisdom of its enactors. ”

However, the court ruled that the Texas Constitution and state law protect the judge’s authority in this case.

“We are pleased, but not surprised, that the court found that this defendant must stand trial before a Harris County jury and a law-abiding judge,” said prosecutor Brian Weiss. rice field.

Paxton’s legal team did not respond to a request for comment.

In 2015, a Collin County grand jury indicted Paxton with two counts of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 99 years in first-degree felony, and one count of failure to register with state securities regulators with a third-degree felony. bottom. imprisonment for up to 10 years.

The securities fraud allegations stem from Mr. Paxton’s 2011 attempt to solicit investors in the McKinney-based tech company without disclosing that it was paid to promote its shares in Servey. related to

Paxton dismissed the charges as motives by political opponents, claiming he had done nothing wrong.

Prosecutors decided to withdraw the case from Collin County in 2017, arguing that the county where Paxton represented for 10 years in the Texas House of Representatives and two years in the state Senate would not get a fair trial. Successful.

Paxton’s attorneys successfully remanded the case back to Collin County in 2020, arguing that the judge who ordered the case in Harris County lost jurisdiction over the case, leading to a prosecution appeal Wednesday. led to the judgment of

Paxton was suspended as attorney general late last month when the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach him.

This is a developing story.

The origin of this story is texas tribunea non-profit, nonpartisan media organization that informs and engages Texans on public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues.