A Thursday bench trial in the 249th District Court to terminate a father’s parental rights posed a challenge. Namely that the defendant is presently incarcerated in the La Tuna Federal Correction Facility in Anthony, a Texas town about 630 miles from Cleburne.
“That’s about a 20-hour round-trip,” 413th District Judge Bill Bosworth said. “Before, we would have to send someone to pick him up, bring him in for his court appearance and take him back. That defendant’s situation was compounded further by the fact he’s in a federal prison, which means federal marshals would probably also have to accompany him.”
Thanks to the Guinn Justice Center’s new video teleconference system, the defendant managed to participate in the hearing without ever leaving La Tuna, saving Johnson County, and the federal prison system substantial time and taxpayer money. Thursday’s hearing marked the first use of the system in a Johnson County court proceeding.
Local attorneys Curtis Pritchard and Dick Turner took turns questioning the man via the video conferencing system during the hourlong hearing.
“While state law required the defendant’s presence in Judge [Wayne] Bridewell’s courtroom, the video system is also a legally acceptable way to have someone present,” Bosworth said.
The county purchased the system last year with grant funds.
Mounted on a rolling stand, the system includes a large, high definition, flat screen TV under which is mounted a remote-controlled video camera. Other attached equipment runs the system and has the ability to record transmissions.
“The system is really like a telephone with a video interface,” Bosworth said. “It runs over the county’s Internet system.”
The mobility stand allows the system to be wheeled where needed for use for use in any of the Guinn Center’s three district or two county court at law courtrooms.
Once set up in a courtroom, the system provides live time sound and video of the defendant, or person transmitting from the off-site location. It allows that person to see the judge, witness box and the attorneys. When connected to a person at an off-site location, the monitor shows that person and a picture within a picture box shows what they are seeing through their monitor.
Most counties and prisons have installed similar systems in recent years, Bosworth said.
Situations in which a person needed for a hearing or trial are 600 miles away may not be a regular occurrence. Nonetheless, the new system should save a lot of time for court and law enforcement officials and save taxpayer dollars.
“We’re starting out by using this for short trials and hearings to get people and the attorneys used to the technology,” Bosworth said. “Later we plan to expand the use of it into different areas.”
Examples include conducting commitment hearings where the plaintiff is in Wichita Falls, allowing child victims of sexual crimes to testify from a location outside the courtroom where the accused is and allowing witnesses not in the area or expert witnesses to testify via video teleconference.
The bulk of savings will likely come from teleconferencing with defendants housed at the Johnson County Law Enforcement Center for pre-trial motions and other hearings. And the use of teleconferencing to allow Justice of the Peace No. 1 Judge Ronny McBroom to conduct his daily arraignments. Such matters will soon be conducted from the jail to the courthouse without the need to transport prisoners to the Guinn Center and McBroom’s nearby court.
“I think this is going to be a fantastic system for the county,” McBroom said. “We’re all excited about it. Eventually, I won’t have to go out to the jail to do magistrations, which will save time and be a lot more efficient on managing the docket and jail population.”
The system will come in handy in situations where magistrations must be done right away because of a medical condition of someone arrested or other reasons, McBroom said.
“We can’t do magistrations over the telephone,” McBroom said. “But we can use this [system] so that I can do them from where I am and not have to keep them waiting until I can get out to the jail.”
Money from the JP court technology fund paid for the system in his court, McBroom said. A portion of fines paid goes into that fund.
The possibility exists to conduct jury trials with the accused beamed into the courtroom via teleconference, Bosworth said.
“You could have a trial that way, although it’s better to have the defendant present in the courtroom for attorney-client conversations and things like that,” Bosworth said. “But it’s possible. It’s down to accommodations based on logistics.”
Local News
Related Photos
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Justice of the Peace Ronny McBroom of Precinct 1 plans to use a smaller version of the video teleconference system to conduct magistrations from the Johnson County Law Enforcement Center. Matt Smith/Times-Review
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District Judge Bill Bosworth demonstrates the court’s video teleconference system, which the county used for the first time in a court proceeding Thursday. Matt Smith/Times-Review
Discussion
New video system to save time and money
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The first-team offense included Alvarado quarterback Kenny West and Burleson quarterback Barrett Cain. -
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Cleburne pulls away from Burleson, 62-48
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Lady Jackets pick up first District 7-4A win
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Up-and-down Yellow Jackets split Friday’s matches at Little Elm Tourney
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First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
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Stage 2 drought plan still in place
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Stage 2 drought plan still in place
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Standing, from left, are Grandview’s Ryan Breton (offensive most valuable player) and Austin Martinez (Ironman award winner), Alvarado’s Wayne Onderdonck (county MVP) and Brazos Fuller (co-newcomer of the year), Burleson’s Ayinde Alaajiy (co-newcomer of the year), Godley’s Blake Washinton (co-linemen of the year), Alvarado’s Tyler Bates (defensive MVP), Alvarado Head Coach Jeff Dixon (coach of the year) and Grandview’s Davis Scarbrough (co-linemen of the year).
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Indians on top of selections
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Standing, from left, are Grandview’s Ryan Breton (offensive most valuable player) and Austin Martinez (Ironman award winner), Alvarado’s Wayne Onderdonck (county MVP) and Brazos Fuller (co-newcomer of the year), Burleson’s Ayinde Alaajiy (co-newcomer of the year), Godley’s Blake Washinton (co-linemen of the year), Alvarado’s Tyler Bates (defensive MVP), Alvarado Head Coach Jeff Dixon (coach of the year) and Grandview’s Davis Scarbrough (co-linemen of the year).
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Indians on top of selections
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Indians on top of selections
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Standing, from left, are Grandview’s Ryan Breton (offensive most valuable player) and Austin Martinez (Ironman award winner), Alvarado’s Wayne Onderdonck (county MVP) and Brazos Fuller (co-newcomer of the year), Burleson’s Ayinde Alaajiy (co-newcomer of the year), Godley’s Blake Washinton (co-linemen of the year), Alvarado’s Tyler Bates (defensive MVP), Alvarado Head Coach Jeff Dixon (coach of the year) and Grandview’s Davis Scarbrough (co-linemen of the year).
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Indians on top of selections
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Four of Johnson County’s eight football teams qualified for the postseason in 2011 with Alvarado making it all the way to the Class 3A Division I state championship game at Cowboys Stadium against Tyler Chapel Hill. - First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
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Indians on top of selections
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Standing, from left, are Grandview’s Ryan Breton (offensive most valuable player) and Austin Martinez (Ironman award winner), Alvarado’s Wayne Onderdonck (county MVP) and Brazos Fuller (co-newcomer of the year), Burleson’s Ayinde Alaajiy (co-newcomer of the year), Godley’s Blake Washinton (co-linemen of the year), Alvarado’s Tyler Bates (defensive MVP), Alvarado Head Coach Jeff Dixon (coach of the year) and Grandview’s Davis Scarbrough (co-linemen of the year).
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Indians on top of selections
The 2011 Lone Star Chrysler Dodge Jeep Autoplex All-Johnson-County football team has been announced. The team was chosen by the Times-Review sports department based on all-district selections and coaches’ nominations.
Four of Johnson County’s eight football teams qualified for the postseason in 2011 with Alvarado making it all the way to the Class 3A Division I state championship game at Cowboys Stadium against Tyler Chapel Hill. - First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
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Indians on top of selections
- Joshua
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Front, from left, are Grandview’s Caleb Hollingsworth, Cleburne’s Zach Haler, Joshua’s Jordan Garrett, Alvarado’s A.J. Castillo, Xavier Holbert, Kenny Adams and Marcus McNeil, Cleburne’s Conner Martyniuk and Godley’s Drew Benge. Standing, from left, are Alvarado’s Ronald Thomas, C.J. Johnson and Alex Gentrey, Grandview’s Austin Wylie and Caleb Armstrong. Not pictured is Alvarado’s Marcus Villarreal.
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First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
The 2011 Lone Star Chrysler Dodge Jeep Autoplex All-Johnson-County football team has been announced. The team was chosen by the Times-Review sports department based on all-district selections and coaches’ nominations.
The first-team offense included Alvarado quarterback Kenny West and Burleson quarterback Barrett Cain. - Cleburne, Grandview, Burleson lead second team offense, defense
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First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
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Upcoming sports schedule
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Front, from left, are Grandview’s Caleb Hollingsworth, Cleburne’s Zach Haler, Joshua’s Jordan Garrett, Alvarado’s A.J. Castillo, Xavier Holbert, Kenny Adams and Marcus McNeil, Cleburne’s Conner Martyniuk and Godley’s Drew Benge. Standing, from left, are Alvarado’s Ronald Thomas, C.J. Johnson and Alex Gentrey, Grandview’s Austin Wylie and Caleb Armstrong. Not pictured is Alvarado’s Marcus Villarreal.
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First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
The 2011 Lone Star Chrysler Dodge Jeep Autoplex All-Johnson-County football team has been announced. The team was chosen by the Times-Review sports department based on all-district selections and coaches’ nominations.
The first-team offense included Alvarado quarterback Kenny West and Burleson quarterback Barrett Cain. - Cleburne, Grandview, Burleson lead second team offense, defense
- Upcoming sports schedule
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First team offense, defense features host of area standouts
- Venus
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Fallen deputy Clifton Taylor’s sister, Megan Davis, takes a picture of a painting of her brother on Monday during a dedication to the deputy. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office renamed its building to the Clifton Taylor Law Enforcement Center in honor of the deputy who lost his life during a disturbance call in April. The picture was painted by Fort Worth artist Gary Crouch. Three pictures were made and one will hang in the Clifton Taylor Law Enforcement Center. The other two paintings were presented as gifts to Taylor’s parents and his fiancee.
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Never forgotten
The eyes of fallen deputy Clifton Taylor’s family began to swell with tears during a dedication hosted by Johnson County Sheriff Bob Alford and the sheriff’s office.
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Never forgotten
