Subject: D'Angelo Lee

• Skinned

  September 12, 2006

• Don and Sheila and D'Angelo Makes Three

  July 5, 2006

• A Real Double Feature

  April 28, 2006

• Federal Indictments Imminent in City Hall Corruption Case, Says Channel 11

  September 27, 2007

• Got Time to Kill? Here's That 166-Page City Hall Indictment You've Been Waiting For.

  October 1, 2007

• Street Tax

  October 1, 2007

• Mrs. Don Hill Speaks! And Says She and Her Hubby Are Innocent! No, Really?

  October 25, 2007

• Look Out, Don Hill. Because Allen McGill Isn't Going Down Alone.

  April 15, 2008

• Domino No. 2 in the City Hall Corruption Case Falls: Andrea Spencer Pleas Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy

  April 30, 2008

• Serving the "Ends of Justice," Judge Delays City Hall Trial Till June

  How many shopping days left till Christmas, Don Hill? Dang, then we'd best hurry! A couple of housekeeping items this morning, including the disappointing news of a scheduling change. You can cross January 20 off your calendar if you were planning on attending the trial of former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, wife Sheila Farrington, ex-City Plan Commissioner, D'Angelo Lee, low-income housing developer Brian Potashnik, his wife Cheryl Potashnik and the others indicted in the City Hall corrup

  December 24, 2008

• Don Hill Slides From Mayoral Candidate to Alleged Criminal

  How did that happen?

  October 25, 2007

• Paper Trails

  Morning News waits and waits to acknowledge CBS-11's scoop of an ethically challenged state rep

  November 17, 2005

• Stacked Deck

  Giving penny-ante politicians a say over lucrative affordable-housing developments seemed like a good idea--until the FBI came calling

  January 26, 2006

• Thumb Job

  At City Hall, it's not called extortion. It's empowerment.

  September 8, 2005

• Letters

  September 1, 2005

• The Ride, Stupid

  Instead of calling for riots, just say where you got your car

  August 25, 2005

• D'Angelo

  Is there a better symbol for City Hall?

  July 7, 2005

• Brian Potashnik Will Appear in Federal Court -- To Testify Against Don Hill (Now, a Live Blog)

  Cheryl and Brian PotashnikI'm at the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse waiting for the afternoon session of the City Hall corruption trial to launch. The feds presented their case this morning. The only substantial news was a confirmation that affordable housing developer Brian Potashnik will, as expected, testify against former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill and former city plan commission member D'Angelo Lee.The government's case paints Potashnik as having been a willing, even avid c

  June 29, 2009

• The 19-Year-Old Blind "Little Hacker" Gets 135 Months in Federal Prison For "Swatting"

  Kathy Colvin in the U.S. Attorney's Office just sent word that late Friday, Matthew Weigman -- otherwise known as the "Little Hacker" about whom we wrote in January -- was sentenced to 135 months behind bars by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, who, at this very moment, is presiding over the public corruption trial involving, among others, ex-Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill and former Dallas plan commissioner D'Angelo Lee. Weigman, as you may recall, is the blind 19-year-old who gained nation

  June 29, 2009

• It's Early Yet, But So Far, No Quid Pro Quo (Updated: Now, Finally, a Live Blog)

  Hey, Don Hill, how you feeling after yesterday's testimony and tapes?I will miss some of this morning's testimony in the City Hall corruption case, because this is the day of the Observer's weekly story meeting. But based on what has happened already in court, a certain summary or caution is appropriate.Yesterday's surveillance tapes played for the jury were exculpatory of former city council member Don Hill and former plan city plan commission member D'Angelo Lee. There just isn't a gray area a

  July 1, 2009

• Don Hill’s Legal Defense May Be Less About the Facts and More About Martyrdom

  July 2, 2009

• Mitchell Rasansky Says He "Got the Sense" Some Council Members Tried to Kill FBI Informant's Affordable Housing Deals

  Brian HarkinWill the jury get to hear from Mitchell Rasansky? Based on what he told us, we're going out on a limb and saying yes.Mitchell Rasansky, who served with Don Hill on the Dallas City Council for six years and is listed as a potential witness in Hill's ongoing federal corruption trial, says any direct ties between Hill and developer Brian Potashnik weren't apparent to him because the majority of the city's affordable housing projects at the time were built by Potashnik's company, Southwe

  July 3, 2009

• Maybe Northern and Southern Dallas Should Consider a Free-Trade Pact

  July 9, 2009

• Prosecution Looks to Right Stumbling City Hall Corruption Case By Calling Brian Potashnik

  Sam MertenDon and Sheila Hill left the courthouse Tuesday afternoon in good spirits.An admittedly nervous Steve Williams spent all of Tuesday afternoon on the stand discussing his eight-year tenure as Don Hill's administrative assistant, pushing the anticipated debut of developer Brian Potashnik to this morning. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham paused his redirect examination of Williams as U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn wrapped up the day, so Williams will be back for at least another 30

  July 22, 2009

• Potashnik May Be the Prosecution's Smoking Gun, But He Sure Didn't Sound Like One

  Sam MertenBrian PotashnikNearly all of the 16 jurors grabbed their notebooks and focused on Brian Potashnik as the prosecution Wednesday morning called the witness expected to provide the most damning evidence in the City Hall corruption case. But while Potashnik's testimony raised concerns about the ethics of some of the five defendants, he struggled to directly implicate anyone in any apparent federal crimes. On several occasions, Potashnik claimed that he felt pressure to pay consulting mone

  July 23, 2009

• Prosecution Hands Over Key Witness to Defense Without Proving Don Hill's Guilt, Bolsters Case Against D'Angelo Lee

  Sam MertenD'Angelo Lee crosses Commerce Street in front of the Earle Cabell Federal Building Thursday afternoon.The second full day of testimony from affordable housing developer Brian Potashnik strengthened the prosecution's case against former city plan commissioner D'Angelo Lee in the City Hall corruption case, but federal prosecutor Marcus Busch concluded his direct examination of Potashnik Thursday without directly linking former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill to Lee's alleged criminal activity.

  July 24, 2009

• Defense Uses Factual Résumé, Church Donation and Ties With Leo Chaney to Fluster Key Witness In City Hall Corruption Case

  Sam MertenVictor VitalLow-income housing developer Brian Potashnik appeared frustrated and confused Monday in the federal City Hall corruption trial as a trio of defense lawyers rattled the prosecution's star witness while attacking his previous testimony. Near the end of a long day on the stand, he asked and answered his own question: "Do I want to be here right now? No." When Victor Vital resumed Thursday afternoon's cross-examination, Potashnik appeared to be in control, hijacking the exchan

  July 28, 2009

• With FBI Informant's Credibility in Question, Prosecution Decides It's Laura Miller Time

  Sam Merten Miller crosses Commerce Street this morning, along with husband Steve Wolens and daughter Alex.Moments ago, folks standing outside the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse got a sneak peek at the prosecution's next witness in the City Hall corruption trial: former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, accompanied by her husband, former State Rep. Steve Wolens. Finally.Federal prosecutors continued to gain little traction Wednesday in the City Hall corruption case against

  August 6, 2009

• Ah, See, This is the Laura Miller Schutze Remembers. And Misses, Just a Little.

  This is most decidedly not the Laura Miller who showed up to Dallas federal court this morning.​Today's proceedings at the City Hall federal corruption trial opened with a determined attempt by the Dallas city attorney, once again, to bar witnesses from talking about anything that may have happened in a closed "executive" session of the Dallas city council. Basically, Judge Barbara Lynn told the city's lawyer to bag it. They're talkin', as far as she's concerned. Now it's former Dallas Mayor

  August 7, 2009

• Far As Al Lipscomb's Concerned, Jury Oughta "Dump" Case Against Don Hill and Others, Feds Should Apologize to Fantroy's Wife

  Sam MertenAl Lipscomb, who was told during a trial break by Laura Miller that he was looking "dapper as always," stands outside the Earle Cabell Federal Building yesterday afternoon.Once again, we found former council member Al Lipscomb in the courtroom at the City Hall corruption trial yesterday, and he predicted the jury will "dump" the case. "The jury's gonna say, 'You've taken our time up on all this crap here. There's a hell of a lot of involvement. We don't know. They've all taken money,

  August 7, 2009

• Don Hill's Latest Defense: He Just Wasn't Powerful Enough to Influence Deals

  Sam MertenWhat, them worried? D'Angelo Lee, Don Hill and Sheila Farrington outside the federal courthouse​[Editor's note: Jim's on deadline, and Sam's on vacation. So Trey Garrison's down at the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse live-blogging the City Hall corruption trial for Unfair Park today. Jim's back tomorrow; till then, take it away, Trey.]Don Hill's defense attorney, Ray Jackson, spent the morning building on a main part of their argument that Jim so brilliantly summarized l

  August 10, 2009

• As the City Hall Corruption Trial Wraps For the Week, Schutze Gets a Clear Look At the Feds' Case.

  Sam MertenThe government has cast plan commission member D'Angelo Lee as Don Hill's henchman.​O.K., this morning I think we are getting a more clear look at the government's case in the Dallas City Hall bribery case, in which former city council member Don Hill is accused of using racial affirmative action and "fair share" requirements to squeeze bribe money out of real estate developers. The government is painting a picture of Hill as a sort of clever godfather, always saying the right t

  August 12, 2009

• Before Bill Fisher's Turned Over to the Defense, Ex-Council Member Makes Cameo

  ​Today's testimony from Bill Fisher, the government's wire-wearing witness in the City Hall corruption trial in federal court, brings us an even more explicit bribery-extortion scenario than we have seen before in this two-months-old trial.Fisher is alleging a series of events that followed a meeting with hair-care magnate Comer Cottrell and Kevin Dean, a paving contractor. At that meeting -- a tape of which was played last week -- Cottrell promises to help Fisher get former Dallas Mayor Pro

  August 17, 2009

• A New Defense Emerges in the Dallas City Hall Federal Corruption Trial: Entrapment!

  Sam MertenD'Angelo Lee, who's apparently going to claim he was entraped by the feds​Big news. Doug Greene has just revealed the core strategy of the defense in the federal Dallas City Hall corruption trial.Entrapment.He has also just been administered a smart spanking from the judge for wasting her time.I missed this morning's proceedings in federal district court. I kept up, though, via Jennifer Emily's very capable coverage on The Dallas Morning News's live blog. So here I am, back in the a

  August 19, 2009

• It may be time for some defendants in the federal corruption trial to play Make a Deal.

  August 20, 2009

• At City Hall Federal Corruption Trial, Former DHA CEO Says Hill Wanted a Lott of Love

  Former Dallas Housing Authority CEO Ann Lott​This morning at the Dallas City Hall federal corruption trial at the Earle Cabell, we are getting insight into the involvement of Ann Lott, former CEO of the Dallas Housing Authority, in this whole sorry mess. I'm not sure where we're headed. But so far, an hour into it, let me share what I think I'm hearing.Sounds to me like Lott, who was forced out of her job, blew the whistle on a bunch of this stuff. You know, she was accused of some obscure b

  August 21, 2009

• So, Don, How Ya Feelin' After Your First Day on the Stand?

  Sam MertenOf course, Hill couldn't actually answer the question as he's restricted from speaking to the media, but this photo we snapped during the media frenzy that followed today's testimony from the former mayor pro tem tells the story. Sure, it was merely a verbal "Wikipedia entry" as Robert described, but it looks like Hill had a blast. Oh, and this tidbit from his wife's attorney, Victor Vital. "We're weighing our options," regarding whether or not to put Sheila on the stand. More pics

  September 3, 2009

• Prosecution "Salivating Like a Junkyard Dog Staring at a T-Bone Steak" As Defense Continues Questioning Don Hill (A Live Blog)

  Sam MertenD'Angelo Lee and Don HillAs testimony concluded yesterday in the City Hall corruption trial, it appeared as though the prosecution would begin its cross-examination of Don Hill after Doug Greene, D'Angelo Lee's attorney, finished what is expected to be his relatively short questioning of Hill, especially after Victor Vital told us he had no plans to examine the former mayor pro tem. However, Vital did stress that he reserved the right to question Hill, and he'll exercise that right aft

  September 9, 2009

• Don Hill's Back on the Stand. For the Last Day? We Sure Hope Not! A Live Blog, Of Course.

  Sam MertenDon Hill and Sheila Farrington Hill after Don't first day of testimony, which was, like, what? A month ago?​So, the third-string team is in to cover what will probably be Don Hill's last day of testimony. Appropriate, then, that the morning's starting off with technical difficulties with Hill's mic and computer monitor. Buzz!Hill's being questioned about $18,000 and $12,000 payments from Brian Potashinik's Arbor Wood development to his former mistress-now-wife Sheila Farrington Hill

  September 17, 2009

• Sheila Hill's Attorney Convinces His Client Not to Testify in City Hall Corruption Trial

  Sam MertenAs Don Hill took the stand earlier this month in the City Hall corruption trial, we checked in with his wife's attorney, Victor Vital, to find out if Sheila would also testify in her defense. Vital told us that she was in fact one of his witnesses, claiming she aimed to save her reputation through her testimony. Even after Don faced excruciating cross-examination from prosecutor Marcus Busch, Vital assured us that he had no concerns about putting Sheila on the stand. But Busch can sto

  September 17, 2009

• Stay Tuned: The Verdict Is In! (Update: Don Hill's Guilty of Extortion, Bribery and More)

  Sam MertenFour of the five co-defendants, from left to right: D'Angelo Lee, Sheila Hill, Darren Reagan and Don Hill​Sam's on his way to the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse, where, at around 10:30 a.m., we'll find out what says the jury in the Dallas City Hall federal corruption trial. Which means those of you who selected "October 1 through October 7" in our contest are one step closer to that The Wire boxed set win. Stay tuned, as a live blog is forthcoming.Update at 10:38 a.m.:

  October 5, 2009

• Now That Don Hill's Been Found Guilty, What About "Business as Usual" at Dallas City Hall?

  Sam MertenDon and Sheila Hill and attorney Victor Vital after the jury handed down its guilty verdicts today in the Dallas City Hall federal corruption trial​So, it turns out Patrick "Buzz" Williams was right. No matter how you do the accounting, how you structure the contracts, how you interpret arcane campaign finance laws and city ethics policies, getting caught on camera accepting 10 grand in cash out back of a church is still like getting caught naked in your neighbor's house.Moments ago

  October 5, 2009

• As Hills Look Forward to Appeal, Don Says Brian Potashnik "Did What He Had To Do"

  Sam MertenAt approximately 10:40 this morning, a packed courtroom on the 15th floor of the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse filled with friends and family of the co-defendants, members of the media and lawyers sits abuzz with anticipation. This is it. Finally. U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn enters and announces that the jury has reached unanimous verdicts on all counts against Don and Sheila Hill, D'Angelo Lee, Darren Reagan and Rickey Robertson. "I recognize the tension and press

  October 5, 2009

• The Jury that Found the Defendants Guilty in the Federal Corruption Trial Was Also Indicting City Hall

  October 8, 2009

• What Don Hill's Conviction Means for Dallas

  October 15, 2009

• Don and Sheila Hill, the Unfair Park Interview

  Photos and cutlines by Danny FulgencioAn inclination for religious references did not save Don Hill from lawful judgment.A little more than 24 hours after a jury found Don and Sheila Hill guilty on a total of 12 counts in the City Hall corruption case, the two sat down with me for a lengthy interview at the offices of Baker Botts on the 11th floor of Trammell Crow Center. Space constraints prevented much of our conversation from appearing in this week's cover story about the trial, so I've pulle

  October 16, 2009

• State Rep. Terri Hodge Has a Few Months Before Her Trial's Scheduled to Start

  State Rep. Terri Hodge​Mark your calendars: March 8. That, says Jack Fink, is when state Rep. Terri Hodge will finally stand trial, per Judge Barbara Lynn's decision. Say what? You forgot Hodge was indicted along with Don Hill, D'Angelo Lee and the rest of the found-guilty gang? Then you should go back and re-read the original indictment, in which Hodge is accused of accepting free rent from Brian and Cheryl Potashnik in exchange for sending letters of support to the Texas Department of Housin

  October 26, 2009

• Smokin' at C.T.'s Real Deal BBQ

  October 29, 2009

• Interview With City Hall Corruption Trial Juror Triggers Motion for New Trial Based on Jury Misconduct from Sheila Hill's Attorney

  FBIDon Hill's testimony about the fax machine found at his residence in June 2005 tickled juror Nedra Frazier so much that she may have let it slip that she either was talking about the case before deliberations or listening to others talk about it.When we spoke with juror Nedra Frazier hours after she helped convict Don Hill, his wife and three others in the Dallas City Hall corruption case, she mentioned Hill's denial about owning a fax machine as "the one thing that stuck out" during his test

  October 28, 2009

• U.S. District Judge Denies Two of Sheila Hill's Dismissal Motions. But She'll Now Interview the Juror Who Spoke to the Dallas Observer.

  U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn​Last week, as you no doubt recall, Sheila Hill's attorney, Victor Vital, requested a new trial or evidentiary hearing based upon possible jury misconduct preceding all those guilty verdicts in the Dallas City Hall federal corruption trial. Now we know how U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn will proceed -- by dismissing two of the three claims (those involving a newspaper found in the jury room and D'Angelo Lee's claim that a friend of his said a juror gave opinio

  November 5, 2009