[Update at 8:09 p.m.: Jim sends word from the courthouse that Judge Snelson has denied that request for an injunction, leaving the temporary restraining order to dissolve at midnight -- and the records will be released after all. Tomorrow, maybe, no word yet on when.]
Jim's at the George Allen at this very moment, where Judge Teresa Guerra Snelson just took a brief pause for the cause -- long enough for Jim to send this update. But be warned: Snelson told the crowd at the courthouse that the evidentiary hearing regarding the release (or not) of tapes made in January -- when Dallas Police were called to the home of Mayor Dwaine Caraway and state Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway -- may stretch well toward midnight, when the TRO granted on March 8 expires.
As noted below, Caraway took the stand about 40 minutes ago. Jim, it's all yours:
Amazing testimony from Dwaine alleging that all of this was orchestrated from day one by Mayor Tom Leppert, City Manager Mary Suhm, Assistant City Manager Ryan Evans and Dallas Police Chief David Brown -- all of whom heard the tapes soon after the incident. The mayor claims his statement given at council was written by Dallas City Attorney Tom Perkins. He semi-throws Barbara under the bus by pointing out he was the complainant. He throws the chief under the bus by claiming he called him only as a friend and didn't want police sent to the house.
But Dwaine and his attorney, Michael Payma, may have screwed up big time: Payma got Dwaine to say he listened to the tape to prepare for today's hearing. Paul Watler, the Jackson Walker attorney representing The Dallas Morning News, jumped on that, telling the judge: If they used the tape to prepare for the trial, then they have to give us a copy of the tape too. Dwaine became furious and said, repeatedly, he didn't listen to the tape very carefully. Watler finally said: Judge, he's contradicted himself, and we should be given the tape.
Snelson said she will rule on that. But not now.
One last note: I am no lawyer, but everything that Dwaine and his attorney have done has only made this more and more of a public and political issue. They've brought in Leppert, Suhm, Evans, Perkins. It's more and more like a palace plot.
