The attorney for Russ Martin's fiancee - Mandy - says this afternoon that his client was arrested via warrant and handcuffed at work Monday by Dallas County authorities, transfered to Irving and eventually taken by Tarrant County officers to Judge Jamie Cummings' County Criminal Court #5 for failure to appear in court recently regarding her role as the complainant/victim in Martin's ongoing assault case.
UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Angelino, who reiterates that his client has never purposefully skipped out on a court date.
"What's going on here is very, very rare," Angelino told me. "And, to say the least, a little strange."
"She was put into handcuffs with hands behind her back for failing to appear in court for a setting that had been rescheduled," says attorney James Angelino, in a press release issued from his Oak Lawn offices just down the street from the Dallas Observer.
Confusing I know, but stay with me.
Mandy was allegedly assaulted by Russ last July. Since then, she has reconciled with Martin and, for what it's worth, has filed a complaint of inappropriate and illegal actions taken by the Southlake Police Department that, according to Angelino, is under "internal investigation."
After a series of court appearances in which the trial was essentially re-re-re-scheduled, last week a firm date of July 27 was established. According to Angelino, his client on Monday was ordered to appear on that date and chastised by Judge Cummings.
"Everyone was treating this case with kid gloves," Cummings told Mandy, according to Angelino. "But I will not. I'm going to treat this case the same as the other 1,500 cases I have here in this court."
Apparently this is all over Mandy violating a subpoena for a March 3 court appearance, which led to a March 12 court date, which ultimately led to July 27.
"Although one has a legal duty and obligation to follow the directives of a subpoena," says Angelino, "it is far from a typical situation where alleged victims of crimes are taken into custody to answer a subpoena for a court date that had been rescheduled."
I repeat, the longer this drags on and the more twists and turns that arise, you get the feeling Russ Martin is gonna walk. If you have a better guess, let's hear it.
Jump for the full release.
Press Release
For information regarding this release contact Attorney Jimmy Angelino, (attorney representing the complainant in the case)
Law Offices of James Angelino, 2603 Oak Lawn Ave. Ste. 200, Dallas, Texas 75219
Cell - 214.533.0183
Latest development in the Russ Martin case.
No court dates were scheduled. The next court appearance is docketed for July 27, 2009. Despite that, Tarrant County, Texas decided to take the complainant of alleged domestic abuse (Russ Martin's fiancée) into custody on March 16 and take her before Judge Jamie Cummings of County Criminal Court No. 5 in Fort Worth. At the request of Tarrant County, Dallas County apprehended the woman at her place of employment and transferred her to a location in Irving, Texas in order to release the woman into the custody of Tarrant County investigators Ed Gordon and Rea Twanaha. Once Dallas County had officially transferred the woman into the custody of the Tarrant County investigators, the woman was put into handcuffs with hands behind her back for failing to appear in court for a setting that had been rescheduled.
Before the Judge, the young woman was directed to appear for trial on July 27th. Judge Cummings also noted to the witness that "everyone was treating this case with kid gloves, but I will not. I'm going to treat this case the same as the other 1500 cases I have here in this court." Apparently contradicting that statement, Tarrant County Investigator Ed Gordon was on his cell phone reporting the custody of the young woman and remarked in her presence "I know, this is a special case." While questioning the woman's failure to appear in court on March 3, Judge Cummings remarked to the woman that she believed the trial date had been changed the morning of March 3.
The woman was subpoenaed to appear in court on March 3, 2009 for a trial scheduled to commence the next week. During the second week of February the trial date was formally changed to March 12. On March 6, 2009, the Court specially set the case for July 27, 2009, thus the subpoena for which the witness had allegedly violated was issued for a now cancelled trial date.
Although one has a legal duty and obligation to follow the directives of a subpoena, it is far from a typical situation where alleged victims of crimes are taken into custody to answer a subpoena for a court date that had been rescheduled.
A complaint filed by Martin's fiancée alleging possible inappropriate and illegal actions taken by the Southlake Police Department, during and after the Martin investigation, is still under internal investigation.
