A special prosecutor will determine what charges are filed against Jasper County Presiding Commissioner Chuck Surface in connection with his stop Friday night by a Jasper County deputy.
Jasper County Circuit Court Judge David Dally appointed Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney Robert E. George to take charge of the case. The request for a special prosecutor was made by Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney Dean Dankelson in a motion filed earlier today.
Surface told the Joplin Daily and Joplin Globe he expected to face DWI charges in connection with his stop, which took place after he left the Joplin Elks Club, according to published reports.
If Joe Blow gets stopped for DWI, they are charged. There's no special prosecutor, there's no delay in the charges, no extra thought given to the circumstances. Why the delay on charges? How much is it going to cost some high-priced cronie with a law degree to ask the Elks Lodge bartender how many drinks he served Chuckie? How long before the Jasper County Commission blames this on the lack of taxi services in the Four-States region? By the way, great job Hacker.
ReplyDeleteThe special prosecutor is to avoid a conflict of interest since both Dankelson and Surface are county officeholders. My guess is the special prosecutor will file charges fairly quickly.
ReplyDeleteNo duh. The thing is it's going to cost the county some extra scratch to hire this guy and Surface, if and when found guilty, should have to reimburse the taxpayers. Hopefully that helps you read between the lines.
ReplyDeleteYes, Surface admits drinking and driving. He showed very poor judgement--both in his personal actions and his evaluation of what his opposition will do to seize power.
ReplyDeleteBut does anyone doubt that he was set up? Just what WAS that deputy sheriff doing at 29th and Jefferson at that hour? Isn't that in the jurisdiction of the Jooplin Police Department? Why weren't they involved?
The "Globe" story indicated that the official from the Sheriff's office refused to say what the car was doing there. Do they just drive around randomly all day?
Obviously, Archie Dunn wants to control the County Commission just as he controls the money garnered from the all-too-hastily passed tax with the oversight only of a committee he appoints.
I now plan to vote for Chuck Surface--for the first time ever. We don't need a power-mad Sheriff making all the decisions.