Big Bend Times is facing an alarming situation as our publisher has been subjected to threats and harassment by Jeff Davis County law enforcement. The incident escalated when Deputy King Merritt pulled over our publisher about 10 miles from the courthouse, near the Big Bend Times live/work space in rural Fort Davis. The initial purpose of the stop was to “warn” our publisher about a threat of arrest if he approached the courthouse.
During the stop, our publisher informed Deputy Merritt that such a warning should be delivered through appropriate channels, such as certified mail, if it was legitimately based on any authority. He further pointed out that pulling him over without reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime was illegal. Initially, Deputy Merritt did not ask for our publisher’s license or inform him of any alleged offense. After several minutes, the deputy suddenly demanded our publisher’s license. While our publisher was complying with the order and looking for his license in his mobile desk, Merritt accused him of refusing to provide it, illustrating the deputy’s intent to find any excuse for an arrest.
In response, Deputy Merritt issued a ticket for failing to maintain a single lane, an offense that our publisher observed the deputy himself committing. This retaliatory ticket is now being handled by an El Paso law firm. Legal action concerning the threat is part of a larger ongoing tort that Jeff Davis County is committing against our publisher and Big Bend Times. We are prepared to seek injunctive relief if necessary to restore our rights to conduct our media business without undue interference.
Following this incident and the harassment that preceded it, our publisher no longer feels safe in the space we rent, further complicating our operations.
This situation is part of a broader pattern of harassment. Recently, our publisher discovered an extensive, yet baseless, investigation conducted by Jeff Davis County against him. This saga began when he filed a public information request for all documents related to him held by the county. To his astonishment, he uncovered a comprehensive investigation of which he was previously unaware. The scale of this investigation is underscored by a line from the county’s own documents, quoting their attorneys: “The documents and information in Exhibits 4, 5, and 6 directly relate to a now concluded and closed criminal investigation of the Requestor by the County Attorney’s office and certain law enforcement agencies.” This statement highlights the extensive resources and time directed at our publisher by the county.
The sheer volume of the investigation is mind-boggling. Exhibit 4 spans pages 1-235, Exhibit 5 covers pages 1-90, and Exhibit 6 includes enclosed Items 1-4. This extensive documentation indicates a significant investment of time and resources by the county in an investigation that ultimately led nowhere. No arrest was made, no charges were filed, and no court proceedings were initiated. This raises a glaring question: If there was any substance to the allegations, wouldn’t our publisher have been arrested, especially after such an extensive investigation?
In a report we published on December 30, 2023, we highlighted how the absence of any legal action stemming from these investigations suggests not just our publisher’s innocence but an extraordinary level of innocence. Most individuals who are innocent aren’t subjected to such extensive probes, fishing for any possible crime to pin on them. This situation goes beyond the standard presumption of innocence; it demonstrates a concerning level of overreach by Jeff Davis County officials, seemingly intent on finding a crime where none exists.
Furthermore, Jeff Davis County spent $14,012.55 with the Austin law firm Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP to keep the public from seeing their work product, including hundreds of pages about our publisher. This raises the question: What are they spending so much money to hide?
As someone who stands at the forefront of seeking truth and justice through journalism, this experience has been eye-opening for our publisher. It highlights a worrisome misuse of government resources and power – resources that could have been directed towards legitimate issues within our community. The lack of transparency and apparent eagerness to pursue a groundless investigation against him not only undermines public trust in our local government but also represents a dangerous precedent.
In conclusion, Jeff Davis County’s secret and unfounded investigation against our publisher reveals more than just a personal issue; it underscores a significant public concern. It serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance against misuse of authority and the need for continual scrutiny of governmental actions. As we continue our role as a publisher, this incident reinforces our commitment to shining a light on such opaque practices and advocating for the rightful use of governmental power.
Big Bend Times remains steadfast in our commitment to delivering news and holding local authorities accountable, undeterred by the challenges posed by local law enforcement.
Ignorance worthy of a third world country!