In Fall 2023, a Jeff Davis County employee publicly confronted a journalist inside a local meat shop, using information she obtained through confidential law enforcement records. She then followed him into a neighboring bakery, yelling about body-worn camera footage she viewed through her job, and declaring that he was “under investigation.” Months later, she filed a written statement denying key parts of what she said—while adding defamatory speculation and personal insults so extreme they resembled a “Mean Girls” burn book filed on government letterhead.
The journalist was Big Bend Times Publisher David Flash, who had quietly entered Far West Texas Cattle Co. to take a couple of photos and buy bread from the adjacent bakery. He’d previously promoted the shop online and had met the owner. “I work fast,” Flash said. “I’m always gathering content while supporting local businesses. I don’t try to act like a traditional reporter. I just move.”
Inside the shop, Lisa Dennison, who worked evenings there as a second job, recognized Flash from government records she had accessed at her primary job in the Jeff Davis County Attorney’s Office. Though Flash hadn’t said a word to her, Dennison began confronting him, then followed him into the Bread Garden Bakery next door and shouted publicly that he was under investigation, had been seen “yelling at police” in body-worn camera footage, and that she had seen it because she worked for the County Attorney.
Public Disclosure, Then a Written Denial
Dennison didn’t just blurt out vague details. She specifically said she had seen body-worn camera footage of Flash from inside the County Attorney’s Office, and claimed it showed him “yelling at cops.” Multiple people were present. Flash immediately recognized that she was referring to a September 15, 2023 traffic stop involving State Park Police Officer Jacob Barton—footage he had never requested, and which he didn’t even know existed.
In reality, that video shows Flash calmly across the road, raising his voice only after Barton slammed his car door mid-sentence, cutting Flash off while he was asking a question. Barton had gotten in his vehicle and appeared to be preparing to leave. Flash walked across the street and stood quietly by Barton’s window. He raised his voice only to be heard through the window. After Barton informed him he was on a traffic stop, something Flash had no way of knowing as his original question was not answered directly, he remained at a distance for the entire 40-minute stop. He was never charged.
In her July 1, 2024 written statement, Dennison both confirmed her access to internal records and falsely claimed she didn’t know what the case was about. She wrote:
“I viewed the BWC video where David Wayne Flash boldly and blatantly interrupted Officer Jacob Barton…”
“I recognized David Wayne Flash… after seeing his photos on his Criminal History Report.”
Yet later in the same document:
“At that time, I honestly did not know what the allegations were involving Officer Barton.”
“I did not give him any additional details of the investigation because… I was unfamiliar with the case.”
Those claims are false. She had already revealed that she saw the video, reviewed records, and disclosed details in public that could have only come from her work inside the County Attorney’s Office.
The “Burn Book” Statement
Dennison’s written statement wasn’t an apology or explanation—it was part of a broader campaign by county officials to portray Flash as a criminal. Her letter included:
- Speculation that he may have been carrying a gun
- Claims he appeared to be in disguise
- Descriptions of him as mentally unstable, saying he might need to be “restrained in a psychiatric ward”
- Comparisons to “a spoiled toddler”
- Statements that she feared seeing him in public—even at the grocery store
It read less like a legal document and more like a personal vendetta in bureaucratic form—a “burn book” written by a government employee and submitted under official letterhead.
Supporting False Charges from Judge Mary Ann Luedecke
Dennison’s statement was not the only one. County Attorney Glen Eisen and multiple other county employees submitted statements aimed at portraying Flash as dangerous, unstable, or criminal. These documents were used to support false criminal charges filed by Justice of the Peace Mary Ann Luedecke, who Flash had also reported on.
One of those charges—terroristic threat—was later dropped. The other—harassment—remains pending, but is based on statements so contradicted by recordings and documents that they are easily disproven.
Flash never made threats. He never engaged in harassment. But his investigative reporting about local law enforcement, judges, and improper government conduct triggered a campaign of retaliation—coordinated inside the courthouse, funded by taxpayer dollars, and supported by county staff with conflicts of interest.
Applicable Law
🔹 Texas Penal Code § 39.06 – Misuse of Official Information
Dennison used her public role to access and weaponize confidential records against a private citizen. This is a third-degree felony.
🔹 Texas Penal Code § 39.03 – Official Oppression
Her public confrontation and defamatory written statement both qualify as acts of official retaliation under color of law.
🔹 Libel per se (Civil Law)
Her claims that Flash was mentally unfit, dangerous, and harassing are inherently defamatory and legally actionable without proof of damages.
County Attorney Eisen’s Role
When Flash originally filed a complaint about Dennison’s public disclosure, he mistakenly cited a misdemeanor statute under the Public Information Act. Instead of correcting it—or referring the matter to a neutral authority—County Attorney Glen Eisen mocked the complaint in a recorded call:
“He filed it under the wrong statute. He cited the Public Information Act. That’s for legislative information—completely irrelevant. It’s not a crime.”
He continued:
“Even if it was a crime, I wouldn’t prosecute it under these circumstances.”
This despite his own acknowledgment that Dennison disclosed information she learned at work. Eisen’s comments reflected the deeper problem: in Jeff Davis County, the law is selectively applied—and whistleblowers are punished, not protected.
No Accountability, Just Retaliation
Lisa Dennison is no longer employed by the county. No internal investigation or disciplinary action has been disclosed. Meanwhile, the county has spent more than $14,000 in taxpayer funds hiring outside lawyers to block the release of public records tied to these retaliatory efforts.
Flash continues to face a baseless harassment charge, fueled by internal statements riddled with lies, contradictions, and personal bias.
“This isn’t about justice,” Flash said. “It’s about power. They used their titles and taxpayer time to write a burn book about me—and then tried to get me jailed for it.”
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