The Ellis County Press: Charges against Burnett dropped

Charges against Burnett dropped
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Editor on 10/19/2006 00:00:00


SHERRY LONG
_The Ellis County Press_
WAXAHACHIE - Bail jumping and failure to appear charges against former Ferris
City Councilman Victor Burnett have been dropped.
Misdemeanor charges for marijuana possession and unlawful carrying of a weapon
against Burnett were also dismissed.
Burnett had been charged with bail jumping and failure to appear when he did not
show up for a court date in Judge Gene Knize's 40th District Court on March 20.
Jury selection was scheduled to begin that day in Burnett's tampering with a
government record trial where he was accused of using an invalid inspection
sticker on his vehicle.
Dallas County Jail records show on March 20, Burnett was serving a work-release
jail term at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center.
Burnett said he was not authorized by Dallas County officials to travel to Ellis
County that day for court, because he was only able to leave the facility from 7
a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday to go directly to work and back.
Ellis County District Attorney Joe Grubbs said the charges were dropped since
officials felt Burnett had already been punished enough after a jury in July
sentenced him to seven years in prison for tampering with an inspection sticker.
Burnett's attorney Cindy Ermatinger filed an appeal with the 10th Court of
Appeals in Waco in mid-August. .
On Aug. 17 she requested a new trial on her client's behalf, but Knize denied
the request.