...Smith is being investigated for the second time in two years. During a 2007 investigation Smith took voluntary leave after an ex-girlfriend accused him of rape. An investigation found insufficient evidence for an indictment, but then-city manager Skip Noe suspended Smith for 20 days...Previous post:
[TX] Statement from dv-rape-absolved Corpus Christi Police Chief Smith - ..."There is no doubt that I used poor judgment in my personal life through my interaction with a former girlfriend"...
Chief has options. But what are they?
Choices unknown, but decision is due by 5 p.m. Monday
Corpus Christi Caller Times, TX
By Jaime Powell, Beth Wilson
November 22, 2008
[Excerpts] CORPUS CHRISTI — Police Chief Bryan Smith, who has been under investigation since Oct. 28, has two options and the weekend to think it over. But City Manager Angel Escobar wouldn't say what the options are."We've agreed not to discuss the details of the options at this point pending his decision no later than Monday at 5 p.m.," he said during a news conference Friday night. That also is when Escobar expects to release a written summary and audio recordings from the investigation into allegations Smith made inappropriate comments about city officials or members of the police force... Assistant Police Chief Mike Walsh is acting chief. Smith's attorney, Stephen Chapman, said Thursday that Smith was not recorded making any disparaging comments and will be vindicated when the investigation is complete... Smith is being investigated for the second time in two years. During a 2007 investigation Smith took voluntary leave after an ex-girlfriend accused him of rape. An investigation found insufficient evidence for an indictment, but then-city manager Skip Noe suspended Smith for 20 days, which was deducted from his vacation time. [Full article here]
Last October:
City Looks Into Allegations Against Police Chief
KRIS-TV, TX - Oct 29, 2008
Roxanne Carrillo
rcarrillo@kristv.com
Oct 28, 2008
[Excerpts] CORPUS CHRISTI - Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith is under investigation for allegedly making some inappropriate comments about his staff and some city council members on a video tape. Interim City Manager Angel Escobar confirmed that allegations have been made about comments from Police Chief Bryan Smith. KRIS 6 News began looking into accusations concerning Smith after receiving a letter in the mail signed 'the honest police officers of CCPD'... "There is a recording of Chief Smith making very degrading comments about his staff, certain people within the city council, including the city manager. The chief has tried to ban this recording by bringing internal charges on an officer"... [Full article here]
April 2007
ReplyDeleteChief steals no bases, just her heart
Caller.com
April 16, 2007
Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith hit a home run at the Corpus Christi Hooks game Sunday afternoon. But he didn't bring a baseball or a bat. He brought his heart, his girlfriend and a diamond ring. At the end of the third inning, Smith was introduced to the crowd for the police department's work with the Police Athletic League. Smith hopped up on the dugout and brought his girlfriend, Patricia Zavodsky, up with him...
Police Chief Bryan Smith's statement on rape allegations
KRISTV.COM
April 23, 2007 02:25 PM
..."I have been falsely accused of sexual assault by a woman I formerly dated. Any and all relations that have occurred were always of a consensual nature... In the best interest of the Corpus Christi police department, I am voluntarily taking a leave of absence until this matter is resolved. I want to emphasize that these allegations are false, vindictive and retaliatory."
DA: Woman accuses police chief of rape
Caller-Times
April 23, 2007
Police Chief Bryan Smith denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman Saturday, saying the report was "false, vindictive and retaliatory"... A woman in her 30s said she was raped Saturday and went to an area hospital early that afternoon seeking medical care... Smith's lawyer, Tony Canales, said he believes the allegations stemmed from Smith's public proposal last Sunday to his girlfriend of five months, Patricia Zavodsky...
Corpus Christi police chief accused of rape
The Brownsville Herald
April 23, 2007 - 5:02PM
Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith said Monday he is taking time off to fight an allegation that he raped a woman over the weekend.... his lawyer told reporters he had instructed his client not to take questions from the media. The lawyer, Tony Canales, said the accuser was a former girlfriend with "mental issues"... "He dated her. He had a personal relationship with her"...
Smith denies sex assault; Texas Rangers investigate
Caller-Times
April 24, 2007
Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith is on voluntary leave while the Texas Rangers investigate... "I am confident that the investigation will exonerate me of the malicious accusation made against me."... [District Attorney Carlos] Valdez said standard procedures were performed to evaluate the woman's condition... Mayor Henry Garrett, a former police chief, said he was devastated to hear of the allegations but has confidence that the matter will be handled correctly. "I have known him since I was on the police department... He has always been an outstanding police officer and has been an excellent police chief"...
Former girlfriend says police chief showed up drunk, raped her
The Brownsville Herald
April 25, 2007
The recently engaged Corpus Christi police chief showed up drunk at his ex-girlfriend's apartment in the middle of the night and allegedly sexually assaulted her, according to a police report released Wednesday... The woman told the police officer Smith showed up outside her apartment about 2 a.m. Saturday and text messaged her that he was there. She said she let him in to avoid waking up her child. "Victim added that suspect #1 was intoxicated," the report reads. "Victim added that this led to him (suspect #1) touching and kissing each other which later led to sexual intercourse against her will. Victim kept adding that she still loves suspect #1"...
City hangs on to reports in allegations against chief
Caller-Times
April 25, 2007
Almost two days after rape allegations against Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith were made public, the city's legal staff had not turned over any reports pertaining to the alleged incident. The Caller-Times filed a Texas Public Information Act request Monday morning for police reports... On Tuesday, Assistant City Attorney Joseph Harney wouldn't release reports about the incident. Harney said he planned to send letters to the Texas Attorney General's office today asking whether parts of the reports could be considered private. Caller-Times attorney Jorge Rangel said there are certain items that already should have been released, including the initial police contact report...
Police chief's attorney says police report lacks details
kristv.com
April 26, 2007 02:23 PM
6 News has obtained a copy of the report in the alleged rape case involving Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith... it isn't clear if the alleged victim was volunatarily touching and kissing Smith, but District Attorney Carlos Valdez said he believes the report meant to read that the alleged victim was a willing participant when it came to the hugging and kissing, but not to intercourse... "What this report is missing are things that happened before this time," [Smith's attorney Tony] Canales said, "whether or not she went to his house beforehand. There's a lot of things to this story"... The alleged victims attorney didn't want to talk on camera, but he said his client was not at Smith's home before the alleged rape...
Can Embattled Police Chief Hang on to His Job
KIIITV.COM
April 27, 2007
...Nueces County District Attorney Carlos Valdez handled more than 150 adult sexual assault cases last year... "Our patient is the crime scene," say's Sonja Eddleman. She's an adult sexual assault examiner... What determines whether an arrest warrant is issued immediately depends on the evidence and if the suspect is dangerous or a flight risk. The length of a sexual assault investigation can only be determined by the amount of evidence. Most often it's a matter of six to eight weeks, unless the case boils down to the credibility of the individuals involved. "We know that the act of sexual intercourse happend but its going to come down as to the consent in those cases. Its going take some time to develop the evidence that necessary to present to the grand jury"...
May 2007
Grand jury issues no bill in police chief's rape case
KRIS-TV, TX
Erin McLemore emclemore@kristv.com
May 27, 2007 06:57 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI - After a 15 to 20 minute deliberation, a Nueces County grand jury issued a no bill in the rape case against Police Chief Bryan Smith on Friday afternoon. The ruling means that Smith will not be indicted and is not facing any charges. That's after hearing from four different witnesses, one being the alleged victim herself... The key witness, Chief's Smith's 37-year old ex-girlfriend whose behind the allegations, testified for about two hours. Texas Ranger Robert Garza also testified. The final witness called was Univision news reporter, Gabriella Strange, who knows the accuser. The grand jury began deliberating... The investigation against Smith began on April 21, when Smith's 32-year-old ex-girlfriend showed up at a local hospital claiming he had raped her. The woman claims Smith showed up at her home that morning and that he had sent her a text message to her cell phone, saying he was outside her apartment. She said she let Smith in to avoid waking up her child and said that Smith was intoxicated. The accusation came one week after Smith proposed to his fiancee. The day the ex-girlfriend accused Smith of rape, she told officers she still loved the chief. The only public comments the chief has made regarding the rape claim came on April 23, when he denied the accusation...
June 2007
Police chief takes on his greatest challenge
Bryan Smith, no-billed on charge of rape, now faces the need to regain his credibility, rally shaken department.
Caller-Times
June 7, 2007
[Excerpts] The agonizing weeks-long scrutiny of Corpus Christi Police Chief Bryan Smith came to a conclusion late last week. City Manager Skip Noe announced that Smith - who had been accused of rape by a former girlfriend, but was later no-billed by a grand jury - would keep his job. It fell short of a ringing vote of confidence. While Noe cited Smith's distinguished record of 26 years service with the force - including 10 months in the department's top job - he minced no words when it came to the gravity of the situation, saying, "The guy made a mistake. There's no doubt about that and he admits that." Consequently, the chief will lose 20 days of vacation time, and will be required to attend counseling and undergo alcohol testing. No doubt there are those in the community who disapprove of that show of relative leniency. But for now, the majority opinion seems to lean toward giving the chief the opportunity to rehabilitate himself...