Complaint Review: STAR Drug Court Mary Covington Matt Russell

While I am happy for you that you have recovered in this program, no instances of unethical or illegal behavior, especially against crime victims, should be tolerated.  And public policy decisions should be made on sound logical decisions, not emotion.  For every case study of a drug court success story, I can find a failure Harris County will not dare publish.  The fact of the matter is is that drug crime / arrests jumped 50% in Texas since the coerced introduction of drug courts, and moreso in counties introducing drug courts.  Many leading academics and public policy experts are now standing up against drug courts.  The UK and Scottish governments are looking to close all of theirs (2 of 4 countries which operate drug courts).  

In my case, I (and my female roommate) took in and tried to help a young women who was a heroin addict, and was being prostituted by the former head of the NJ mafia who runs a strip club in town, and lived in a heroin den with a dealer her very own sister introduced her to.  The STAR drug court decided I was of quote "bad character" because I went into a strip club she worked at.  If this is the case, about 500,000 young men in Houston in their 20s and 30s need similar probation orders.  My roommate and I fed her, clothed her, drove her to rehab, and paid for them.  While she lived with me for 4 months, I did not have sex with her - I was truly interested in helping this girl.  Given I lived in a condo building, there are tons of witnesses as to exactly what happened.  I thought I should since her own dad was a rehab counselor.  All the while, her sister introduced her to her dealers and her dad ran a rehab associated with our court system WHILE AN ADDICT HIMSELF.  

At the trial, the head of this church threatened and threw a crime victim out of a court room.  No victim should have to tolerate this treatment.  Covington was in the courtroom, clearly witnessed by witnesses and admitted in a Harris County investigation, seeking special favors for the girl.  Yet, as a result of her actions, one young man was left living with his parents again.  She stole my car and drove it through my condo parking gate.  My condo HOA hasn't been paid a penny.  Our civil case against her was in front of another judge from this drug church, a clear conflict of interest.  One has to wounder if all these conflicts are to cover up issues with her dad running a rehab associated with our court while an addict at the same time.  Then, the girls actually has the nerve and arrogance to go around defaming my name.  I don't really care what abuse she endured at the hands of others - this is unacceptable.  I threatened this girl's dealers, and am probably the only reason she is alive today.

The irony of the situation is, the man who was thrown out of the courtroom went into the courtroom seeking peace - despite what had happened, I asked him to speak to the prosecutors such that the women would get treatment, not prosecuted.   He was also a crime victim.  Further, she was not even arrested because anyone wanted her to go to jail - we called the crisis hotline after she repeatedly threatened suicide, and the police put her in jail as a precaution under a charge that was never meant to be pursued (until the peaceful drug church started crap in the courtroom).  

After admitting issues in her probation treatment, her probation officer ordered her back into custody.  Further, Harris County conducted an investigation admitting wrongdoing and illegal behaviors.  The DAs office choose not to investigate under quote "prosecution discretion" and also refused to refer jurisdiction for an investigation of this case to the State AG.  The very fact that I have called for an investigation for years, and Harris County is doing everything in its power to prevent one says all that needs to be said.  One would reason that if one did not do anything wrong, they would invite an investigation to be had, not try to avoid it at all costs available.

With regards to being a cry baby, Harris County conducted an investigation and promised action as a result of that investigation that it never delivered.  Further, hundreds of witnesses, victims, and condo neighbors signed a petition also demanding an investigation - other people influenced in some way by this case.  I have the right as a crime victim to be treated with respect, to not have my people threatened, to not be demeaned by a judge (who is later on audio apologizing), etc.  Quite the embarrassing case for Harris County, which got caught with its pants down (when it thought it caught me with my pants down) - this little situation is not good PR for drug courts in TX or federal funding, so the good folks running the drug court want to hush it up...

You must have felt like you were being treated as an outcast by STAR Drug Court to post such nasty comments about Mary Covington, but as an ex member of STAR I will go to bat for Mary Covington any day! No, I am not an outstanding citizen with a fancy smancy reputation, in fact I am a convicted felon and a recovering addict, but I know without a doubt that when I was a client of drug court we were a family.

In fact the staff of drug court were the only people in my life who cared about me and wanted what was best for me. I hope that in 3 years whatever resentments you had against Mary have been dealt with for your sake, but there is not one bad thing that can be said about Mary Covington. Get over it!!

And, here is the audio tape of Harris County Criminal Courts General Counsel talking about the case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVAgDhiHihE

And, here is the audio tape of Harris County Criminal Courts General Counsel talking about the case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVAgDhiHihE

And, here is the audio tape of Harris County Criminal Courts General Counsel talking about the case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVAgDhiHihE

And, here is the audio tape of Harris County Criminal Courts General Counsel talking about the case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVAgDhiHihE