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Jul 1, 2008 12:42 pm US/Central
Dallas Commissioners Warn Sheriff To Stop Filming
Valdez Under Fire For Giving OK To Jail Documentary
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
The Dallas County Commissioners have issued a warning to Sheriff Lupe Valdez: stop all plans for documentary filming in the jail or face a legal injunction.
The Commissioners unanimously agreed to issue a temporary restraining order against the Sheriff and The Discovery Channel. The cable operation planned to film a documentary on the operation of the county jail.
At a Tuesday afternoon news conference, Valdez explained, "Before considering this agreement, I conferred with my legal advisor regarding matters of liability and law. And he confirmed that our actions here are in compliance with state law and departmental policy."
Valdez signed a contract without approval from the Commissioners Court, officials said. Commissioners say that no contract can be entered into without their approval.
Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield said it was an, "intentional slight of our policy, and against the advice of our attorney."
Valdez said, "Neither county policy nor state law requires me to receive approval from the court before allowing access to jail facilities."
The Sheriff continued, "The county states there's only two reasons to deny filming: if it disrupts normal business, which we'd make sure that it wouldn't, or if it offends public visitors. There were no public visitors in the jail. Therefore, neither of these situations applied."
"It is well within the Sheriff's responsibility to run the jail. The jail is not controlled, ran or managed by the Commissioners Court," added Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins. "She can determine who can come in and leave the jail. It is within her sole discretion."
Watkins also assured the media that the District Attorney's Office would not seek an injunction against Valdez, and said that any methods taken by the Commissioners to do so would be a waste of resources.
"If [the Commissioners] choose to get counsel," Watkins said, "then we are put into a position to defend the Sheriff on the injunction, and we fully intend to do that."
Dallas County already faces legal fights regarding the condition of the jail and treatment of inmates. They have prohibited access to other entities and apparently had no knowledge of the documentary plans.
"I believe that showing the remarkable progress that has been made in our jail is important," Valdez said.
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