Ellis County DA files motion to end attorney’s religious posts

Photo courtesy Ellis County District Attorney.

Ellis County District Attorney Patrick Wilson.

ELLIS COUNTY — Ellis County District Attorney Patrick Wilson filed a motion in the 40th Judicial District Court to prevent defense attorney Griffith & Associates from making religious posts on their law firm's Facebook page.

The motion, dated August 11, 2016, states, "Over the course of the previous calendar year, attorneys employed by Griffith & Associates or agents acting at their direction have made postings on this particular page that appear to have occurred while Griffith & Associates was currently in jury trial. These postings either exposed details about the case that the jury on those particular cases were not entitled to hear or expressed personal opinions about the proceedings that are inadmissible at trial."

The motion was signed by Assistant County & District Attorney Lindy Tober Beaty on behalf of Wilson, as the motion indicates.

Click here to read the full contents of the motion.

The case in which Wilson filed this motion in front of Judge Bob Carroll's court is in relation to the defense of Gliberto Ramirez Gonzalez, who was arrested by Ferris Police Department and booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Ellis County on July 22, 2013 on charges of "Indecency with or sexual assault of a child."

However, the motion filed with the court to attempt the restricting of Facebook posts by Griffith & Associates only includes exhibits of religious posts by the law firm and fails to provide evidence to support the claim of exposing details of a case that the jury is not entitled to hear.

Exhibit one from January 25, 2016 states:

"Sorry, It has been awhile since this last posting. I have been in trial fighting for a man's life and start another trial today and then another in 2 weeks.

It reminds me of my calling from God. I see God, directing me in my fights for justice. I see God in everything, including my clients. They are scorned, chastised, maligned and cast aside. These are the people Jesus sought out and helped. I imagine He had this plan for me long before I was born. So many paths could have led in different directions but He was always guiding me down the path He had set out for me. I have followed.

The path you want and the path God has for you may not be the same. Have faith, God knows and we don't always know.

I will continue to walk down His path and advocate for the same people He advocated for.

LOVE, COMPASSION, and Passion is the answer, all based in Faith, Hope, Love and Passion.

Have a great week to all of you. Look for a chance to make a difference in your life or someone else's. This is our calling, in different ways for people.

Love always!"

Exhibit two from March 24, 2016 states, "I was in Court yesterday cross-examining the witness who accused my innocent client. I got stuck for a second and was at a lost (sic) for the right questions to get to the truth. So, I said a prayer, it was answered immediately and we got to the truth with this hostile witnessed (sic). For those that say prayer does not work, you never really prayed with the knowledge it WILL be answered."

Exhibit three from May 18, 2016 states,"Day 3 of trial to start at 9 a.m. The jury simply needs to see the heart of my client, because that is where the grace of God resides. I need his heart to speak to their heart and I need to speak to their heart without all the impressive legal terms we learned in law school. Just people talking about what resides in their heart....... and I am praying wisdom, mercy and compassion still have a place there."

Exhibit four from May 17, 2016 states, "I was in trial today. A witness testified and as I listened to this witness for the Government I did not even write anything down. He was really hurting our case, so instead of writing I listened and I prayed. Peace came over me and in only 5 questions he became our witness. These were not my 5 questions, they were 5 questions straight from the God I prayed to."

Exhibit five from January 11, 2016 states, "Trial begins today for an innocent man. I ask that you all lift me up in prayer. That I may hear with God's ears, that I speak with His words and that the jury will be willed with His grace to give my client justice and send him home."

Exhibit six from November 9, 2015 states, "Today I embark on a trial with a young man's future in my hands. I pray that the Father place his compassion, passion and words in my heart. I pray that He makes me the advocate I need to be to get true justice for my client. I pray He cloak me in his embrace and that I understand that all I need to do is be honest, be real, be passionate and listen. Amen."

All six of the exhibits provided as evidence by the Ellis County District's Office are religious in nature posted by Griffith & Associates. A review of the Griffith & Associates' Facebook page shows that the majority of posts are religious in nature with most not referring to any particular trial that may be or have been in process at the time.