Fort Bend County Judge KP George Seeks Dismissal of Criminal Case
Fort Bend County Judge KP George is seeking the dismissal of the criminal case against him, accusing Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton of prosecutorial misconduct. In court filings, George’s attorney, Jared Woodfill, also sought to disqualify Middleton, saying the district attorney discussed the criminal case in encrypted, disappearing messages on Signal.
Background of the Case
George is accused of working with his former staffer, Taral Patel, to fake racist attacks against his own campaign. He’s also facing two felony counts of money laundering. Patel pleaded guilty to misrepresentation of identity earlier this year and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation of George. George was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022 as a Democrat. After he was charged with money laundering, he switched to the Republican party.
Allegations of Prosecutorial Misconduct
Woodfill alleges that prosecutors destroyed part of an interview with Patel. Specifically, 3 minutes of the interview were destroyed, in which Patel said other officials were aware that he was posting under aliases on social media. Woodfill also says Middleton used Signal to communicate with Patel. "If that information has been destroyed because it has been communicated on an encrypted app, then the defense doesn’t have the benefit of that information," Woodfill said.
Response from the District Attorney’s Office
In a statement, the district attorney’s office said prosecutors plan to file a response to the motions in court. "This is yet another desperate attempt, in a long line of attempts, to smear anyone (especially the Fort Bend County District Attorney) using evidence and information provided by the State as part of discovery, through allegations that are baseless and entirely unrelated to the felony money laundering charges," the statement said.
Next Steps
A court hearing on the motions is scheduled for Monday. The outcome of this hearing will determine the next steps in the case against George.
Conclusion
The case against Fort Bend County Judge KP George is complex and involves serious allegations of misconduct. The accusations of prosecutorial misconduct and the destruction of evidence have raised questions about the fairness of the investigation. As the case moves forward, it will be important to closely follow the developments and ensure that justice is served. The hearing on Monday will be a crucial step in determining the future of the case and the fate of Judge George.
