AggieBlu said:
A judge looking at the way this was handle may throw the whole case out
https://theeagle.com/sports/college/aggiesports/football/charges-against-texas-a-ms-mckinnley-jackson-bumped-from-misdemeanor-to-felony/article_4a7f896a-167a-11ec-ba05-836b91552605.html
The sports reporter really should have brought in a crime reporter, or someone who understands the Texas legal system. Jackson's lawyer blew enough smoke up the reporter's butt that you'd think he was a chimney.
Because a crime reporter would know to check county jail and court records.
Jail booking recordsCourt records. Just enter Jackson's name.
The jail booking records show that Jackon has only ever been arrested and booked for Possession of Marijuana < 2 oz (Class B Misdemeanor) and Poss of a Controlled Substance, Penalty Group 1 4>200g (Felony 2), both on August 5, 2021. That would be the warrant arrest last month.
The court records show that Jackson has been charged with 2 traffic violations, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Class C misdemeanor, same level as a traffic citation.), and Possession of Marijuana < 2 oz, plus a scheduled hearing (not trial) on Feb 23, 2022, for an "Unindicted felony.) That would be the Ketamine, i.e Controlled Substance, PG1.
At this point, McKinnley has only been arrested for the felony, not formally charged by the court. That's because in Texas, all felony indictments must be approved by a grand jury. I would assume that hearing is scheduled sometime between now and Feb 23.
So, what actually happened (I'm not personally involved, but I know how the system works).
- Weed and pills get found and turned in to police. Jackson goes to the police, probably after they contacted him, and says the stuff is his. Jackson tells the police that the pills are Xanax (Xanax comes in white bar shaped pills, not blue pills, FYI). Since Jackson told the police that the pills were Xanax, that's what would have gone in the initial police report. Jackson was not arrested for anything at that point.
Police send the pills to the DPS lab to be tested. Wait 3 months, DPS sends the results back, and the pills are ketamine, not Xanax. Police do their paperwork, and send it to a judge to get an arrest warrant for the mairjuana, and the ketamine. Jackson is arrested, booked, and bonds out on Aug 5.
What I'm going to guess happened this week, and generated the headline, is that the court hearing for the actual charging for the ketamine was put on the court docket.
Note that the February court date is probably just charging, not an actual trial. Given the current speed of teh Brazos county courts, Jackson will be eligible for the NFL draft before any actual trial happens.