On November 18, 2008, it was announced that a grand jury in Willacy County, Texas, had issued multi-count indictments against Vice President Dick Cheney and several other officials.The Brownsville Herald: Vice President Cheney indicted... (November 18, 2008) The indictments stem from reports of prisoner abuse at Willacy County detention centers. Cheney has investments in the Vanguard Group, which holds interests in the private companies that run the detention centers at which the alleged abuse occurred.Houston Chronicle: Vice president, former AG, state senator indicted (November 18, 2008) On December 2, 2008, a Texas judge dismissed the indictments against both Cheney and Alberto Gonzales.San Francisco Chronicle: Texas Judge Dismisses Cheney, Gonzales Charges (December 2, 2008)
Guerra No-Show
Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra failed to attend a hearing related to the indictments on November 19, 2008. When reached later for comment, Guerra claimed that he was not aware of the hearing and had been in Mexico at a previously scheduled speaking engagement. The presiding judge, Manuel Banales, rescheduled the hearing and reportedly stated that he would issue a court summons as opposed to an arrest warrant so that Cheney would not have to be formally arrested.The Washington Times: Quixotic prosecutor indicts Cheney (November 20, 2008)
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Fast Facts
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Juan Angel Guerra is the District Attorney of Willacy County
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The indictments accuse Cheney of "a conflict of interest" and "at least misdemeanor assaults" on prisoners through his affiliation with the management companiesHouston Chronicle: Vice president, former AG, state senator indicted (November 18, 2008)
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Willacy County is located about 35 miles north of where the Rio Grande River empties into the Gulf of Mexico
