(26 Mar 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston - 26 March 2024
1. Tracking shot of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton with attorneys arriving at courtroom

POOL
Houston - 26 March 2024
2. Various of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton with attorneys in the Courtroom

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston - 26 March 2024
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dan Cogdell, lead attorney for Paxton:
“I know in this case we're glad to have this resolved. We're glad it worked out in our favor.”
4. Cutaways on sheriffs’ badge
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dan Cogdell, lead attorney for Paxton:
“There was the community service, which is more than happy to do. There's 15 hours of ethics, which is more than happy to do. And there's the payment of the restitution. That's pretty much it.”
6. Cutaways of special prosecutors during the presser
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Brian Wice, special prosecutor:
“Justice was certainly delayed. I think the agreement that we've reached today underscores the fact that justice was not denied to the victims, in this case, to Mr. Paxton, and ultimately to the people of the state of Texas. I've had the privilege of representing.”
8. Cutaways of special prosecutors during the presser
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jett Silveran, special prosecutor:
“It is no small thing that the victims in this case are going to receive, right around $300,000 in restitution from Ken Paxton. That is no small thing.”
10. Closeup on Jett face
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Brian Wice, special prosecutor:
“Today's agreement brings finality to this process. And make no mistake, it's difficult for me to believe, as I was when I was running yesterday, that it's been nine years, almost to the day that I took the oath of office in this case.”
12. Wide of press briefing
STORYLINE:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution under a deal to end criminal securities fraud charges that have shadowed the Republican for nearly a decade.

The announcement by special prosecutors in a Houston courtroom came less than three weeks before Paxton was set to stand trial on felony charges that could have led to a prison sentence. It was the closest Paxton — who was indicted in 2015 — has ever come to trial over accusations that he duped investors in a tech startup near Dallas.

Under the 18-month pre-trial agreement, the special prosecutors would drop three felony counts against Paxton, while he must pay full restitution to victims, and complete 100 hours of community service and 15 hours of legal ethics education.

Paxton was in the courtroom but made no comment other than affirming to state District Judge Andrea Beall that his signature was on the agreement.

If he had been convicted, Paxton could have been sentenced to life in prison. Paxton's attorneys emphasized in a statement Tuesday that he made no admission of guilt under the agreement.

“This case has been pending literally longer than the Beatles were together — it was time to move on — and this proposal by the Special Prosecutors allows him to do just that,” said Don Cogdell, one of Paxton's attorney.

The agreement with prosecutors, which lets Paxton remain in his elected position and doesn’t affect his law license, is another huge legal and political victory for one of the nation’s most visible Republican state attorney generals. The end of the case comes six months after Paxton was acquitted of corruption charges in an impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.



“This case, no pun intended, was a perfect storm of everything that could have derailed and delayed the prosecution,” Wice said.











Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть