Who Is The Biggest Screw Up?

Until a couple of weeks ago none of us knew who Adela Favela was. Now we know she is being held in contempt of court in the Allen County jail, has control over documents and evidence from a murder trail, and her son, Daniel Favela is a convicted murderer.

Read the complete Journal Gazette article at:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070911/LOCAL03/709110319/1002/LOCAL

Her contempt charge comes from refusing Judge Fran Gull's order to return 13 volumes of transcripts and ACTUAL PHYSICAL PIECES OF EVIDENCE from her son's murder trial. This saga has been going on since early summer.

Favela told the judge, through a translator, that she had paid for the files and had papers saying the documents would be hers. She claimed, she paid $4,000 for them.

Former Allen County Prosecutor Wayne Gevers represented Daniel in the murder trial and from whose office Favela removed the documents and evidence. Judge Gull has ordered Gevers to be present at the next court hearing later this week. Why Gevers gave Favela the original transcripts and actual physical evidence from the trial remains an unanswered.

Current Allen County Prosecutor Karen Richards was in court during Monday's hearing and stated her office is prepared to file formal charges against Favela. Unless the documents and evidence are returned it appears Favela will face some felony charges. The Journal Gazette quoted the prosecutor stating in court, "... I'm not playing this silly game anymore." The statement was directed at Favela's court appointed attorney, Phil Terrill.

The story gets even more strange when Favela's daughter testified before Judge Gull that she had gone through her mother's place of residence and could not locate any of the material. So the question as to if the material may have been destroyed becomes an issue.

Favela has told the court if it would set her free she would retrieve the items and return them to courts. Judge Gull denied such, in the fear the records may be destroyed or Favela would flee.

Who is the bigger screw up here? Is it attorney Gevers for giving the files and evidence to Favela or Favela for thinking she could get her son off by keeping/destroying the records.

If the courts allow original records and evidence be given to just any one off the street then there needs to be a change in the law and damn fast.

Prosecuting Attorney Richards should file charges against everyone who played a roll in this mess. No one should be allowed a "free pass".

Once again J. Q. Taxpayers are picking up the entire tab for this. They are paying Judge Gull, Prosecuting Attorney Richards, court appointed attorney Terrill, a translator, and all the support staff. Their tax dollars are being well spent again!