A grand jury has started hearing testimony in the case against Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, whose office and home were raided recently by federal agents. Price's aides, Dapheny Fain and Kathy Nealy, also had their homes searched during the raid.
Although speculation has swirled around Dallas about the reason for the raid - and what evidence is being presented to the grand jury - what has been revealed is that two of the Commissioner's business associates, Pettis Norman, who used to play football for the Dallas Cowboys, and Jon Edmonds, have been subpoenaed to testify in front of the grand jury. These subpoenas may have been issued because Price allegedly used his political influence to force a developer to hire Edmonds and Norman as consultants on a project.
The grand jury case against Commissioner Price may be shrouded in mystery, but it's no secret that the politician is a polarizing figure. Detractors say that an investigation into Price's activities is long overdue. One such voice was Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, who told the Dallas Observer that "I see all of these different deals that Price is trying to do over the years, shaking people down and all that stuff."
On the other hand, supporters say that Price is being unfairly targeted. For example, Dr. Juanita Wallace of the NAACP claims that racism is behind the investigation.
"We see this coordinated, concerted attack on African American leaders for what it truly is. We see the foul head of racism," she told KERA News.
If You Face White Collar Charges
White collar crimes include offenses such as embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting and tax evasion. Although white collar crimes do not have the same stigma as violent crimes, they are still quite serious - and it's important to have a good attorney defending you if you are charged with a white collar offense.
If you are charged with a white collar crime, a good attorney can help you defend yourself, which often includes proving that you were the victim of entrapment or did not benefit from the crime that you are being accused of.
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