FORMER WASHINGTON CO. JAILER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
Christopher Gene Kulow, of Brenham, was convicted by a jury of Official Oppression, a Class A misdemeanor, on August 19, 2015. Judge Carson Campbell presided over the trial in the 21st District Court. District Attorney Julie Renken and First Assistant at the time Eric Berg represented the State at trial, and Greg Cagle represented the Defendant. Kulow elected to have the court assess punishment after a Pre-Sentence Investigation was completed. On October 1, 2015, Kulow was punished to one year in the Washington County Jail by Judge Campbell. This is the maximum allowed by law. Kulow was allowed to be released on bond pending appeal. Anyone sentenced to less than a ten year sentence is allowed by law to be out on bond pending appeal.
Kulow was indicted on October 10, 2013, for an offense from August 22, 2013. The charge resulted from an incident in the Washington County Jail, where the victim was being held on misdemeanor warrants. Then-deputy Kulow, assaulted the victim, who had been restrained after being disruptive in the jail. He was charged with pushing the victim over while in a restraint chair, and hitting the victim with his hand.
Official Oppression is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in the county jail. Typically misdemeanors are handled by the County Attorney, but District Attorney Julie Renken prosecuted this case, because, by law, a District Attorney has jurisdiction in cases involving a public servant.
The 14th Court of Appeals out of Houston, Texas, affirmed the conviction on June 15, 2017. After, Kulow lost the appeal, he filed a Petition of Discretionary Review, asking the Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in Texas, to review the conviction. The Court of Criminal Appeals refused Kulow’s Petition and did not review the case. On November 10, 2017, the 14th Court of Appeals sent a mandate to the 21st Judicial District Court to enter sentence. Today, Judge Campbell pronounced the final sentence and Kulow was taken into custody to serve the one year sentence in County Jail. Story from the Washington County District Attorney's Office.
One year in jail for this offense seems out of line where drug offenders get no jail time and are walking the streets.
Selling drugs is a victimless crime, as to where beating a restrained inmate is cruel and unusual punishment. Hope that helps.
Selling drugs isn’t a victimless crime. What abw the people that Overdose after buying drugs? They aren’t victims?
To be a victim means you were in the grip of forces beyond your control. Was the drug-user coerced into taking drugs? Nobody coerced me into smoking cigarettes; in fact, virtually everyone around me tried to convince me what an awful habit it is. Wish I had had the perspective then to understand just how bad it was going to be, 20 short years later. Am I a victim? Of course not. I CHOSE to do this. Same for any other drug that is NOT prescribed by a doctor. However, if a doctor prescribed you an opioid after an injury, and allowed/encouraged you to keep taking it until you were terribly addicted, are you a victim? Sure, you’re a victim of misfortune. Too bad the doctors didn’t have more complete knowledge, too bad you had the injury, etc. But is there anyone to prosecute? Well, just the company that designed and marketed the opioid for 20 years, despite knowing (and covering up) that it’s horribly addictive.
Tell that to the family of the kid that got life last week, and the family of the man he murdered… over a drug debt.
Selling drugs is not a victimless crime.
I know nothing about this case but your statement that selling drugs is a victimless crime is ludicrous. All of society is a victim of drug use, Drug addiction starts with a sale. Ask the members of a family who lost a loved one killed by a drugged up driver, killed by a stray bullet from a drug shoot out, or had anything stolen because someone wanted money to buy drugs.
Ralph
You are absolutely true and very well said.
Thanks
Agreed. Drug offenders with multiple convictions, burglars with multiple convictions, DWI offenders with multiple convictions; all get lighter sentences to get out and offend again. I understand that law enforcement officers are held to a higher standard but shouldn’t the punishment for the repeat offenders be stiffer than for the one-time offender? This guy made a mistake and gets a harsher sentence than the career criminals. I don’t get it.
How would you feel if the person who was assaulted were your relative? The public trusts law enforcement officers to protect and serve this includes those who have been accused of a crime. No one, deserves to be physically assaulted. I’m certain if the situation had been reversed and the inmate assaulted the jailer, you would want him locked up with the key thrown away.
….and if the inmate was so good, why is he incarcerated? Did he spit on the sheriff? Why was he restrained ? Causing problems?
I don’t know the whole story but I do know the prisoner wasn’t an angel.
Prayers for both families. The
At the same time in the same court some guy got 18 years for selling drugs. Another got 6 years for possession.