Texas Tribune Daily Brief | | Rules for Oil Wastewater Could Help Stave Off Bigger Quakes in Texas | | Craig Pearson, a seismologist hired by the state, told lawmakers that new rules proposed for industry wastewater disposal may help prevent more dangerous earthquakes at a hearing on Monday. The proposed rules would require companies seeking a wastewater well permit to submit more information about the seismic history of their site and the underground pressure the water will cause. The rules would also give the Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, more explicit authority to modify permits and monitoring requirements. Concerns about seismicity gained state and eventually national prominence last winter, when a spate of more than two dozen earthquakes shook houses in the small towns northwest of Fort Worth, where oil producers are working the Barnett Shale. The tremors exceeded magnitude 2.0, roughly the equivalent of exploding a metric ton of TNT. Michael Brick, Houston Chronicle 08/26/2014 | Read Article: Houston Chronicle |
Sister Settles Death Lawsuit with Texas County Jail | | A settlement has been reached between Tarrant County, Texas and the sister of a mentally ill inmate who was found hanged in his jail cell in 2012. The county agreed to pay $350,000 to settle the lawsuit which alleged a violation of rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The plaintiff's brother was housed in a cell with another inmate who was awaiting a capital murder trial. The lawsuit contends that the inmate lured the plaintiff's brother into the cell where he put a noose around his neck and hanged him. The lawsuit alleged that the jail officials should not have housed the plaintiff's brother, who was non-violent, with the other inmate. The settlement was reached last week. Elizabeth Campbell, Star Telegram 08/23/2014 | Read Article: Star Telegram |
Rape Victim Files Suit Against Gas Station Owners | | A Mississippi woman who alleges she was raped at a gas station in Jackson has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the property. The woman alleges that she was attacked by three individuals, two of whom were carrying weapons, on the night of July 18. The lawsuit contends that the woman was sexually assaulted and raped "in a lengthy and brutal fashion" and that the gas station employees failed or refused to come to her aid. Last month, three men were charged in the case. Jimmie E. Gates, The Jackson Clarion-Ledger 08/25/2014 | Read Article: The Jackson Clarion-Ledger |
Man Held in Jail 46 Days After Posting Bail Settles Lawsuit | | Salt Lake County, Utah has settled a lawsuit regarding the holding of a resident in county jail 46 days after he posted the court-ordered bail. The lawsuit was filed by the man who was detained by the sheriff's officer to check his immigration status. The plaintiff, who had no previous criminal history, was placed in jail after facing forgery and theft charges. After the plaintiff paid the court-ordered bail, the county refused to release him and held him for 46 days. As part of the settlement, the plaintiff will receive $75,000 for damages, attorneys’ fees and costs. Marjorie Cortez, The Deseret News 08/25/2014 | Read Article: The Deseret News |
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