Editor:

I had the privilege of serving in the law enforcement community in and around Karnes County for 10 of my 15 year law enforcement career.

During those years I met many people who I dealt with on a professional and personal level.

Not one time in my entire career was my integrity brought into question.

I left the Texas Department of Public Safety almost two years ago to pursue my own business venture but I still value the friendships of the county officials and citizens that I forged through my years of serving in Karnes and surrounding counties.

Earlier this week it was brought to my attention that Barbara Shaw commented in front of several witnesses that all of the old cases I had filed in Karnes County should be dismissed because I was no longer a credible witness.

At first I laughed it off but then began to think about who was making this comment.

The only thing laughable Barbara Shaw is the joke of a court you run.

I will not refer to you as Judge because in my opinion you do not deserve the respect that comes with that title.

I have not filed a case in Karnes County in over four years.

My question to you is, “What happened to a citizen’s right to a speedy trial?”

Do you even know what that is?

How do you expect any person who may have witnessed very important facts to prove another’s guilt or more importantly innocence to remember these facts over four years?

Do you even care?

Instead of making defamatory, untrue remarks about a former law enforcement officer who has not filed a case in Karnes County in over four years, why don’t you concentrate on doing the job you have been elected to do?

The comments you made about me are defamatory and are about the worst thing you can say about a person that swore a majority of their life to serving the citizens of the State of Texas and I will not sit back and take it like most of the people you try and walk over.

I do not get involved in politics and never have.

You however are a true politician that blames others for your shortcomings.

I have never had a conversation with you and do not feel as if I ever needed to.

You display your true color every day.

I will however defend myself from a completely baseless and false description and I truly do not care what your title says.

A title does not make a person and you have a long way to go before you deserve any respect for the one you place before your name.

The truth behind you dismissing the hundreds of cases you have been dismissing is that you do not care to see justice served.

If you truly cared about justice these cases would not be drug out over the four years it has taken you to finally call them to docket.

That, Barbara Shaw, is a fact unlike the deceptive description of me you are running around telling people both in and out of the courtroom.

That, Barbara Shaw, is a disgrace to me, to justice and to all law enforcement that worked long hard hours to keep the citizens of Karnes and surrounding counties safe at night.

Craig Semlinger