December 16, 2019
"The Brownsville Independent School District is aware of the allegations made against a current board member.
The district will make itself available to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in any investigations.
Brownsville ISD assures the community that our number one priority will continue to be our students and their academic excellence. The district will make no further comments on this matter."
The hearing for Judge Fernando Rodriguez, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Brownsville Division, to consider a sealed order came and went at 1:30 p.m. today and BISD board member accused on eight counts of of conspiracy and bribery with no indication on what was decided.
Courthouse watchers speculate that the government was asking the judge to instruct defense attorneys Noe Garza and Dale Roberston and to make no public statements to the press or social media, perhaps since it's an ongoing investigation and other defendants might be yet to be indicted.
Defense attorneys are able to attain information on the case (s) that might alert potential defendants in the case, they say.
Board counsel Baltazar Salazar was present at the hearing and conversed with Atkinson's lawyers outside the courtroom.
Atkinson did not appear in court as she had been ordered in a previous hearing. Her attorneys did not make any statements to reporters.
Meanwhile, sources at Texas Southmost College say that the administration suspended Atkinson with pay pending their own investigation before deciding whether to make it without pay. The college did not make any formal announcement.
The hearing for Judge Fernando Rodriguez, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Brownsville Division, to consider a sealed order came and went at 1:30 p.m. today and BISD board member accused on eight counts of of conspiracy and bribery with no indication on what was decided.
Courthouse watchers speculate that the government was asking the judge to instruct defense attorneys Noe Garza and Dale Roberston and to make no public statements to the press or social media, perhaps since it's an ongoing investigation and other defendants might be yet to be indicted.
Defense attorneys are able to attain information on the case (s) that might alert potential defendants in the case, they say.
Board counsel Baltazar Salazar was present at the hearing and conversed with Atkinson's lawyers outside the courtroom.
Atkinson did not appear in court as she had been ordered in a previous hearing. Her attorneys did not make any statements to reporters.
Meanwhile, sources at Texas Southmost College say that the administration suspended Atkinson with pay pending their own investigation before deciding whether to make it without pay. The college did not make any formal announcement.
