HANDS DOWN: GILMAN D.A. OFFICE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

(Ed/'s Note: He turned in a sterling performance when a Corpus Christi jury acquitted Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector on 23 counts, distinguished himself before the bar when he botched the Marco Antonio Gonzalez case, first with a mistrial, then with acquittals on capital murder and homicide charges.

Then, when he had a slam-dunk case on nine aggravated assault charges against him for shooting it out with the cops at a six-hour standoff, he managed to yank a defeat from the jaws of victory and botched the jury charge that resulted in Gonzalez receiving five years, and will probably be free soon because it included time served.

For that, and for many more reasons, Asst. D.A. Peter Gilman won the Cameron County District Attorney's Office Employee of the Month Award. Competition was fierce, with Asst. D.A. Gus Garza coming in a close second. Congrats, Pete!)