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Although theft is a nonviolent crime, theft charges result in serious long-term consequences in Texas. In addition to jail time and restitution, a theft crime can result in a permanent criminal record that makes it very difficult for a person to ever move on with his or her life.

Dallas residents are justifiably proud of our city’s symphony orchestra and its national and international reputation for fine music. Fans of classical music might well be interested in news of the arrest of the executive director of another city’s symphony orchestra on embezzlement charges.

Law enforcement authorities have reportedly charged three people with capital murder in an alleged murder-for-hire case in which a McKinney man was killed. Those who have been charged include the victim’s wife, her friend and the alleged shooter.

When a celebrity is charged with a crime, it becomes a newsworthy story because of the person’s status, and because we think the person should know better. When the same celebrity is acquitted, we may think that celebrity justice is afoot.

Former NFL safety Darren Sharper is embroiled in criminal allegations that he drugged and raped several women in four different states. He recently was arrested and charged in Los Angeles in connection with alleged crimes involving two women that he reportedly met in a West Hollywood nightclub.

Justin Bieber will reportedly return to Miami Beach on March 3. No, he doesn’t have a concert or celebrity club appearance scheduled (as far as we know).

In our last post, we highlighted the progress of the prosecution of Josh Brent, the former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle who was involved in the crash that killed his friend and former teammate, Jerry Brown in December 2012. Brent was charged with intoxication manslaughter for his part in the crash, as prosecutors argued that his blood alcohol level (alleged to be .18) was the principal cause of the accident.

It is somewhat ironic when police officers are arrested and charged with crimes. After all, law enforcement officers are charged with enforcing the laws that we all live by.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder made headlines in August when he announced wholesale changes in how federal prosecutors will handle low-level drug offenses; particularly those involving possession and small-time dealers. The rationale behind the change was that the past approach was not working in terms of deterring potential offenders, and had only resulted in increasing prison costs while destroying communities.

In April, Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol. The arrest, while surprising and painfully ironic, was not the only thing that made headlines.