CHAMBERS COUNTY PROBE LEADS SHERIFF TO FIRE CHIEF DEPUTY

Policy violations cited without detail

ANAHUAC -- Chambers County Sheriff Monroe Kreuzer has fired his chief
deputy as a probe continues that led to the indictment of three deputies.

In a letter sent Thursday, the sheriff told Dearl Hardy, head of the
department for more than two years, that he was immediately terminated for
"violating Chambers County's policies and procedures." The sheriff declined
to specify what the violations were.

Kreuzer said he talked to Hardy by telephone on Wednesday, the day after
three deputies were indicted, to tell him "he could no longer work in our
organization." He ordered Hardy to turn in his equipment.

Hardy, 38, had been on medical leave since May after injuring his shoulder
working with a drug dog. He could not be reached for comment.

Hardy's attorney, Gregory Cagle, said a grand jury has already looked at
Hardy and cleared him.

"The only person saying that Hardy has done anything wrong is John Joslin,
who was indicted three times," Cagle said.

Joslin and Brett Hulsey, both 33, resigned Wednesday as patrol deputies
after being indicted in connection with the Sept. 3 arrest of a black
welder, Vernon Coates, 42, who was charged with evading arrest after the
deputies pulled him over for a broken tail light.

Kreuzer said the indictments involve allegations that a probable cause
affidavit was falsified to say Coates was intoxicated.

Joslin was indicted on charges of aggravated perjury, tampering with
government records and official oppression; Hulsey was indicted on a charge
of tampering with a government record.

The third indicted deputy, Crystal Schoppe, 25, of New Caney, was fired
Wednesday after her indictment on a charge of committing an improper sexual
act with an inmate.

Cagle, who is also Schoppe's attorney, said an inmate lied that Schoppe had
oral sex with him. Cagle called it a typical "inmate game."

The deputies could not be reached for comment.

On Wednesday, District Attorney Mike Little dismissed charges against
Coates, which included the charge stemming from the Sept. 3 incident, as
well as two charges of aggravated assault of a peace officer in connection
with a March 15, 2001, incident.

Coates was accused of trying to run down deputies Frank Saye and Paul
Tomplait with his car.

Coates' attorney, Ed Lieck, contended Coates was the only one assaulted by
the officers who beat him after he was handcuffed. Lieck also contends
Coates' car never came near the deputies.

Coates' arrest triggered a march of more than a hundred on the Chambers
County Courthouse protesting the Sheriff's Department's treatment of
minorities.

The district attorney said the charges -- including those involving
deputies who were not indicted -- were dismissed to avoid any appearance
that they could be "tainted."

However, Kreuzer said Thursday he was upset the assault charges were dismissed.

"I do believe the assault charges had merit," he said. "But I can also
understand that it would be very difficult to prosecute with all the
turmoil and questions about the officers' credibility."

Joslin's attorney, Joe Warren, said Thursday that his client feels like he
has been made the scapegoat through the indictments.

"He says he was ordered by the chief deputy to report Coates was
intoxicated on the Sept. 3 affidavit," Warren said. "He is the one to step
forward and tell what happened, because he felt bad about it. Otherwise,
nobody would know it happened."

Hardy, however, has contended that Joslin's actions are retaliation for not
supporting the deputy's return to the Sheriff's Department after working
for the Precinct 3 Harris County Constable's office, Cagle said. Cagle also
accuses Joslin of retaliating against Hardy for investigating allegations
made by Schoppe that Joslin had made unwanted sexual advances.

Joslin denies those charges and they were not upheld by the grand jury,
Warren said.

"Those (sexual harassment) allegations suspiciously did not appear until
after Joslin had come forward to complain about the chief deputy," Warren said.

But Cagle contends Schoppe came forward with the complaint to her
supervisor long before Joslin complained.