http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/page1/97/09/30/jones.html

U.S. attorney resigning post

Federal prosecutor for 4 years will take staff job with Compaq

By DEBORAH TEDFORD
Copyright 1997 Houston Chronicle

The first black woman to serve as chief federal prosecutor over 43 South
Texas counties that are a prime battleground in the war on drugs
resigned Monday to take a position on the legal staff of Compaq Computer
Corp.

Gaynelle Griffin Jones, 48, said she will end her tenure as U.S.
attorney for the Southern District of Texas Oct. 10 a little more
than four years after her confirmation.

"I have mixed feelings as I return to the private practice of law, but I
am proud to have had this position which has been the crown jewel of my
fifteen years as a public servant," Griffin Jones said.

The successful prosecution of drug cases is her greatest achievement,
Griffin Jones said.

Saying she has directed hundreds of drug prosecutions and convictions,
Griffin Jones said her greatest achievement was leading the team that
ended Juan Garc¡a Abrego's reign as a top Mexican drug trafficker.

Garc¡a Abrego was sentenced in January to nine simultaneous life terms
for heading the notorious Gulf cartel, which smuggled more than 100,000
kilos of Colombian cocaine into the United States and laundered $10.5
million in U.S. currency.

It was also during Griffin Jones' tenure that prosecutors cracked the El
PasotoHouston drug trafficking ring of Joel Chavez Quesada, which used
the antiterrorist skills of a former U.S. Navy Seal to ferry 40 tons of
cocaine through the Southwest corridor.

And, Griffin Jones took credit for the recovery of $9 million in drug
money forfeited from the Texas Commerce Bank account of former Mexican
Deputy Attorney General Mario Ruiz Massieu.

She lamented only that she did not halt the flow of drugs entirely.

"We'd like to have ended drug trafficking in the Southern District of
Texas altogether," she said.

Griffin Jones, holding what was likely her final news conference,
managed to characterize what may have been her office's greatest defeats
as victories.

On the heels of a 12year grand jury investigation, her prosecutors lost
one of the highest profile cases of the last four years. In March, a
federal judge ordered the acquittal of cancer researcher Stanislaw
Burzynski on 34 fraud charges and declared a mistrial on 41 remaining
counts.

Griffin Jones prosecuted Burzynski again and lost again when jurors
acquitted the doctor in May despite the fact that prosecutors had
dropped all the charges, save one.

"It was a success," Griffin Jones said, because Burzynski was finally
brought to trial after years of investigation.

The protracted investigation prompted an internal review by the U.S.
Department of Justice and a congressional investigation into allegations
that the office abused its authority.

"If she views Burzynski as a success, she's leaving five years too
late," said Dan Cogdell, one of Burzynski's defense attorneys.

Although Cogdell was complimentary of Griffin Jones personally, he said
the Burzynski case was characteristic of the poor judgment exercised
during Griffin Jones' tenure.

He was among a delegation of five defense attorneys who called on
Griffin Jones with a list of grievances about 2« years ago.

Their chief concerns were that Griffin Jones allowed investigative
agencies undue influence in deciding to prosecute cases, pushed the
indictment of unworthy cases, ignored unethical behavior among
prosecutors and failed to honor decisions made by prosecutors in the
field.

"It was our collective concern that Gaynelle's rigidity was
inflexibility to a fault," Cogdell said. "Burzynski was a classic case
of a case that shouldn't have been prosecuted."

One longtime federal prosecutor said most of her staff likes Griffin
Jones personally, but believes she will be better off in the corporate
world.

J. David Cabello, Compaq senior vice president and general counsel, said
Griffin Jones' experience as U.S. attorney will be a plus for the
computer giant.

"We are very pleased to have Gaynelle Griffin Jones join our
organization as a corporate attorney focusing on litigation and
compliance issues," he said.

Griffin Jones said she will recommend Bernie Hobson, first assistant
U.S. attorney, as her replacement until a permanent successor is chosen.

It will be up to U.S. Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, DSan Antonio, to make a
recommendation to President Clinton. This task is considered urgent
because of the high priority given to judicial districts that span the
border, where drug cases crowd federal court dockets.

An aide to Gonzalez said the congressman will depend upon the
recommendation of a fiveperson committee composed of Democratic members
of Congress from the Southern District.

After Gonzalez makes a recommendation to Clinton, the name of the chosen
candidate will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

One prominent Democrat said party leaders in Houston are focusing on
Hispanic candidates.