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For the last few years, former Dallas Police officer Amber Guyger has hoped to appeal her conviction and sentencing for killing an unarmed man in his apartment in 2018. But now that the state’s highest criminal court upheld her murder conviction and 10-year prison sentence Wednesday, Guyger may be running out of options. Meanwhile, the family of the man she shot and killed says they haven't had the proper chance to mourn their loved one, 26-year-old Botham Jean, throughout the years-long saga surrounding the fatal shooting. Guyger fatally shot Jean, who is Black, after she entered his home on Sept. 6, 2018. He was eating ice cream when Guyger came in. Guyger says she thought it was her place and he was an intruder, so she shot him. Guyger lived on the floor above Jean. She was arrested, fired from the department and indicted for murder. She was convicted and sentenced in 2019 and made an appeal last year. After the appeal was filed last year, Alissa Charles-Findley, Jean’s sister, told me her family’s mourning has been prolonged. 'It Feels Like We Were Sentenced Too': For Botham Jean Family, the Trauma Never Ends https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/it-feels-like-we-were-sentenced-too-the-jean-familys-trauma-has-been-prolonged-13710612

Family and friends trickled into The Loon Bar & Grill after a recent vigil for Kealon Gilmore, the 26-year-old man killed when gunfire erupted at the Epic Easter Bike Out and Field Party on April 2. People at The Loon wore yellow and purple shirts with his name and photo on it. Gilmore would be at the restaurant just about every day, the manager said, and he always loved the burgers. So, when the owner and manager heard of Gilmore's death, they named the Kealon Burger after him. A table lit with candles was reserved for Gilmore's mother, Shalonda Gilmore. The family was invited out to dine at his old hangout spot. “Tragic,” Shalonda Gilmore told the Observer. “He was a wonderful kid. Good spirt.” Kealon, along with several others, was shot when a fight broke out at the party in southeast Oak Cliff attended by more than 2,000 people. The event took place without a city permit, though off-duty Dallas police officers were providing security. The Dallas Police Department is trying to identify the shooter while it looks into why its officers were working the non-permitted event. The city is considering increased regulations for special events and the people in charge of throwing them. That includes the promoters and the owners of the land where events are taking place.  Shalonda said she isn’t sure yet how tragedies like this can be prevented. All she can think about is finding justice for her son. “He will have justice. I can say that,” she said. “He will have justice and his name will live on. I hate that this has to be the way for it to live on, but his name will live on. I’m not going to stop. We won’t stop.” This is an audio adaption of stories I've written for the Dallas Observer. It was written and produce by me. Music by me. After Fatal Shooting Over Weekend, Dallas Wants Promoters to Go Through Background Checks https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/after-fatal-shooting-this-weekend-dallas-wants-promoters-to-go-through-background-checks-13757809 Mother of Man Slain at Epic Easter Bike Out and Field Party Shooting Says He Will Get Justice https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/im-still-in-disbelief-mother-of-slain-dallas-man-says-he-will-get-justice-13788789

Cannabis reform has moved at a snail's pace in Texas. But activists are trying to speed things up by fighting for reform at the city and county levels. On this episode, I speak with Tristan Seikel, organizer and co-founder of the group Decriminalize Denton, to get an inside look at their efforts to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis in Denton, Texas. This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me. Will Denton Decriminalize Misdemeanor Amounts of Pot? https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/denton-city-council-considers-decriminalizing-misdemeanor-amounts-of-weed-13189118 Denton City Council Considers Decriminalizing Misdemeanor Amounts of Weed https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/denton-city-council-considers-decriminalizing-misdemeanor-amounts-of-weed-13189118 Try, Try Again: Decriminalizing Cannabis Could End Up on Ballot in Denton City Election https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/cannabis-decriminalization-could-end-up-on-november-city-of-denton-election-ballot-13397855

Mark Cuban’s new online pharmacy is slashing drug prices for 100 different generic medications. Its main goal is affordability for consumers, and some think Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drug Co. is just the kind of disruption “Big Pharma” needs in the U.S. Cost Plus Drug ditches the middleman, the pharmacy benefit management companies. Those help negotiate benefits for employers, health insurers and government health programs. These could include rebates and discounts. These companies have been criticized for a lack of transparency. Most times, you can’t tell how much they’re making on rebates and how much they’re actually saving customers. Cuban’s company shines a light on how these companies contribute to inflated drug prices. Cost Plus Drug buys the medications at wholesale and sells it at the manufacturing prices with a flat 15% markup and a pharmacist fee. On this episode, I talk to Paul Segeert, managing partner at the healthcare consulting company PCS Advisers, to help put this into perspective. How big of a deal is Mark Cuban’s new company in disprupting big pharma? Segeert’s going to help answer that question. I’ll also be speaking with Zack Zeller, the co-founder and president of ScriptCo, another company looking to drive drug prices down for the consumer. This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me.

Red Dead Redemption players are pissed. The game’s publisher, Rockstar Games, continues to pump out new content for its Grand Theft Auto franchise, and gamers are complaining that Red Dead Redemption 2’s online mode hasn’t seen the same level of development. They're feeling neglected. The seeming disparity between the two franchises and the lack of information about any future plans for the game has led to players demanding answers from Rockstar with the hashtag #SaveRedDeadOnline. For more on these stories, visit DallasObserver.com. Red Dead Redemption Gamers Are Trying To '#SaveRedDeadOnline' https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/why-gamers-are-crying-savereddeadonline-13204054 This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me.

A group known as REvil has been pulling off ransomware attacks on businesses and government entities across the U.S., including in Texas. Ransomware is a kind of malware that is used to lock users out of computer data until they pay a ransom. In 2019, REvil (also referred to as Sodinokibi) stole files from 22 Texas municipalities, hoping to get millions of dollars in ransom. Texas cities never coughed up the cash, but REvil kept pulling off attacks around the world. But recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced two foreign nationals have been charged for their involvement in deploying REvil ransomware attacks. The feds also seized $6.1 million allegedly traceable to ransom payments. The Dallas and Jackson FBI field offices have lead the investigation. In this episode, I talk to Dan Cogdell, a partner with the law firm JonesWalker, who specializes in white-color criminal defense, to put the REvil indictments in perspective. I also talk about a recent ransomware attack that affected city of Dallas employees, and read the headlines from stories I've had published in the last week. For more on these stories, visit DallasObserver.com. This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me. REvil Ransomware Attacks Targeted 22 Texas Cities. Now, Two Men Have Been Charged. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/feds-charge-two-allegedly-involved-in-revil-ransomware-attacks-12777965 Ransomware Attack Affects More Than 2,400 City of Dallas Employees https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/ransomware-attack-affects-2411-city-of-dallas-employees-13038485 Protest Photographer Is Suing Dallas Police and City Over Injury Caused by 'Less-Lethal' Round https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/warrant-obtained-for-dpd-officer-over-actions-during-dallas-george-floyd-protests-13056327 Dallas First Responders Sue the City Over Pay Dispute https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-first-responders-sue-city-over-pay-13063269 Dallas Observer print edition: https://voice-media-group.dcatalog.com/v/Dallas-Observer-flipbook-12-23-21/?page=1

In this dispatch of the CobCast, I give you the headlines and details of the stories I've had published in the last week. These stories were published from 12/13-12/17. Philip Kingston Has His Eyes on a Seat at the Dallas County Commissioners Court https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/philip-kingston-has-his-eyes-on-a-seat-at-the-dallas-county-commissioners-court-12993383 'We Won Again': Texas Supreme Court Leaves Delta-8 Legal For Now, but The Fight's Not Over https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/delta-8-still-legal-after-texas-supreme-court-decision-13011135 Dallas Police Department Wants City Council to Extend the Juvenile Curfew Another Three Years https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/cities-keep-renewing-juvenile-curfews-but-some-worry-they-do-more-harm-than-good-13017719 Dallas Police Want Sexually Oriented Businesses Closed 2-6 a.m. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-police-say-sexually-oriented-businesses-should-be-closed-between-2-am-6am-13026152 Federal Appeals Court: Dallas Police in Tony Timpa Case Not Shielded by Qualified Immunity https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/federal-appeals-court-dallas-police-in-tony-timpa-case-not-shielded-by-qualified-immunity-13032294 Ransomware Attack Affects More Than 2,400 City of Dallas Employees https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/ransomware-attack-affects-2411-city-of-dallas-employees-13038485 Dallas Observer print edition: https://voice-media-group.dcatalog.com/v/Dallas-Observer-flipbook-12-16-21/

Despite efforts by locals and environmental activists, the Arlington City Council last month gave the green light to three new gas wells near a daycare center. The council approved a permit for the new wells, which will be operated by the French conglomerate Total Energies. The additional drilling near the Mother’s Heart Learning Center is expected to start early next year. Liveable Arlington, an environmental advocacy group, was one of the driving forces behind the opposition ahead of a City Council vote. “While this was not the result we were hoping for, we still have many to thank,” Liveable Arlington said in a Twitter post after the vote. “We will be reflecting and regrouping over the next few days, but you can expect to hear more from us in the future.” Ahead of the vote, parents and staff at the Mother’s Heart Learning Center, along with other area residents, signed petitions and turned out to City Hall asking the Council to deny the permit. They cited studies suggesting drilling operations can exacerbate asthma symptoms and increase the risk of childhood leukemia. This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me. 'French Energy Company Seeks Fracking Permit Near Arlington Daycare' https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/french-energy-company-seeks-fracking-permit-near-arlington-daycare-12918667 Despite Local Pushback, Arlington City Council Gives Go-Ahead for New Gas Wells Near Daycare https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/arlington-city-council-approves-new-gas-wells-near-daycare-12934815

On August 2, 2019, Kyle Vess was strapped to a bed at Parkland Memorial Hospital with a swollen ankle and fractures in his face. The Dallas Police Department was holding him on a charge of assaulting a public servant. In their reports, they say he assaulted a Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedic because that’s what the paramedic and others with DFR said happened before police arrived on the scene. But, that’s not all that happened. The paramedic is a trained MMA fighter named Brad Cox, and Kyle later tried to tell officers that Cox kicked him in the face while he was on the ground. It’s what a DPD officer who was on the scene told her sergeant, which sparked a public integrity investigation into Cox. It’s also what Kyle’s mom asked the Dallas Country District Attorney’s office to investigate in a complaint filed just months after the incident. But, the public integrity investigation ultimately cleared Cox. The DA didn’t fully investigate. And, ever since, Kyle’s been stuck with the charges from that day. About two years would pass before a lawsuit and released body camera footage and police documents about the incident would throw Kyle’s story into the media spotlight. I’m going to try to take you through a more complete version of this story than what ended up in police documents. When it’s all laid out, it’s not so much a story about a man assaulting a public servant. It’s a story about mental illness, vague police reports and a paramedic/trained fighter with a history of alleged misconduct. I’ve been following this story for the Dallas Observer since August 2021, and it’s still ongoing. In this episode of the CobCast, I’ll take you through my reporting from the beginning to where we are now. For more on Kyle’s story, visit DallasObserver.com. This is an audio adaptation written, recorded and produced by me. Body camera footage was obtained from the Dallas Police Department via an open records request. Music is also by me. Lawsuit: Dallas Paramedic Kicked Detained Man in Face https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/lawsuit-dallas-paramedic-kicked-man-in-face-while-in-police-custody-12235286 Video Shows Moment Dallas Fire-Rescue Employee Kicks Man in the Face https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/video-dallas-fire-rescue-employee-kicks-man-in-face-12455856 How a Dallas Police Investigation Cleared the Firefighter Who Kicked a Detained Man in 2019 https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/police-investigation-cleared-firefighter-brad-cox-who-kicked-detained-man-in-2019-12490883 Dallas Fire-Rescue Puts Firefighter Who Kicked Detained Man On Leave https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-firefighter-brad-cox-who-kicked-detained-man-in-2019-put-on-administrative-leave-12512391 New Video Shows Dallas Paramedic Repeatedly Kicking Mentally Ill Man Before Police Show Up https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/watch-dallas-paramedic-kicks-mentally-ill-man-several-times-before-police-arrive-on-scene-12638001 Dallas District Attorney Drops Charges Against Mentally Ill Man Kicked Repeatedly by Paramedic https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-district-attorney-drops-charges-against-mentally-ill-man-kicked-repeatedly-by-paramedic-12682821 Family, Attorney Call For Arrest of Dallas Paramedic Who Repeatedly Kicked Mentally Ill Man https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/family-attorney-call-for-arrest-of-dallas-paramedic-who-repeatedly-kicked-mentally-ill-man-12699330 Fired Dallas Paramedic Brad Cox, Who Kicked Mentally Ill Man in 2019, Loses License https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/fired-dallas-paramedic-brad-cox-who-kicked-mentally-ill-man-kyle-vess-in-2019-has-license-revoked-12806536

In court on Friday, Austin manufacturer Hometown Hero won a temporary injunction against the state's ban on THC isomers in court. Hemp companies, like Hometown Hero, as well as consumers, believed that under state and federal law they could make and consume any hemp-derived THC isomers, as long as they don't have more than 0.3% delta-9 THC. Delta-9 is the primary psychoactive ingredient in weed. But last month, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) added a statement to its website saying that all THC isomers in any concentration, including the popular delta-8 version of THC, were Schedule 1 controlled substances. (Isomers are chemical compounds that share a chemical formula but whose arrangement of atoms differ.) Here's the latest on delta-8 and other THC isomers in Texas.

Throughout the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, speakers time and again insisted that liberals wanted to indoctrinate children with critical race theory, steal their guns, rig elections and flood the country with undocumented immigrants. They urged attendees to fight back. Overall, the event, which would be capped off with a speech from former President Donald Trump, seemed like a watered-down version of the Qanon-affiliated For God & Country Patriot Roundup event that took place in Dallas over Memorial Day weekend.

Inside the Omni Dallas Hotel were guests who traveled far and wide to attend the QAnon convention this weekend, but across the street gathered a choir. They had set up a piano and were singing in unison. "Singers of Dallas believe in love over fear," read their banner. For the Turtle Creek Chorale, which organized the gathering, every concert should have a message. They sing about injustices and intolerance and the people harmed by both. Sean Baugh, the artistic director, said he chose songs such as “Make Them Hear You” from the musical Ragtime and “Let There Be Peace On Earth” because they speak to peace, coming together and finding common ground. “It’s been a very long time since we’ve felt the need to do something like this,” Baugh said. “The choruses like ours during COVID kind of learned we lost our voice a little bit and so coming out of COVID, we know we have to speak on issues and injustice and intolerance, and so here we are today to sing and put some good in the world. "We’re just trying to bring a little joy and counteract some of those messages that are being put out today in Dallas." Those messages were on full display inside the QAnon-linked For God & Country Patriot Roundup over the Memorial Day weekend.