Inadmissible

Leander solo Carolyn M. Barnes spent time in two counties’ jails during the week of May 10. On May 11, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Barnes for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As alleged in the felony complaint attached to the May 10 arrest warrant, Barnes pointed a handgun at U.S. Census Bureau worker Kathleen Ann Gittel and fired five shots on May 8 when Gittel visited Barnes’ home. The complaint alleges Barnes fired the shots as Gittel was attempting to retreat. Roger Wade, spokesman for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, says Barnes was transferred from the Williamson County Jail to the jail in Travis County on May 13 in connection with her Jan. 8 arrest for assault on a public servant. As alleged in the Jan. 8 affidavit for the arrest warrant, Barnes struck a peace officer assigned to courthouse security after the officer directed her three times to leave the Travis County Courthouse with her “weapon.” The affidavit alleges that the officer saw a “small silver colored ‘multi-tool’ with a knife blade” inside Barnes’ belongings as they passed through the x-ray machine at the courthouse entrance and advised Barnes that she needed to take the item back to her vehicle. “Although the item is not illegal, it is not allowed in the courthouse as it is a deadly weapon,” according to the affidavit. The affidavit alleges that Barnes became verbally abusive to the officer and, at one point, dialed her cell phone, stating that she was “calling the judge.” After the officer told Barnes she would have to call the judge from outside the building, she turned and struck him in the upper chest with her right hand and forearm “while exhibiting the multi tool in her hand,” the affidavit alleges. The affidavit also alleges that Barnes began to scream and threaten the officer after she was handcuffed and was verbally abusive to jail staff. Wade says Barnes was released on a personal recognizance bond, which was revoked after her arrest in Williamson County. Wade says Barnes posted a $50,000 surety bond on May 13 and was released from jail in Travis County. John Neal , first assistant district attorney in Travis County, says the DA’s office has sent Barnes’ case to the Travis County Attorney’s Office . Williamson County DA John Bradley did not return two telephone calls seeking comment by presstime May 13. Texas Lawyer was unable to contact Barnes before presstime. The voicemail on her law office telephone was full and could not take more messages, and the telephone at her residence had a continuous busy signal. Barnes’ website indicates she handles medical-malpractice and wrongful death cases.

Big Gift

Stephen D. Susman , a partner in Houston’s Susman Godfrey , has agreed to give the University of Texas School of Law $5 million, the second largest donation in the institution’s history, says Carla Cooper, assistant dean for alumni relations and development. In 2008, Joe Jamail , a law school alum, gave the university $15 million, $10 million of which was earmarked for the law school. Susman, whose firm ranked at the top of Texas Lawyer’s profits per partner chart in the Annual Report on Firm Finance for 2009 with $1.939 million, explains his recent generosity in an e-mail: “My wife and I were revising our wills and it occurred to me that I had the ability to make this gift before I die and without threatening my or my children’s standard of living, so I figured I would rather give to a cause that is dear and near to me than to trust my widow and children to do so. The Law School has educated three generations of Susmans (my mother from the Class of 34, me and my brother and my son) and it’s payback time.” Cooper says the school has a commitment to raise $200 million by 2014. UT first set that goal in 2006 and, as of March 31, Cooper says, had raised $61 million. As result of Susman’s gift, Cooper says, a new academic center in the law’s school library will be created and named after the Houston lawyer.

Staying Power