Brian Chavez
He is the only Hispanic who is a starter and unlike the other players to whom school and grades are incidental to football, his goals involve being accepted by Harvard. He is the valedictorian of his class, but loves the thrill of the hits that come with football. He has aspirations of going to a top tier school which he does get accepted into Harvard. At Harvard after going to one varsity game he sees the enthusiasm was not as strong, the support not as strong, and the competition was lacking a little bit. With doubts already about juggling school and football this made him decide that for the first time in his life he was going to put football in the backseat and concentrate on his education fulltime. After graduating in 1993, he moved on to law school at Texas Tech before returning home to Odessa to find that many of his former teammates had never left.
Tony Chavez and Dale McDougal
Two parents who experience the agonies of their sons during each and every game and even readily admit that they live vicariously through their children.
Jim Mustian (article for the Odessa TImes)
"Feb. 26--An attorney for a group of Odessans suing local lawyer and "Friday Night Lights" football standout Brian J. Chavez said Thursday that the two sides have not agreed to a settlement. Samuel M. Sanchez of Fort Worth told visiting state District Judge Charles Chapman that an agreement in the suit for damages remains "a possibility" but that he was "not very certain of that" at the moment.
Sanchez's remarks contradicted previous reports that the two sides had settled. In November, Chavez's father, Tony Chavez, told the Odessa American that the two sides had reached a deal, the terms of which both sides declined to disclose.
Brian Chavez, his brother Jacob Chavez, Rosemary Soto and Stanley Wilkins were arrested in October in connection with a residential burglary at the house of Jaime and Tammie Castillo in the 600 block of East 36th Street. Police said the four were "uninvited" and forced themselves into the residence.
The Castillos and several others filed suit against the defendants, seeking thousands of dollars in damages and claiming they had been assaulted and struck with "fixtures and statues" in their own home. Sanchez said in court filings that the plaintiffs lost several thousand dollars in medical expenses, lost wages and property damage.
It remains unclear how the civil proceedings might affect the outcome of the prosecution. Sanchez said in a settlement offer in November that his clients would sign affidavits of "nonprosecution," which he said "shall cover each and every defendant for any criminal charges pending."
District Attorney Bobby Bland quickly recused his office from the case because he has known several of the defendants for many years. State District Judge Bill McCoy appointed Assistant Attorney General Wes Mau to prosecute the case.
Mau traveled to Odessa this week to present the case to a grand jury, but the proceedings were continued for one month, in part because of complications caused by the winter storm, several people with knowledge of the case said.
A spokesman for the Attorney General's office declined to comment. Sanchez and Brian Chavez's brother, Adrian Chavez, who stood in Thursday for Fort Worth attorney Daniel Bates, both declined to discuss the case after the hearing.
Tony Chavez was out of town Thursday and could not be reached for comment.
On Thursday, Chapman appointed local attorney Michele Greene as attorney ad litem to represent the minor children named as plaintiffs in the suit. Sanchez said the terms of a proposed settlement have not yet included any money for the children.
Asked by Chapman whether the two sides expected to settle eventually, Sanchez offered equivocally that he thinks Greene's appointment would help lead to an agreement. Should the two sides fail to settle, a jury trial has been penciled in for April 26.
Mar. 30--After weeks of legal wrangling, Odessa attorney Brian J. Chavez has settled a lawsuit with a group of Odessans who accused him and three others of burglary and assault.
The two sides inked a deal in December, but the settlement appeared to be imperiled in recent weeks as several plaintiffs claimed breach of contract and some refused to accept damages. Their attorney, Samuel M. Sanchez of Fort Worth, argued Tuesday that the deal should be set aside because his clients did not receive their money by Dec. 24, the date agreed upon in the settlement.
Visiting state District Judge Charles Chapman, after hearing testimony from six witnesses, denied the motion, saying the parties should not have agreed to such a quick timetable for the payment of damages. At least one hearing, Chapman said, was inevitably needed to approve the deal and tie up any loose ends.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, and Sanchez sought -- unsuccessfully -- to have an Odessa American reporter removed from the courtroom Tuesday due to the "confidential" nature of the agreement. The settlement comes as an Ector County grand jury is considering whether to indict Chavez, who became something of a local celebrity after he was featured prominently in H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger's book "Friday Night Lights" and a movie of the same name that chronicled the 1988 Permian High football team.
Chavez and his co-defendants -- his brother Jacob Chavez, Rosemary Soto and Stanley Wilkins -- were arrested in October after they reportedly broke into a home on East 36th. The tenants of the home, Jaime and Tammie Castillo, and several others present sued the defendants for damages, contending they were jumped in their own home and "struck with fixtures and statues."
Defense attorney Daniel Bates, however, characterized the assault as "mutual combat" and said his clients easily could have countersued.
Court documents show that early negotiations included the possibility of the plaintiffs signing affidavits of "nonprosecution," but it remains unclear how the resolution of the civil suit will affect any criminal proceedings. Some of the plaintiffs alluded Tuesday to their presence at grand jury proceedings last week, but it was not clear whether they had testified.
District Attorney Bobby Bland, a longtime friend of Brian Chavez, recused his office from the case. The state attorney general's office assigned a special prosecutor to present the case to the grand jury and has declined to comment."
He is the only Hispanic who is a starter and unlike the other players to whom school and grades are incidental to football, his goals involve being accepted by Harvard. He is the valedictorian of his class, but loves the thrill of the hits that come with football. He has aspirations of going to a top tier school which he does get accepted into Harvard. At Harvard after going to one varsity game he sees the enthusiasm was not as strong, the support not as strong, and the competition was lacking a little bit. With doubts already about juggling school and football this made him decide that for the first time in his life he was going to put football in the backseat and concentrate on his education fulltime. After graduating in 1993, he moved on to law school at Texas Tech before returning home to Odessa to find that many of his former teammates had never left.
Tony Chavez and Dale McDougal
Two parents who experience the agonies of their sons during each and every game and even readily admit that they live vicariously through their children.
Jim Mustian (article for the Odessa TImes)
"Feb. 26--An attorney for a group of Odessans suing local lawyer and "Friday Night Lights" football standout Brian J. Chavez said Thursday that the two sides have not agreed to a settlement. Samuel M. Sanchez of Fort Worth told visiting state District Judge Charles Chapman that an agreement in the suit for damages remains "a possibility" but that he was "not very certain of that" at the moment.
Sanchez's remarks contradicted previous reports that the two sides had settled. In November, Chavez's father, Tony Chavez, told the Odessa American that the two sides had reached a deal, the terms of which both sides declined to disclose.
Brian Chavez, his brother Jacob Chavez, Rosemary Soto and Stanley Wilkins were arrested in October in connection with a residential burglary at the house of Jaime and Tammie Castillo in the 600 block of East 36th Street. Police said the four were "uninvited" and forced themselves into the residence.
The Castillos and several others filed suit against the defendants, seeking thousands of dollars in damages and claiming they had been assaulted and struck with "fixtures and statues" in their own home. Sanchez said in court filings that the plaintiffs lost several thousand dollars in medical expenses, lost wages and property damage.
It remains unclear how the civil proceedings might affect the outcome of the prosecution. Sanchez said in a settlement offer in November that his clients would sign affidavits of "nonprosecution," which he said "shall cover each and every defendant for any criminal charges pending."
District Attorney Bobby Bland quickly recused his office from the case because he has known several of the defendants for many years. State District Judge Bill McCoy appointed Assistant Attorney General Wes Mau to prosecute the case.
Mau traveled to Odessa this week to present the case to a grand jury, but the proceedings were continued for one month, in part because of complications caused by the winter storm, several people with knowledge of the case said.
A spokesman for the Attorney General's office declined to comment. Sanchez and Brian Chavez's brother, Adrian Chavez, who stood in Thursday for Fort Worth attorney Daniel Bates, both declined to discuss the case after the hearing.
Tony Chavez was out of town Thursday and could not be reached for comment.
On Thursday, Chapman appointed local attorney Michele Greene as attorney ad litem to represent the minor children named as plaintiffs in the suit. Sanchez said the terms of a proposed settlement have not yet included any money for the children.
Asked by Chapman whether the two sides expected to settle eventually, Sanchez offered equivocally that he thinks Greene's appointment would help lead to an agreement. Should the two sides fail to settle, a jury trial has been penciled in for April 26.
Mar. 30--After weeks of legal wrangling, Odessa attorney Brian J. Chavez has settled a lawsuit with a group of Odessans who accused him and three others of burglary and assault.
The two sides inked a deal in December, but the settlement appeared to be imperiled in recent weeks as several plaintiffs claimed breach of contract and some refused to accept damages. Their attorney, Samuel M. Sanchez of Fort Worth, argued Tuesday that the deal should be set aside because his clients did not receive their money by Dec. 24, the date agreed upon in the settlement.
Visiting state District Judge Charles Chapman, after hearing testimony from six witnesses, denied the motion, saying the parties should not have agreed to such a quick timetable for the payment of damages. At least one hearing, Chapman said, was inevitably needed to approve the deal and tie up any loose ends.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, and Sanchez sought -- unsuccessfully -- to have an Odessa American reporter removed from the courtroom Tuesday due to the "confidential" nature of the agreement. The settlement comes as an Ector County grand jury is considering whether to indict Chavez, who became something of a local celebrity after he was featured prominently in H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger's book "Friday Night Lights" and a movie of the same name that chronicled the 1988 Permian High football team.
Chavez and his co-defendants -- his brother Jacob Chavez, Rosemary Soto and Stanley Wilkins -- were arrested in October after they reportedly broke into a home on East 36th. The tenants of the home, Jaime and Tammie Castillo, and several others present sued the defendants for damages, contending they were jumped in their own home and "struck with fixtures and statues."
Defense attorney Daniel Bates, however, characterized the assault as "mutual combat" and said his clients easily could have countersued.
Court documents show that early negotiations included the possibility of the plaintiffs signing affidavits of "nonprosecution," but it remains unclear how the resolution of the civil suit will affect any criminal proceedings. Some of the plaintiffs alluded Tuesday to their presence at grand jury proceedings last week, but it was not clear whether they had testified.
District Attorney Bobby Bland, a longtime friend of Brian Chavez, recused his office from the case. The state attorney general's office assigned a special prosecutor to present the case to the grand jury and has declined to comment."