When Ennis dentist and city councilman* Stephen Durbin was arrested last week for allegedly filming his employees undressing using hidden cameras, the Waxahachie Daily Light carried the story — before Ennis’ daily.
How did this happen? Is there something the be gathered from this unique little story coverage (WFAA Channel 8 was the media outlet that contacted The Ellis County Observer notifying us of the arrest)?
Or isn’t it interesting that Waxahachie Daily Light managing editor JoAnn Livingston and Lt. Ron Roark are good, good friends…hmm.
City Commissioner Durbin arrested
Matt Cook, Reporter
08-20-2007Ennis police arrested Dr. Stephen Durbin Friday morning after an arrest warrant was issued on the charge of improper photography or video recording, according to Ennis Police Chief John Erisman.
The affidavit for the arrest warrant issued by Judge Bill Woody’s office reported a complainant contacted Erisman Thursday advising one of Durbin’s female employees had found a wireless color video camera hidden in the changing room of his office at 400 W. Ennis Ave. The report stated the camera was used to film the female staff while they were changing clothes. The camera was released to Erisman and logged into evidence at Ennis Police Department.
The affidavit also states the employees later confronted Durbin about the camera and filming and recorded his admission to the crime on a digital audio recording. Det. Sgt. Mike Hopson confirmed police have the audio recording in custody.
Mark Griffith, Durbin’s attorney, said he has not been provided any video or audio recording of his client and he feels the incident stems from a disgruntled employee.
“We are going to investigate the case and fight the charges,” Griffith said.
At approximately 8 a.m. Friday the arrest warrant was issued and, according to Chief Erisman, about an hour later Durbin turned himself in to the Ennis Police Department.
He was then transported to the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie. A $1,000 bond was set for Durbin’s release and he was freed later that day.
Erisman said the Ennis Police Department and Ellis County District Attorney’s Office are conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident.
A search warrant was executed at Durbin’s medical office and Ennis police confiscated a computer and computer accessories.
Durbin, the Ennis City Commissioner for Ward 5 since 2000, was unavailable for comment and did not return phone calls, however, Griffith did have comments regarding his client’s innocence.
“It doesn’t take much to have accusations,” Griffith said.
“All somebody has to do is say something. This is a good man with many friends. On behalf of my client I’m telling you, ‘not guilty.’”
Ennis City Attorney Toby Mash said should Durbin be convicted of a state felony an article in the city charter states he could be removed from office by a vote of the Commission.
Durbin is listed as having an active license on the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners after receiving his license from Baylor in 1983.
There is a note in his file at the State Board that disciplinary action has taken place against Durbin before this incident.
The Ennis Daily News has issued an Open Records request in an effort to learn the nature of the disciplinary action.
The State Board has 10 days from receipt of the request to respond.
4 Comments
August 21, 2007 at 3:10 pm
good job joanne way to go get the story, don’t be jealous
August 21, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Joanne is a hack! She only got that info because she had half her office chasing down the information. She can’t do her own work, but she sure takes credit for things that aren’t hers. Even if she is still blowing Roark, he wouldn’t give her that much “classified” news.
August 21, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Like anyone with any sense believes a news media is calling a rag known to be made up trash. hahahahhahahahah good one.
March 28, 2009 at 12:10 pm
No suprise to me. Anyone who has ever read the Ennis Daily News knows that they don’t carry legit news stories. They’d rather talk about old ladies meeting for lunch at a downtown cafe in an antique’s shop. They want to paint Ennis as this quaint little town that never has any trouble in it. What they fail to realize is that EVERY town has some things that go on that are unsavory, but you can still talk about the good while informing the citizens of the troubles that may be going on too.