Brazoria replaces clerk tied to jury selection
The Brazoria County district clerk has retired from her position following the top prosecutor’s revelation that her office may have mishandled jury assembly, officials said.
The Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office and Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit are investigating allegations that the district clerk’s office, until Thursday led by Rhonda Barchak, improperly conducted juror selection.
“The law requires jurors be selected at random and it is this process that is alleged to have been conducted improperly,” District Attorney Tom Selleck said in a Friday statement. “At this time, I cannot say how long the investigation will take because we do not know the scope or the magnitude of the problems that may be uncovered.”
The evidence will be presented to a grand jury to determine whether the elected official or others implicated in the allegations committed any crimes, Selleck said.
The Brazoria County Commissioners’ Court assembled Friday morning for an emergency meeting to approve the replacement of Barchak with Donna Starkey, according to a news release from the county judge.
“I welcome Ms. Starkey as Brazoria County’s new district clerk, and I wholly support her efforts to do what is necessary to restore integrity to the office. Had Ms. Barchak not retired, I was prepared to petition the courts today to have her removed from office,” said County Judge L.M. “Matt” Sebesta Jr. in a statement.
Sebesta said Selleck on Wednesday announced that his office had received information indicating the district clerk’s office
may have assembled jury trial panels “in a manner inconsistent with applicable laws.” There were irregularities in the process, he said.
The district attorney’s office will investigate the allegations “until all responsible parties are held accountable,” Sebesta said.
“We are aware that the integrity of the jury system is of paramount importance and vital to our system of justice,” Selleck said in a statement. “My office is working diligently to restore confidence in the process.”
Sebesta declined to comment further because the matter is under criminal and civil investigation, a spokesperson said.
Barchak did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Republican official took office in 2011, according to the Texas State Directory.
The county’s district judges selected Starkey to fill the vacancy. She will serve in the role at least until the November 2022 general election. Starkey served as a municipal judge for the city of Alvin for more than two decades.
Jury duty is canceled Monday, according to the clerk’s website.