An assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting a gang of white supremacists for
racketeering and murder in Texas has withdrawn from the case citing
"security purposes," just days after the second of two state prosecutors
was killed in his home.
The assistant U.S. attorney assigned to the case Jay Hileman filed a
notice to withdraw from the case with the court, and on Tuesday sent an
email about his decision to the defense lawyers representing 34 indicted
members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas .
"He sent an email to all counsel that he was withdrawing for security
purposes," defense lawyer Richard Ely said. "I'm not going to speculate
why, but I can understand why someone with a family might withdraw,
yes."
Another source familiar with the message told ABC News it is "abundantly
clear" Hileman is stepping down because of security concerns.
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Thirty-four Aryan Brotherhood of Texas members were indicted in Houston
in November for crimes including racketeering, drug distribution and
kidnapping. Ten members potentially faced the death penalty as
prosecutors accused them of ruthless violence, including ordering hits
on rival gang members.
A review of the case shows that Kaufman County prosecutors assisted in
the investigation, along with more than a dozen agencies. The two
murdered prosecutors, Mark Hasse and Mike McLelland, were from Kaufman
County.
In December, Texas authorities sent out a bulletin warning that the
group might seek retaliation because of the crackdown, sources said. The
case against them is expected to go forward this summer or fall.
Law enforcement sources have said the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a
violent prison gang, are a top focus of an investigation into the
prosecutors' deaths.
Judicial officials in Kaufman County have been given special
protections. Judge Bruce Wood said this week that he was given a body
guard and sheriff's deputies have been parked outside the home of Brandi
Fernandez, the county's new acting district attorney since her
appointment on Monday.
Police have not linked the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas with the killings,
and are poring through hundreds of cases on which Hasse worked, running
down leads that point to Mexican drug cartels, local drug traffickers
and other violent individuals.