The judge in the case, Andrea Beall, asked questions but observed that the agreement had been made between the parties & the court could not block it.
“No judge can force a prosecutor to present evidence or call witnesses. This court does not have any say in this contract,” Judge Beall said before asking #KenPaxton if the signature on the document was his.
…The deal appeared to put an end to a nearly decade-long legal saga that has seen the case delayed repeatedly, moved between #Texas counties & ultimately set for a trial in Houston — far from #Paxton’s home turf of Collin County, north of Dallas, where a #GrandJury handed up an #indictment in 2015 & where #Paxton has deep #political ties.