Nearly nine months after his bond was revoked for violating the bond conditions, Klint Bush, the former Liberty County elections administrator, was granted reinstatement of his bond with a few new conditions.
Bush is facing five felony indictments for Abuse of Official Capacity (two counts), Theft of Property (two counts) and Housing Authority Interested Commissioners, all related to when he served as head of the Liberty County Housing Authority Board.
In a hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 1, before the Honorable 253 State District Judge Chap Cain, Bush was granted the reinstatement of his bond and ordered to abstain from all alcohol, undergo monitoring for alcohol, wear a GPS ankle, attend outpatient treatment and avoid contact with the fire department and ESD boards, on which he previously served, and the members of those organizations.
He also must comply with the previous bond conditions that restricted him from speaking to former board members of the Liberty County Housing Authority.
Only a couple of witnesses testified in Wednesday’s court proceedings – Dr. Edward Gripon, M.D., and John Bennett, an investigator for the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Bush was represented by attorney Ryan Gertz of Beaumont.
Gripon, who specializes in forensic psychiatry, testified that he did a clinical evaluation of Bush back in August via Zoom and determined that Bush suffers from a depressive disorder and anxiety that must be treated with medication. The psychiatric evaluation was requested by the judge due to a mental health crisis that reportedly took place at Bush’s home while he was originally out on bond.
Testifying for the state, Inv. Bennett, who also is tasked with supervising the county jail, shared details about how Bush had broken some rules of the jail, setting up a 2-for-1 store, where commissary items reportedly were traded for access to phones or other items. Bush was not punished in any way after being notified twice that his actions were against jail rules.
An arraignment hearing is set for Dec. 5 in the 253rd State District Court for Ryan Daniel, who also is charged with two felony charges – Abuse of Official Capacity and Housing Authority Interested Commissioners. Like Bush, the charges against Daniel are from when he was serving on the Liberty County Housing Authority Board.
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