Fish Story? Texas Lawyer Asserts the Catfish Defense in DWI Case

180px-ChannelcatAttorney Bryan Simmons says that he was brought low by the double scourge of hard work and catfish. Simmons drove off the road and got stuck in a ditch with a flat tire– the result of fatigue from a trial and a reaction to the black pepper sprinkled on his catfish. District Judge John Miller ordered him to pay the costs of a trial that ended in the middle of jury selection due to his failure to appear.

Simmons insisted that he was not drunk and in fact asked the police officer to administer a Breathalyzer test bur was refused. The blood test he later took will take a few weeks to get back. I am not sure why the judge acted before the test results were completed since Simmons should be entitled to a presumption of innocence. If he was sober, it is hard to see why he is penalized for an auto accident.

He was arrested for DWI.

The trial has been rescheduled.

I have said for years that friends do not let friends eat catfish and drive.

For full story, click here.

24 Responses to “Fish Story? Texas Lawyer Asserts the Catfish Defense in DWI Case”


  1. 1 eniobob 1, June 22, 2009 at 10:08 am

    I will keep a shaker of pepper in my car,from here on out.

    You never know it may come in handy.LOL!!

  2. 2 eniobob 1, June 22, 2009 at 10:15 am

    Or if I did have to appear,A good pair of sneakers might also be in order.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/21/christopher-willis-probat_n_218686.html

  3. 3 Mike Spindell 1, June 22, 2009 at 10:17 am

    In the first Grade I learned about such stories when I told my teacher that the dog had eaten my homework. She was skeptical to say the least and I had no retort.

  4. 4 Jill 1, June 22, 2009 at 10:19 am

    Why didn’t he just say the catfish had put a spell on him? He needs something credible and black pepper just won’t do the trick.

  5. 5 eniobob 1, June 22, 2009 at 11:00 am

    And the Supremes sing yet again.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062200771.html?hpid=topnews

    This song is about the voting rights act.

  6. 7 Former Federal LEO 1, June 22, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    Dredd,

    I like your website and if there were more that 24-hours in a day and if we humans had 9-lives like “da Cat” well then, others and I might…
    _________________________________

    “So much to do, if I only had time, if I only had time
    Dreams to pursue, if I only had time, only time…’

    Earl Grant 1968, ‘If I Only Had Time’
    _________________________________

  7. 8 Former Federal LEO 1, June 22, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    Oh, and I sure would like humans to quit blaming everything on our poor, innocent nonhuman animal coinhabitants on this increasingly browning earth. The dog ate it, the catfish hooked the lawyer while he was a’fishin’ for an alibi…etc.

  8. 9 DOMINO 1, June 22, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    It sounds like he has a capsicum allergy.

  9. 10 Gyges 1, June 22, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    Domino,

    Wrong pepper. Black pepper has piperine, Chili peppers are the ones with capsicum

  10. 11 Jil 1, June 22, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    Gyges,

    You’re a pepper snob!!!! Happy Father’s Day!

  11. 12 Anonymously Yours 1, June 22, 2009 at 4:50 pm

    Friends don’t let friends vote Republican.

    Actually, New Boston is in Deep North East Texas. Going toward Hope Arkansas. You wanna talk about No Neck Red Necks. This is the place. A lot of trafficking as it is a back road outta Texas.

    Dan Blocker is buried there and Ricky Nelson’s plane crashed not to far from there too.

  12. 13 DOMINO 1, June 23, 2009 at 1:05 am

    Black pepper causes allergic reactions also.

  13. 14 Gyges 1, June 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    Domino,

    Right, but not Capsicum allergies. Sorry if I offended, I was just passing on what I think is interesting information.

  14. 16 Gyges 1, June 24, 2009 at 2:21 pm

    Domino,

    I mean that sincerely, I worded my comment poorly and apologize that it probably came across in a harsher fashion than what was meant. I hope you’ll accept my apology, but understand if you’re cynical about it.

  15. 17 Jill 1, June 24, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Domino,

    For what it’s worth, I’ve been on the blog for a long time and would like to vouch for Gyges. He’s into science. He’s into food. He’s into foodscience!

    He did sound like a smart ass, that’s why I teased him, but he really is interested in all this stuff.

  16. 18 DOMINO 1, June 26, 2009 at 12:50 am

    It would be more convincing if you sent me a card stuffed with cash — but alright, okay.

    *Resumes smiling and posting the occasional minor factual inaccuracy.

  17. 19 Buddha Is Laughing 1, June 26, 2009 at 7:09 am

    lol

  18. 20 tampa dui defense lawyer 1, October 19, 2009 at 11:36 pm

    Many times as a result of an accident parties are transported to the hospital because of injuries. Investigating Officers can get your blood results and draft a warrant for your arrest based on those results. If the Police show up to the accident and the DWI driver was not arrested on scene (given the fact that they didn’t go to the hospital) then the chances are slim to none.

  19. 21 Cayenne Pepper 1, February 23, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    There are very few people allergic to capsicum or cayenne pepper, by the way. Piper Nigrum or black pepper is actually good for you if it’s fresh. Cayenne pepper or capsicum annum (one of its Latin classification) has had one person I have known anecdotally allergic to it, tennis legend Ivan Lendly. Even that I find unbelievable.

    I had catfish once, once. I say the catfish was the culprit here, not the black pepper.

    GR

  20. 22 Anonymously Yours 1, February 24, 2010 at 6:15 am

    CP,

    Hows the family?

  21. 23 Buddha Is Laughing 1, February 24, 2010 at 7:20 am

    AY,

    I should have known you’d know a poster with that name.

  22. 24 Anonymously Yours 1, February 24, 2010 at 9:16 am

    Buddha,

    What else can you say to a posting troll?


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