Lt. Governor asks for family member not to spend night in jail

A spokesperson for Dewhurst wrote in an email that the Lt. Governor was acting as nothing more than a concerned relative seeking information on how to post bail

HOUSTON – In an unusual move the Allen Police Department released an audio recording of a call made to the department by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst following the arrest of a family member.

"This is David Dewhurst, the Lieutenant Governor of the state of Texas and I want to talk to the senior officer who is there at your department right now," Dewhurst is heard telling a woman who answered the police department's main line.

Dewhurst initially told the police department employee he is calling about the "incarceration" of his sister-in-law. Later in the call Dewhurst refers to the woman as his step niece-in-law.

>>Click here to listen to the complete audio clip.

The woman Dewhurst was referring to is Ellen Bevers, a school teacher in the town of Allen just northwest of Dallas. According to police Bevers was arrested and charged with shoplifting $57 worth of items from a Kroger grocery store.

"If you would explain to me sergeant what I need to do to arrange for getting her out of jail this evening so that, that, and you can proceed with whatever you think that is proper," Dewhurst said.

Several times during his conversation with an Allen police sergeant,  Dewhurst was heard stating he wants to handle the matter properly and according to the law. However, Dewhurst made sure to point out exactly who he was to the sergeant.

"Sergeant you don't know me but I am, every year, the number one pick of all of the law enforcement agencies within Texas," said Dewhurst.

Dewhurst then told the sergeant he would have the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety call him to verify that he was really was the Lieutenant Governor. Dewhurst explained he had known Bevers for 30 years and that she was "the sweetest woman in the world." Dewhurst said he believed Bevers arrest was a mistake and that she would never intentionally take anything. Dewhurst told the sergeant he thought the arrest was due to "bad circumstances."

"What do I need to do in order to, not circumvent anything, follow the law," said Dewhurst. "But, but because this is, this is ridiculous."

The sergeant can be heard explaining to Dewhurst that Bevers would have to be booked into the Collin County Jail before bail could be posted for her release. The sergeant then offered to give Dewhurst the number to the jail to help start that process.

"No, I want the county judge and I want the sheriff," Dewhurst said.

"I don't have their cell phone numbers," the sergeant said. "To get in touch with either one of those guys you would have to go through Collin County."

Dewhurst then asked for the name of the sergeant's superior officer.

"And do you have his cell phone number?" Dewhurst asked.

"No sir, I don't give out his cell phone number," the sergeant responded.

Dewhurst is then heard giving the sergeant his personal cell phone number.

"Feel free to give that to any of your supervisors because I intend to jump into this and see what can be done to prevent this very nice lady, through a miscarriage of justice, spend the night in jail," said Dewhurst. "I may not be able to do anything, but it's whatever the law says."

A spokesperson for Dewhurst wrote in an email that the Lt. Governor was acting as nothing more than a concerned relative seeking information on how to post bail.

Bevers was arrested on August 3 and Allen police gave no explanation as to why the recording was released on Wednesday. However, Allen police said Dewhurst is not under investigation.


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Award winning investigative journalist who joined KPRC 2 in July 2000. Husband and father of the Master of Disaster and Chaos Gremlin. “I don’t drink coffee to wake up, I wake up to drink coffee.”