Judge Signed Cop's Facebook Warrant — Then Found Out What Police Didn't Tell Him

A district judge in Texas who signed a search warrant to unmask an anonymous Facebook page has sent a formal letter to the police department that used it, stating his concerns about the "accuracy, completeness, and reliability" of what officers swore to — and that material facts may have been omitted from the affidavit. On June 8, 2026, Judge R. Scott McKee of the 392nd Judicial District Court wrote to Trinidad, Texas Police Chief Charles Gregory, copying the city manager, city attorney, and mayor, and ordered that two named officers — Sergeant McCumsey and Investigator Beckham — must now appear before the court in person and answer questions under oath before he will consider any future warrant application. The case began when Jennifer Combs posted on Facebook about reports of water contamination in Trinidad and was arrested on a state jail felony for "false alarm or report." That charge has since been dismissed.

In this update, Texas civil rights attorney Brandon Grable reads Judge McKee's letter in full and breaks down why it matters — for the criminal case, for the civil rights litigation, and for the warrant process itself. The core legal point: under Franks v. Delaware, a warrant won't shield officers if they omit material facts that cut against probable cause. A magistrate is entitled to rely on officers for a "fair and complete presentation," and material omissions can mislead a probable cause determination as much as outright false statements can.

Brandon is then joined by attorney CJ Grisham — who represents other plaintiffs in the Trinidad litigation — to discuss how rare a letter like this is, what it signals about whether the judge was ever told the warrant concerned a Facebook post and a matter of public concern, the Brady/Giglio implications for every case these officers touch, why a felony arrest warrant went to a justice of the peace while the search warrant went to a district judge, and why official oppression in Texas is only a Class A misdemeanor while a Facebook post was charged as a felony.

NOTE: The search warrant affidavit presented to Judge McKee has not yet been released. The characterizations of what it did or did not contain are drawn from the judge's own letter and from the separate arrest warrant affidavit. We will publish the search warrant affidavit on this channel as soon as it is obtained.

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⚖️ LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a legal issue, please consult with a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Case Update Intro
00:36 Judge Flags Warrant Issues
02:16 Reading the Judge Letter
04:10 Why Omissions Matter
11:53 New Oath Requirement
13:25 What the Letter Proves
13:48 Interview With CJ Grisham
18:25 Timeline of Events
21:01 Water Coverup Context
27:56 Judge Shopping Questions
28:13 Brady and Warrant Oddities
35:34 Fixing Trinidad Policing
38:28 Texas Rangers Pressure
40:51 Where Things Stand Now

👥 PEOPLE & ENTITIES
Jennifer Combs • Judge R. Scott McKee, 392nd Judicial District Court • Trinidad Police Department • former Chief Charles Gregory • Sgt. McCumsey • Investigator Cameron Beckham • attorney CJ Grisham • Otto the Watchdog • Henderson County, Texas

#TrinidadWater #OttotheWatchdog #FirstAmendment #QualifiedImmunity #CivilRights #Texas #PoliceAccountability

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