I walked out, he started taping me and I said, "I don't like this. I don't like it on Facebook." >> I don't. >> Yeah. And I don't either. >> I don't like trashing people, our citizens on Facebook. >> I'm with her. And then she just kept following us around. I was with her. I was We were talking about how we're sick of seeing this just >> all over Facebook. And >> you're probably wondering what she's tired of seeing all over Facebook, right? She's tired of seeing non- mainstream, non-governmentcontrolled media publish stories about her friends. Two judges accused of coercing a guilty plea out of an innocent man by threatening his life. Rather than being upset that her friend, a judge, would threaten an innocent man's life for a guilty plea, she's upset that people are talking about it. >> We need to get rid of of of watch. >> Furthermore, she wanted her support of these crooked judges to be a secret. So, she's mad that we're documenting it. Let's catch you up on what happened. So, two judges in Reigns County are now indicted on felony charges for coercing a guilty plea out of an innocent man and then coercing the court clerk to keep her damn mouth shut about it. >> You know, if I destroyed evidence and tampered with it, I'd be in a lot of trouble. >> Kobe Weebi of Reigns County, Texas, claims that Judge Jenkins Franklin called him on the phone and threatened him to take a plea deal, saying, quote, "You take the deal, boy, or dead men can't testify." >> 9:13 in the morning, I get a phone call. This is Judge Franklin. I heard you have a problem with me. You take the deal, boy, or dead man can't testify. 3 days later, I took a plea deal. >> Weby's attorneys filed a lawsuit against Judge Jenkins and Reigns County. The lawsuit included certified phone records proving that Judge Franklin did call Weebi when Weebi claimed he did, as well as polygraph results in relation to what the call was about. >> And he identified himself to you on that phone call? >> Yes, sir. >> So, he wasn't trying to hide this at all? >> No, sir. Web's felony conviction was vacated after prosecutors filed a motion acknowledging that he had been coerced to enter the plea. In May, a grand jury indicted Judge Franklin on charges of official oppression for the alleged call to Weebi and tampering with a witness, pressuring a clerk to falsify an affidavit in connection to the case. Then in June, County Judge Linda Wallace was indicted for tampering with a witness. According to court records, Wallace coerced the same clerk to withhold testimony regarding the allegations against Judge Franklin. >> So, two judges in Reigns County are now indicted on felony charges for coercing a guilty plea out of an innocent man and then coercing the court clerk to keep her damn mouth shut about it. All the prosecutors in Reigns County recuse themselves from the case. They know who these judges are. It'd be a conflict of interest for them to prosecute. So, a special prosecutor is brought in from Xandant County. T Curry. Friday, November 21st, both judges were set to be in court, and we were there. We were told that the judges were expected to plea to something. So, prosecutor Tonda Curry added an extra charge to Judge Franklin. Misdemeanor disorderly conduct for this picture of Judge Franklin holding up a rifle in the courthouse window. This was a totally separate incident from years ago. Then Tonda offered Judge Franklin a plea deal where if he plead guilty to disorderly conduct for holding up the gun, she would dismiss the totally separate felony charges for threatening an innocent man to take a guilty plea. She claims that she only dismissed the charges because she didn't think she could prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury. >> I It's my belief that they could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, >> which is the standard I have to look at. That's what I have to evaluate before I walk into a courtroom and ask a jury to convict. Many of the witnesses we would have had to rely on lacked credibility. Um, they have motives that undermine their credibility. >> Franklin's defense attorney, Bran Thorson, says he'll be able to resume his role as justice of the peace. >> So, that's it. She says she's not 100% sure that she can get a guilty verdict out of a jury. So, she drops all the charges and the judge is headed back to the bench. Cameras weren't allowed in the courtroom or upstairs, so we waited for Tonic Curry downstairs to ask her questions. But as soon as she got down there and saw us, she turned back around, went back upstairs, and hid. Quite a few of Judge Franklin's friends showed up at the courthouse, most of them claiming that they were from his church. They were there to support him and let us know that they don't believe Judge Franklin would ever threaten somebody. >> Do you see anything? >> Somebody that >> Oh, for sure. Yeah. Oh, for sure. >> What can you tell us about it? >> Nothing other than I I see him at church. You see him at church here to support him. >> Then this woman came down and decided to tell us what she thought even though she wasn't asked. So I asked her to elaborate. She wanted to make sure everyone in the lobby knew what her opinion was, but also wanted to make sure that her opinion wasn't recorded and published. >> I don't appreciate all this. I'm just saying I don't like I don't like Facebook. That's just my opinion. >> You don't like what? >> I It doesn't matter what I don't like. I just don't like it. I love Facebook. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. I think that's wrong. >> The uh the case being all over Facebook. You mean >> no just the trashing out of of local people. I don't like that. >> I'm I just came by. I'm on my way to Dallas and I just came by. I don't want to speak into Mike. I don't want to say anything. It's just that I don't like all this trash. I just that >> I just think it's wrong to try to put something on Facebook with I just don't like it. I think it just it just appears to me that they're trying to sway a jury and I don't like that at all. I don't like that. These people are my friends. >> Yeah. >> And I don't like >> So you feel like the people are getting on social media and trying to sway a jury to to >> I think the watch business, you know, >> like don't put me on anything. I don't even know who these other people are. >> I don't I don't know who most people are either. That's why I was asking just trying to figure out. Please, I'm asking you to not film me. I do not I just came out. >> Do you know who she is? >> I don't know who she is. I have no idea who she is. >> Okay. >> So, I'm asking you honestly don't film me. I don't want to be on anything. Like I said, these were my friends. >> Yeah. >> And I just I don't like seeing it. Don't hear it. >> The judges were your friends? >> Uh, yes. >> Okay. Well, I'm sorry. >> Office. I just >> Yeah. >> I'm glad I'm glad that this part is over. So, you think it's just I I think I probably agree. It's kind of unfair to just plaster people all over Facebook when they're not even convicted of something. Is that >> that's kind of that that's it. And I I just don't believe in that. And they're trying they're trying to swipe everybody else and I don't even know who these people are that came in to do this kind of thing. So, I don't know. So, >> yeah. >> Like I said, I'm just asking. I said, "Where do you put all your stuff? YouTube, Facebook. Where do you put all your information? >> I send it to my producer. >> Nate, >> I'm asking you don't. I said, please don't do that. >> Don't send it to the producer. >> I do not want it in the producer. I'm telling you. What is your name? >> Uh, James. >> James. And your ref again? >> Lorata. >> Loraca. >> Lorata. >> Loraca. Okay. What happened to you? >> Yeah. I'm honestly I'm a nobody, but my producers told me to come and find out what was going on. Okay. And I'm just telling I'm asking you as nicely as I know how. Please do not do not include me in anything. I just came by. I was late. I wasn't here for the whole thing. And then when I got here, they told me that what had happened. And so I went upstairs to see Jenkins. And uh so that's the bottom line. And please, I've asked you nicely too. Do not film me. >> I'm not sure who that is, but who are you? >> Probably with the Watchdog people is my guess. Watch dog people. We're continuing to do that. Okay, we might have to have a conversation later. >> Yeah, >> some people just some people just don't understand common decency. And I think that that's kind of what's going on with all the people posting on Facebook. You know, it's >> I mean I that's what I saw. You know, we live in a society where you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Well, I'm telling you. I'm telling you. I never believed it. I don't believe it today. And so, I'm just saying stop. >> This woman actually thinks that because she doesn't personally believe that her friend did anything wrong. Everyone should have to stop talking about it. >> Stop it already. You know, you've put our city, our county, our people through enough in the watchdog group. I don't appreciate it. >> Yeah. >> And and I'm really upset with you. Let me just let me get the get >> get the deputy. >> Yeah, let's do that. I'll go with you. >> Let's go. Let him know >> cuz you've asked her already, right? >> To stop. >> So, I go with her to help snitch on my camera person. >> Can I see you out here, please? >> Yes, ma'am. >> I forgot right here is great. I have asked this lady repeatedly to quit filming me, which you will not. >> They can do it under under the law. They can do it. Yes, ma'am. It's not against the law of throwing somebody in public >> because I had said I walked out, he started taping me and I said, "I don't like this. I don't like it on Facebook." >> I don't. >> Yeah. And I don't either. >> I don't like them trashing people, our citizens on Facebook. >> I'm with her. And then she just kept following us around. I was with her. I was We were talking about how we're sick of seeing this just >> all over Facebook. And >> I just stopped by >> first amendment. >> Oh, well, I just stopped by. I think we need to get >> with no agenda. >> I think we need to get rid of the First Amendment is what I think. What do you think? >> No, we [laughter] don't need to do that. But we do need >> Well, if it allows people to do what she's doing, >> we need to get rid of of of watch. >> Then the cop found out I was with the camera person I was snitching on. >> And this isn't the first time prosecutor Ta Curry has given Judge Franklin a sweet deal with deferred adjudication for criminal activity. In 2024, she gave him deferred adjudication for a DWI. An East Texas judge accused of driving while intoxicated has been given 12 months of deferred adjudication. According to DPS, the trooper found Franklin behind the wheel with several open alcohol containers. There's a lot more to this. Otto the Watchdog is working on getting the body cam footage from that incident. For anyone who thinks it's just not in Judge Franklin's nature to threaten people over the phone, Otto the Watchdog provided us with this recording that's part of the lawsuit against the judge. >> I get it. >> That's cool. I'll figure out where they live, too. >> Why? >> Because it's fun. >> Unfortunately, this phone call has been cut from the mainstream version of this video because it's so violent, disgusting that it's not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. A link to the entire phone call is in the description below. [music] Eyewitness testimony, official phone records, polygraph tests, recordings of Judge Franklin threatening multiple people's lives. [music] >> I'll go your wives up. showing that this wasn't even just a one-time thing. This is who [music] he is. And yet, Tonda Curry says she doesn't feel comfortable just putting the evidence before a jury and letting them decide. The only question in my mind is this. [music] Was Tonda Curry just protecting one of her own? Or did she receive one of Judge Franklin's famous phone calls herself? >> No, I'm saying I'm serious. You're with the mother right now. I know where she lives, too. And I'll drop on her house, too.