On Saturday, July 19, 2025, KLTV reported that a man amended his complaint against two Rains County officials following allegations of misconduct. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Tyler approved the changes to the complaint as of July 18.

Cody Wiebe, the plaintiff, initially filed the original complaint against Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin on May 1. The amended document includes additional details that were not available at the time of the original filing. Subsequent to the complaint, Franklin was arrested in May and faced suspension without pay on June 4. Rains County Judge Linda Wallace is also implicated in the case, accused of coercing a witness related to the allegations against Franklin. She was arrested on July 2 and suspended on July 8.

The amended complaint suggests that the actions of Franklin and Wallace constitute a “coordinated campaign of judicial abuse and retaliation” aimed at silencing Wiebe, who had previously highlighted misconduct by Judge Franklin. The complaint further alleges that Franklin’s behavior reflects a broader pattern of misconduct known to county officials, who failed to take action. This inaction raises liability issues for Rains County under a Monell claim, which holds municipalities accountable for the actions of their officials.

Franklin faces indictments on four counts of misconduct, including two charges of official oppression and two counts of tampering with a witness. It is alleged that he contacted Wiebe, stating that “dead men can’t testify,” in an attempt to coerce a guilty plea and manipulate Wiebe’s testimony.

Additionally, Wallace is accused of conspiring with Franklin to pressure a county clerk into signing a false affidavit and modifying her testimony against Franklin. The affidavit in question has become crucial in potential sanctions and efforts to unseal pertinent records.

“Two elected judges used the weight of their offices to falsify evidence, intimidate a witness and try to derail a legal proceeding involving a private citizen,” the prosecuting attorney claims. As a result, the prosecution now alleges the case represents not only misconduct but “judicial treachery.”

Alongside the federal case, Wiebe’s attorney has filed a state lawsuit to remove the disputed affidavit from the record and to seek contempt charges and monetary sanctions against Franklin. The defense has until July 30 to respond.

 

 

Source: KLTV