Attorney Montford charged with public intoxication
 
By Tony Plohetski
The Blotter
Austin American-Statesman
Mindy Montford

Prominent Austin lawyer Mindy Montford, who made an unsuccessful bid last year for Travis County district attorney, was arrested and charged with public intoxication in downtown Austin early Saturday.

Austin police arrested Montford, 38, at 2:15 a.m. Saturday in the 600 block of San Jacinto Street, said Roger Wade, spokesman for the Travis County sheriff’s office. She was released at 7:40 a.m.

Attorney Pat McNelis, who is law partners with Montford, at right, and is representing her, said Montford had been with friends from high school to hear a band at a downtown club. As they were leaving, McNelis said, the driver of a car in which Montford was a passenger struck a pipe in an alley and was pulled over moments later.

McNelis said Montford got out of the car at that time to "advise her friend of his rights."

He said an officer ordered Montford back into the car, where she sat for about 20 minutes. He said the officer then came back to the car and arrested her, as well as another passenger, on public intoxication charges. He said no further investigation was done before the arrests.

"Mindy complied with the officers when they instructed her back to the car," McNelis said. He said his client "absolutely denies" the charge.

McNelis said the driver of the car also was arrested on a drunken driving charge, but that a judge refused to sign a warrant arresting him because of lack of probable cause.

Montford last year sought the job of district attorney after working as a prosecutor since 1999 but was soundly defeated by Rosemary Lehmberg. During her campaign, she was endorsed by the Austin Police Association.

Montford has since started a private law practice, specializing in defense and family law.
 
statesman.com
Originally published Tuesday, June 9, 2009
 
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