Caprock Chronicle: The Texas Panhandle Preacher that Poisoned his Wife

Chuck Lanehart uncovers a historical crime from the Texas panhandle that could be a Hollywood movie. In this two part series in the Caprock Chronicle, a popular preacher becomes romantically entangled with an old friend. Taking place in the late 1800's near present day Carson County, Chuck follows the life of Methodist minister George E.…

Posted on: June 15, 2021

The First and Last Hanging in the Texas Panhandle

Chuck Lanehart digs up the past in a two part Caprock Chronicle on G.R. Miller, the only hanging ever recorded in the Texas panhandle. In the early 1900's, G.R. Miller quickly became a career criminal in Hardeman County. However, it was after release from prison that Miller committed a spree of violent acts in Childress…

Posted on: June 12, 2021

The Law According to Chappell

Published for the Texas Independent Bar Association Byron “Lawyer” Chappell was called the grandfather of Lubbock attorneys, and he was one of the most colorful advocates in Lubbock’s legal history. His more celebrated contemporaries — Travis Shelton, George Gilkerson, Clifford Brown —are considered icons of the Texas criminal bar. But Chappell’s low-key, practical yet zealous,…

Posted on: May 12, 2021

Chuck Lanehart Publishes Historical Book on Lubbock and the South Plains

We are excited to announce the arrival of Chuck’s latest book: Tragedy and Triumph on the Texas Plains: Curious Historic Chronicles from Murders to Movies. Pickup a copy at Barnes & Noble, Amazon or request it at a local bookstore. For those who have followed the Caprock Chronicles in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, you would…

Posted on: May 6, 2021

An Assault Charge is Dropped and a Drug Possession Case Earns Pretrial Diversion

Possession of Multiple Drugs After a Traffic Stop Chuck Lanehart was hired in the fall of 2020 by two young ladies in their early twenties who were stopped traveling through Lubbock County after a trip to California, Las Vegas and other vacation spots. Their vehicle was searched, and officers found a variety of recreational drugs:…

Posted on: March 5, 2021

Caprock Chronicle: 1970’s Obscenity Trials in Lubbock

In the 1970's, obscenity was a crime that police actively pursued. Chuck Lanehart writes a Caprock Chronicle which details this chapter in criminal justice history. Notably, Lubbock courts held the first obscenity trial in the United States, over the film, “Last Tango in Paris.”. After being screened at a local Lubbock theater in 1973, police…

Posted on: February 25, 2021

Texas Crime Trends in 2019 and 2020

Violent Crimes on the Rise in Lubbock The numbers don’t lie — the Texas Department of Public Safety recently released its 2019 crime report, which shows trends for cities and counties with more than 50,000 residents. This includes several West Texas areas served by Chappell, Lanehart & Stangl from our downtown Lubbock office. Amarillo (-8%), Midland…

Posted on: December 3, 2020

Caprock Chronicle on The Payne-Rippy Feud

Chuck Lanehart's latest Caprock Chronicle on murder in the Crosby County courthouse sounds like a Hollywood movie. However, the true events took place in the early 1920's and involve bootlegging moonshine, a poker game and a feud between rival farmers. The main star of the story, David Leonard Payne is nicknamed "Poppin" and survives a…

Posted on: November 24, 2020

Defendant with Bad Psychedelic Trip Avoids Penalty and Clears Criminal Record

Recently, Chuck Lanehart defended a 20-year-old college student enrolled in a pre-med program. He was camping with friends in a rural county at a Texas state park and took LSD. Unfortunately, he had a “bad trip” and appeared to be having a mental breakdown. Worried for his safety, his friends called 911. Police arrived and…

Posted on: November 17, 2020

Caprock Chronicles: General Custer in the Texas Panhandle

In this week's Caprock Chronicle, Chuck Lanehart sheds light on General Armstrong Custer and his success at invading Native American territories in the South Plains and Texas panhandle. Several years prior to the infamous "Custer's Last Stand", Custer was tasked with recovering two American girls held captive and forcing Plain Indians into reservations. Newly appointed…

Posted on: October 9, 2020