Assistant district attorney fired for lying on employment application
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An assistant district attorney with the Harris County DA's office was fired for lying on her application, after just days on the job.
The DA's office issued a statement that Marlene Bovell was fired Wednesday for lying on her employment application. She started Monday as an assistant district attorney assigned to the misdemeanor division.
When asked on her Harris County District Attorney Office job application if she had ever been arrested or convicted of a crime anywhere aside from minor traffic violations, she responded "No."
She admitted Wednesday that she had not been truthful on the application.
It was a short stink that puzzled Harris County's Chief Public Defender Alex Bunin.
"I was surprised to hear it because they do a good background check, and things like that don't happen very often," Bunin said.
According to the DA's office, prior to her being hired, Bovell's background was checked through data bases traditionally used by law enforcement to determine if a person has been previously arrested or convicted of a crime. The databases returned no information to indicate she'd had any previous encounters with law enforcement.
The state's Texas Board of Law Examiners actually licenses lawyers and is responsible for background. The State Bar of Texas manages membership and licenses that have been approved via the board.
Eyewitness News reached out to the state board. We're told they're looking into the situation, but aren't ready to issue a statement.
Bovell matches the name and age of a woman convicted of theft in the Cayman Islands. Local reports said she stole $6,000.
We went by her home Wednesday. Bovell came to the door, but said 'no comment' when asked about why she lied on her application.
Bovell worked at the Harris County District Clerk's Office from July 2013 to July 2015 as an assistant district clerk.
Background check procedures for all HCDAO applicants have been amended, according to their office.
