Former Harris Co. DA Pat Lykos cleared of wrongdoing

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A lengthy investigation into Harris County's former district attorney has finally ended. On Thursday, Pat Lykos was cleared of any wrongdoing and no indictments returned against her.

The initial investigation started with the alcohol-testing BAT vans, but more than a year ago it turned to Lykos' own conduct.

There were two investigation -- the first, over the BAT vans, concluded more a year ago. But for the last year, a special prosecutor, the Texas Rangers and grand jurors have all been trying to figure out just what Lykos did when she looked into grand jurors. On Thursday, they decided it wasn't a crime.

The entire investigation started years ago with allegations that Lykos knew evidence from the DWI-testing BAT vans was faulty but used in court anyway.

The grand jury looking into that never charged her or anyone else with a crime. But grand jurors ended their work in January 2012 with shocking allegations that as district attorney, Lykos ordered her investigators to investigate them in return.

"I certainly didn't authorize an investigation," Lykos said.

Lykos suggested the first grand jury was politically motivated and denied she ordered any investigation into grand jurors. A day later, when we uncovered evidence to the contrary, she was forced to backtrack and admit what she called a cursory Internet search into jurors' backgrounds.

It wasn't the only time Lykos' story conflicted with our investigation. When Lykos was subpoenaed to testify in the original inquiry, she denied knowing anything about it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lykos told us at the time.

She testified just days later.

After our investigation revealed the extent to which Lykos went to have grand jurors investigated, the Texas Rangers started looking at Lykos and her offices' actions.

We were there the afternoon in February 2012 when they hauled out boxes of evidence from her offices. The next day, she claimed to have requested the Rangers' involvement.

Our investigation again put Lykos in a tough spot when DPS records revealed her request came a day after the Rangers began their work.

A special prosecutor was soon added to the investigative team. The investigation was featured prominently in last summer's primary election. Lykos lost but the investigation went on and on.

In December, Lykos' top aides were called to testify in front of the grand jury. On Thursday, the grand jury ended its work without indicting Lykos or anyone else.

The investigation into her investigation is now complete.

We reached out with Lykos for comment but she did not return any of our calls or texts. Additionally, current Harris County DA Mike Anderson told us he has no comment.

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