Lubbock criminal defense lawyers to honor country's founding documents

Members of the Lubbock Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association are set to gather 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Lubbock County Courthouse to read in public the country's founding documents ahead of the July 4th holiday.

Similar readings of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights will take place at 100 courthouses in the state throughout the week by members of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

The event aims to honor the freedoms enjoyed by Americans and to remind them about the principles that form the bedrock of democracy.

The annual event, which has taken place at the Lubbock County courthouse's gazebo since 2011, will also include patriotic musical performances, said Lubbock criminal defense attorney Chuck Lanehart, who organizes the event.

"The organization thinks the readings emphasize that July 4th is more than just a date for a summer holiday," Lanehart said. "It is Independence Day, the day the American Colonies declared their independence from Britain in 1776. It marked the beginning of the United States of America."