By Tommy Witherspoon

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Former Downtown Waco Inc. executive director Margaret Mills has a Sept. 15 trial date to answer charges alleging she embezzled from the civic development organization.

Mills, 67, was indicted on first-degree felony theft charges in November in the alleged theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars while serving as head of Downtown Waco Inc.

In a pretrial hearing Friday, 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson met in his chambers with Mills and her attorneys, Rick Bostwick and Pat Beard.

THE MILLS FILE

• Jun. 14, 2009: Former Downtown Waco leader Margaret Mills could be released by Thanksgiving
• Nov. 22, 2008: Margaret Mills spends first night in Gatesville prison

THE PUNISHMENT

• Nov. 11, 2008: Margaret Mills escorted from Waco courtroom to begin 9-year sentence
• Nov. 10, 2008: Prison official describes what Margaret Mills' life might be like behind bars
• Nov. 8, 2008: Family friends pitch in to help Margaret Mills pay $100K restitution

THE TRIAL

• DAY 3 / Nov. 5, 2008: Judge seethes at attorneys as Margaret Mills plea deal is reached
• DAY 2 / Nov. 4, 2008: Margaret Mills' successor testifies she found Downtown Waco Inc.'s financial records 
• DAY 1 / Nov. 3, 2008: Jury selected in Margaret Mills theft punishment trial
• Nov. 2, 2008: Betraying public trust may factor in Margaret Mills' sentence
• Nov. 2, 2008: Bad economy could be bad news for Margaret Mills, jury experts say

THE PLEA

• Oct. 26, 2008: After Margaret Mills' guilty plea, question remains whether she can get an unbiased jury for her sentencing
• Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills avoids possible life sentence in plea deal
• Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills' plea deal has some wondering whether they will get paid back
• Oct. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills' attorneys to try again to move her trial from Waco

THE PRETRIAL MOTIONS

• Sept. 29, 2008: Defense files 2nd motion to move Margaret Mills trial from Waco
• Sept. 17, 2008: New court filing outlines theft allegations against Margaret Mills
• Sept. 3, 2008: Judge rules Mills should stand trial in Waco, sets Nov. 3 start date
• Sept. 2, 2008: Hearing expected to decide whether Margaret Mills trial moves from Waco
• Aug. 30, 2008: Federal tax lien placed on Margaret Mills' property
• Aug. 13, 2008: Prosecutor: Kick cameras out for Mills theft trial
• July 26, 2008: Margaret Mills' lawyers seek to bar courtroom cameras
• July 19, 2008: Mills' attorneys request change of venue for controversial trial
• July 15, 2008: Prosecutor files motion to restrict evidence in Margaret Mills case in advance of Friday's pre-trial hearing
• Feb. 2, 2008: Trial date set in Margaret Mills' theft case
• Jan. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills pretrial hearing scheduled
• Nov. 7, 2007: Margaret Mills indicted on 1st-degree felony theft charges

THE INVESTIGATION

• Oct. 3, 2007: DA's office dogged by inquiries in Margaret Mills case
• Aug. 10, 2007: Mills investigation in its final stages
• May 5, 2007: Waco police submit part of Mills investigation to DA
• April 10, 2007: County DA Segrest will recuse himself in Mills case
• April 8, 2007: Disbelief, desperation marked Downtown Waco's final months
• April 3, 2007: Did Mills get special treatment from justice system?
• April 3, 2007: Longtime civic leader arrested, bonded out peacefully
• April 2, 2007: Mills' hard-charging ways won success, created sparks
• April 1, 2007: Arrest warrant issued for Margaret Mills
• Feb. 23, 2007: Investigation wrapping up
• Dec. 17, 2006: Inquiry will continue into 2007

THE SCANDAL

• Nov. 4, 2006: Mills put money in own account on eve of retirement
• Nov. 2, 2006: "Several" subpoenas issued
• Nov. 1, 2006: $500,000 and counting: Questionable finances traced to 2000
• Oct. 28, 2006: Case could shake up courthouse
• Oct. 25, 2006: Downtown Waco office braces for closure
• Oct. 22, 2006: Who's minding the store at DTW?
• Oct. 15, 2006: No third-party audits for DTW Inc.
• Oct. 14, 2006: Ex-Downtown Waco director Mills target of investigation
• Oct. 11, 2006: Police investigating missing money
• Oct. 6, 2006: Missing funds at root of investigation
• Oct. 3, 2006: Downtown Waco Inc. loses city funds amid internal financial investigation

Because Assistant Attorney General David Glickler was involved in a trial in Amarillo, they spoke to him by phone to set dates for the trial and another pretrial hearing, set for July 18.

“The only issues that we discussed today were the setting of a pretrial hearing and a setting for the trial,” Bostwick said.

Mills, who remains free on bond, declined comment as she left the courthouse.

Felony charges

The 16-page, 116-paragraph indictment charges that Mills stole more than $200,000, the amount at which a theft case becomes a first-degree felony. However, Glickler, who is handling the prosecution of the case, has said that Mills reportedly took about $511,000 from the nonprofit organization, which has since ceased operation.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office agreed to handle Mills’ case after McLennan County District Attorney John Segrest recused his office because of his and his family’s ties to Mills and her husband, Waco attorney Coke Mills.

According to the allegations, since April 2003, Mills accepted checks from outside organizations on behalf of Downtown Waco Inc. but actually deposited those checks into her personal accounts or those she controlled.

Prosecutors believe Mills deposited as many as 116 checks into her personal accounts, according to the indictment.

twitherspoon@wacotrib.com

757-5737