A perjury indictment that cost former Police Chief Mack Vines his job was thrown out Tuesday after a judge ruled its allegations were too vague. Former Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge John Onion quashed the misdemeanor perjury indictment in a hearing, a court spokeswoman said, referring all other questions to Assistant District Attorney Ted Steinke. Steinke said the DA's office was drafting a new indictment that would be filed Wednesday. ``This happens every day in the courthouse. It's not unusual at all,'' he said. Vines said he was relieved the perjury charge was thrown out. ``I hope and pray that ... the assistant district attorney and the district attorney's office will see the wisdom in not refiling,'' he said. ``We'll review the new indictment, if they file, and see if it's properly done,'' said his attorney, Bill Boyd. ``If not we'll file to quash, again. If they've done it right, we'll prepare for trial.'' Vines was fired by Dallas City Manager Jan Hart on Sept. 12, hours after being indicted on the perjury charge. He is accused of lying to a special panel investigating the June 1989 firing of officer Patrick LeMaire, who fatally shot an unarmed man last year. LeMaire was reinstated in July by an administrative law judge but declined to return to the police force. The perjury charge alleged that Vines lied to the panel about a telephone conversation he had with assistant police chief Greg Holliday on Aug. 2, the night before Holliday was to testify before the panel. Holliday said Vines tried to influence his testimony. Vines has maintained his innocence. Boyd said the indictment was quashed because ``the law in Texas requires that if you allege perjury, you must first show the statement that you allege to be false and then state what you claim the truth to be.'' ``They made a general allegation in the indictment as to what they claimed to be false and they made no allegation as to what they claimed the truth to be,'' he said. Tuesday's action was the latest setback in the district attorney's prosecution of Vines, who had been police chief for two years. Prosecutors initially filed the case in state district court, but were told last month that the court had no jurisdiction because official misconduct was not alleged. The case was moved to Dallas County Criminal Court, where Judge John McCall stepped aside and asked Onion to preside. The city began a nationwide search for a new police chief after Vines' dismissal. Sixty-two candidates have applied for the job, including Acting Chief Sam Gonzales.
