Upset over 'slap on the wrist' for Lt. accused of recording woman undressing

Kelly Gall is a 16-year-veteran of the Austin Fire Department.  In light of the likely outcome of Friday's hearing for former Lt. James Baker, she's revealing her name and allowing pictures of herself to be shown.
                
Gall worked alongside Baker at Fire Station Number 1 in downtown Austin.
                
According to an arrest warrant from last year, the victim, who we now know to be Gall, got undressed, took a shower in the station's locker room and saw a blue light.  It turned out to be a spy camera.

"The video had her on it.  He tried to get the camera back from her and admitted what he did," said Bob Nicks, President of the Austin Firefighters Association.

The warrant said Gall turned the camera over to police.  Baker quickly retired from the department and he was charged with invasive visual recording.  

"All this in the prosecutors lap, and the best we can do is get a wrist-slap out of it.  And we're very upset about it," Nicks said  

Nicks says firefighters are disappointed with the plea bargain the Travis County DA's office offered Baker.

According to Baker's attorney Larry Sauer, if his client enters a guilty plea the deal involves 5 years deferred adjudication in lieu of jail time.  If Baker doesn't violate the terms at the end of the 5 years the case will be dismissed with no conviction.

The judge makes the final call.

"I think the public needs to know when someone breaks trust at this level, the public servant, that needs to stay on his record," Nicks said.

Baker's attorney says his client won't be allowed to be a firefighter or paramedic.

Nicks says he's concerned with the whole justice system in Travis County.

"Our concern is if you have that type of evidence and if you have that sort of proof of a felony...what hope does any other female in Travis County have on sexual assault or sexual harassment cases trying to get it prosecuted correctly?" Nicks said.

Nicks is encouraging firefighters and police to show up to the hearing Friday.

"To show support for Kelly Gall.  For the horrendous thing that she had to go through and endure.  We also will hold a press conference, we'll use the firefighters as a dignified backdrop for that press conference," Nicks said.

We did reach out to the Travis County DA's office as well. They can't comment on the plea bargain until after the hearing Friday.