INSIDER
Judge recused from case involving 3 ex-SAPD officers accused of fatally shooting woman
Read full article: Judge recused from case involving 3 ex-SAPD officers accused of fatally shooting womanJudge Stephanie Boyd of the 187th District Court will not be presiding over the case of three former SAPD officers charged with fatally shooting a woman inside her apartment last summer.
Open Court: Trial for father accused in son’s starvation death begins Tuesday
Read full article: Open Court: Trial for father accused in son’s starvation death begins TuesdayThe trial for Brandon Cervera, a man accused in the starvation death of his 4-year-old son, Benjamin Cervera, is set to begin Tuesday in the 186th District Court.
Man charged with killing 4 university students in Idaho is jailed in Boise after his trial is moved
Read full article: Man charged with killing 4 university students in Idaho is jailed in Boise after his trial is movedThe man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students has been booked into jail in Boise after a court moved his trial.
Idaho's high court moves the trial for the killing of 4 university students to Boise
Read full article: Idaho's high court moves the trial for the killing of 4 university students to BoiseThe trial of a man charged in the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students will be held in Boise, roughly 300 miles (482.80 kilometers) from where the crimes occurred.
Teen shot by SAPD officer in 2022 pleads no contest in pair of felony evading arrest cases
Read full article: Teen shot by SAPD officer in 2022 pleads no contest in pair of felony evading arrest casesA San Antonio teenager who was shot multiple times by a San Antonio police officer in 2022 has been granted probation in a pair of felony evading arrest cases.
Former SAPD officer who shot at two teens who were running from him in 2020 has case dismissed
Read full article: Former SAPD officer who shot at two teens who were running from him in 2020 has case dismissedA Bexar County District Court judge has dismissed a deadly conduct charge against a former San Antonio police officer accused of firing shots at two teens who were running away from him, according to online court records.
Judge OKs phone surveys of jury pool for man charged in 4 University of Idaho student deaths
Read full article: Judge OKs phone surveys of jury pool for man charged in 4 University of Idaho student deathsA judge says defense attorneys for a man charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students can resume phone surveys of potential jurors in the case.
Tentative trial date set for death penalty case against Stephen Clare, accused of attacking ex-wife, 2 daughters
Read full article: Tentative trial date set for death penalty case against Stephen Clare, accused of attacking ex-wife, 2 daughtersA tentative trial date was set for Stephen Clare in the 437th District Court on Monday morning.
Two high-profile cases have back-to-back hearings in same courtroom — Stephen Clare, James Brennand in court on Monday
Read full article: Two high-profile cases have back-to-back hearings in same courtroom — Stephen Clare, James Brennand in court on MondayTwo high-profile defendants will have hearings in the same courtroom Monday.
Production manager testifies about gun oversight in fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin in 2021 rehearsal
Read full article: Production manager testifies about gun oversight in fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin in 2021 rehearsalJurors in a trial over the fatal movie-set shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin have heard in courtroom testimony that a manager increased oversight of firearm safety but was only partially aware of misfires in the days leading up to it.
Woman accused of hiding evidence in Savannah Soto, Matthew Guerra murders gets significant reduction in bond
Read full article: Woman accused of hiding evidence in Savannah Soto, Matthew Guerra murders gets significant reduction in bondA woman charged last month with concealing evidence in the December murders of Savannah Soto and Matthew Guerra had her bond drastically reduced Friday, following a hearing in 186th District Court.
Video shows melee in Bexar County courtroom as murder suspect is attacked, beaten by victim’s family
Read full article: Video shows melee in Bexar County courtroom as murder suspect is attacked, beaten by victim’s familyAccording to a statement from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, the courtroom brawl happened as family members of shooting victim Ethan Soto attended a hearing for Victor Nathaneal Rivas, who is charged in Soto’s death.
In Utah and Kansas, state courts flex power over new laws regulating abortion post-Roe
Read full article: In Utah and Kansas, state courts flex power over new laws regulating abortion post-RoeAbortion providers faced off against attorneys for Utah and Kansas in state courts Tuesday, part of the ongoing fight after last year's Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Judge agrees to narrow but not lift gag order in University of Idaho student slayings case
Read full article: Judge agrees to narrow but not lift gag order in University of Idaho student slayings caseAn Idaho judge has denied a request from roughly two dozen news organizations to lift a gag order in the criminal case of a man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death.
Judge enters not guilty pleas for suspect in stabbing deaths of 4 University of Idaho students
Read full article: Judge enters not guilty pleas for suspect in stabbing deaths of 4 University of Idaho studentsA judge has entered not guilty pleas for a man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students.
Grand jury indicts man in 4 University of Idaho stabbing deaths, eliminating need for hearing
Read full article: Grand jury indicts man in 4 University of Idaho stabbing deaths, eliminating need for hearingA grand jury has indicted a man who was already charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, allowing prosecutors to skip a planned week-long preliminary hearing that was set for late June.
Police video shows Idaho killings suspect in traffic stop
Read full article: Police video shows Idaho killings suspect in traffic stopNewly released body camera video shows the man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students being pulled over for allegedly running a red light about a month before the killings.
Bexar County jailer going to trial for alleged assault of inmate after plea rejected by judge
Read full article: Bexar County jailer going to trial for alleged assault of inmate after plea rejected by judgeA man who worked as a Bexar County jailer when he allegedly assaulted an inmate in 2020 is going to trial in May.
President of Israel's Supreme Court attacks judicial changes
Read full article: President of Israel's Supreme Court attacks judicial changesThe chief justice of Israel’s Supreme Court has sharply attacked the sweeping changes to the country’s justice system planned by the new conservative government, lending her voice to a growing outcry against the proposed overhaul.
Leaked report about Colorado Springs shooter to be discussed
Read full article: Leaked report about Colorado Springs shooter to be discussedA judge is set to consider whether authorities should be punished after the media obtained documents showing detailed allegations about the suspect in the Colorado gay nightclub shooting previously plotting to be “the next mass killer” in an old case that was sealed at the time.
Defense begins calling witnesses in effort to keep Barrientes Vela from being sentenced to prison
Read full article: Defense begins calling witnesses in effort to keep Barrientes Vela from being sentenced to prisonThe sentencing of convicted ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela resumed Tuesday, as her defense team began calling witnesses on her behalf.
Bexar County judges worried about lack of prosecutors in District Attorney’s Office
Read full article: Bexar County judges worried about lack of prosecutors in District Attorney’s OfficeHigh-profile trials scheduled for 2023 are faced with uncertainty as the district attorney’s office has recently lost many attorneys.
Jury starts deliberation in Texas officer’s murder trial
Read full article: Jury starts deliberation in Texas officer’s murder trialA jury began deliberations Wednesday in the murder case against a former Texas police officer charged with fatally shooting a Black woman through a rear window of her home in 2019.
Colorado gay club shooting suspect charged with hate crimes
Read full article: Colorado gay club shooting suspect charged with hate crimesThe suspect accused of entering a Colorado Springs gay nightclub and killing five people and wounding 17 others was formally charged with 305 criminal counts including hate crimes and murder.
Trial starts for San Antonio man accused in capital murder of 14-year-old boy, 69-year-old man
Read full article: Trial starts for San Antonio man accused in capital murder of 14-year-old boy, 69-year-old manThe trial for a capital murder suspect accused in two February 2018 deaths started on Wednesday in the 187th District Court.
2 conservatives accused in hoax robocall scheme plead guilty
Read full article: 2 conservatives accused in hoax robocall scheme plead guiltyTwo right-wing operatives have pleaded guilty in Cleveland to single felony counts of telecommunications fraud for having placed thousands of hoax robocalls in Ohio during the runup to the 2020 general election.
Supreme Court rules for inmates seeking reduced prison terms
Read full article: Supreme Court rules for inmates seeking reduced prison termsThe Supreme Court has made it easier for certain prison inmates to seek shorter sentences under a bipartisan 2018 federal law aimed at reducing racial disparities in prison terms for cocaine crimes.
Uresti-Dasher outpacing Nieto in contributions and spending in bitter district court judge race
Read full article: Uresti-Dasher outpacing Nieto in contributions and spending in bitter district court judge raceThe two attorneys are vying to win the March 1 Democratic primary for the civil district court seat, in what has been the most contentious race for a judge position in Bexar County in recent memory.
Mistrial declared in murder trial involving death of H-E-B employee after defense argues state withheld evidence
Read full article: Mistrial declared in murder trial involving death of H-E-B employee after defense argues state withheld evidenceOn Wednesday, a Bexar County District Court judge was presented with more details regarding her decision to declare a capital murder case a mistrial.
Conservative hoaxers face $5.1M fine for election robocalls
Read full article: Conservative hoaxers face $5.1M fine for election robocallsTwo conservative hoaxers face a record $5.1 million fine for allegedly making illegal robocalls to wireless phones without the owners' consent in the 2020 election.
BCSO searching for fugitive who walked out of justice center before facing judge
Read full article: BCSO searching for fugitive who walked out of justice center before facing judgeThe Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a fugitive who walked out of the Cadena Reeves Justice Center before facing a judge.
Separate lawsuits accuse Bexar County Assistant County Manager of harassment, bullying
Read full article: Separate lawsuits accuse Bexar County Assistant County Manager of harassment, bullyingTwo lawsuits filed in Bexar County District Court this week accuse assistant county manager Tina Smith-Dean of creating a hostile work environment, court records show.
‘We want his name remembered’: Advocates for cyclist Tito Bradshaw demand justice
Read full article: ‘We want his name remembered’: Advocates for cyclist Tito Bradshaw demand justiceTito Bradshaw was killed while riding his bike in 2019. Advocates for the well-known cyclist continue call for justice.
North Texas hospital seeks new trial to remove toddler from life support
Read full article: North Texas hospital seeks new trial to remove toddler from life supportA North Texas hospital is asking a state appeals court to take steps to overturn a ruling that forced it to continue providing life-sustaining treatment for a toddler who doctors say is in pain and will never recover.
Woman charged in hit-and-run death of San Antonio surgeon asks court for her BMW back
Read full article: Woman charged in hit-and-run death of San Antonio surgeon asks court for her BMW backA 2015 BMW that struck and killed a San Antonio surgeon while he was riding his bicycle in February 2019 was the focus of a remote hearing Wednesday in the 226th District Court.
In-person court proceedings get off to slow start in Bexar County
Read full article: In-person court proceedings get off to slow start in Bexar CountyA non-jury bench trial in Judge Angelica Jimenez’ 408th District Court was the only in-person court proceeding held in the Bexar County Courthouse complex on Tuesday.
5 high-profile trials that could happen in San Antonio in 2021
Read full article: 5 high-profile trials that could happen in San Antonio in 2021When Bexar County District Courts reopen for trials there are five high-profile cases that might be in the docket for 2021. SAN ANTONIO – As Texas has “opened 100%”, the Bexar County courts remain closed to in-person and jury trials. These trials will take place in the 227th District Court by Judge Kevin O’Connell. AdWhen this retrial takes place it will be in the 144th District Court with Judge Michael Mery. When this trial is set it will take place in the 399th District Court with Judge Frank Castro presiding.
CPS Energy sued for another death related to winter storm outages
Read full article: CPS Energy sued for another death related to winter storm outagesSAN ANTONIO – The family of a San Antonio man who died in February is suing CPS Energy over his death. The wrongful death suit, filed Monday in the 166th District Court, accused the San Antonio utility of negligence that caused the death of Esequiel Mendoza. In the week before his death, Mendoza was not able to receive his usual life-saving dialysis treatment due to controlled outages imposed by CPS Energy at the request of the state grid, ran by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. It is at least the second wrongful death suit filed against CPS Energy related to the winter storm. AdAttorneys for CPS Energy declined to address the pending litigation on Friday morning.
Prosecutors seek fine for Russian opposition leader Navalny
Read full article: Prosecutors seek fine for Russian opposition leader NavalnyIn this photo taken from a footage provided by the Babuskinsky District Court Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny gestures during a hearing on his charges for defamation in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia. (Babuskinsky District Court Press Service via AP)MOSCOW – Prosecutors on Tuesday asked a Moscow court to fine jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on charges of defaming a World War II veteran, maintaining pressure on the top Kremlin foe. Earlier this month, a Moscow court sentenced Navalny to two years and eight months in prison for violating terms of his probation while recuperating in Germany. The sentence stems from a 2014 embezzlement conviction that Navalny has rejected as fabricated and the European Court of Human Rights has ruled to be unlawful. AdDuring Tuesday's hearings at Moscow's Babushkinsky District Court, prosecutors asked the judge to order Navalny to pay a fine of 950,000 rubles (about $13,000) for slandering the 94-year-old veteran.
‘I’m not a cat,’ lawyer tells judge during Zoom call cat-filter faux ‘paw’
Read full article: ‘I’m not a cat,’ lawyer tells judge during Zoom call cat-filter faux ‘paw’Video of the court proceedings, released by Judge Roy Ferguson on social media and on YouTube, shows how the call happened. IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP: If a child used your computer, before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off. #lawtwitter #OhNo @zoom_ushttps://t.co/I0zaj0wu6K — Judge Roy Ferguson (@JudgeFergusonTX) February 9, 2021“Mr. Ad“Can you hear me judge?” Ponton says. — Judge Roy Ferguson (@JudgeFergusonTX) February 9, 2021Watch the video in full in the player below:Related: Sheriff making changes at the Bexar County jail to address court case backlog
Holocaust scholars ordered to apologize in Polish libel case
Read full article: Holocaust scholars ordered to apologize in Polish libel caseThe case was watched as a test case for the future of independent Holocaust research in Poland. The case has been closely watched because it was expected to set a precedent in the field of Holocaust research. AdAt stake in the case was Polish national pride, according to the plaintiffs, and according to the defendants, the future independent research into an extremely sensitive issue. Grabowski, a Polish-Canadian history professor at the University of Ottawa, and Engelking, founder and director of the Polish Center for Holocaust Research in Warsaw, are among Poland's most prominent Holocaust researchers. AdThe libel case has raised concerns internationally because it comes amid a broader state-backed historical offensive that critics say largely whitewashes wrongdoing by Poles.
Attorneys: Ex-governor charged in wrong county over Flint
Read full article: Attorneys: Ex-governor charged in wrong county over FlintAttorneys for Snyder are telling prosecutors that the Flint water case should be dismissed because he was charged in the wrong county. (67th District Court in Flint via AP)LANSING, Mich. – Attorneys for former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder are striking back, telling prosecutors Tuesday that the Flint water case should be dismissed because he was charged in the wrong county. Snyder,” Lennon told the judge. Snyder was one of nine people charged in a new investigation of the Flint water crisis, including former state health department director Nick Lyon.
Man indicted on graffiti charges, accused of defacing the Alamo Cenotaph
Read full article: Man indicted on graffiti charges, accused of defacing the Alamo CenotaphSAN ANTONIO – A man accused of defacing the Alamo Cenotaph last year has been formally charged in an indictment by a Bexar County grand jury. Noah Benjamin Escamilla, who was 25 years old when the alleged crime was committed on May 29, 2020, is accused of causing between $2,500 and $30,000 worth of damage to the Cenotaph, according to the Bexar County District Attorney’s office. This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Trial Division in the 290th District Court. Graffiti found in multiple places downtown, including cenotaph in Alamo PlazaThe Cenotaph was just one of several structures marked with graffitied messages against white supremacy and police on the same night. The indictment is just for the graffiti found on the Cenotaph.
Bexar County judge conducts first-ever virtual trial
Read full article: Bexar County judge conducts first-ever virtual trialSAN ANTONIO – The first-ever virtual civil jury trial wrapped up on Thursday in Judge Angelica Jimenez’s 408th District Court in Bexar County. Judges divided on extension of jury trial moratorium in Bexar CountyJimenez said the trial, which she called a success, was also a challenge for the 12 jurors. Although, I will tell you that it took them all of half a day to get the technology down,” Jimenez said. Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases locally, this likely will not be the last virtual trial held in civil courts in Bexar County. Both civil and criminal courts have been conducting non-jury proceedings remotely since the beginning of the pandemic and subsequent moratorium.
Kendall County district court judge conducting first live jury trial since COVID-19 outbreak
Read full article: Kendall County district court judge conducting first live jury trial since COVID-19 outbreakBOERNE, Texas – Testimony continued Tuesday in an assault trial in District Judge Kirsten Cohoon’s 431st District Court in Kendall County. There have been no live jury trials in the area since the COVID-19 outbreak in March, fearing an outbreak of the virus. Rangel said conducting live jury trials in Bexar County will depend solely on COVID-19 statistics. Rangel said he has no plans to conduct a live jury trial in Bexar County until at least October. The next live jury trial in Kendall County is scheduled for Oct. 5.
Civil district courts in Bexar County prepare to reopen after months-long closure
Read full article: Civil district courts in Bexar County prepare to reopen after months-long closureCivil district courts in Bexar County prepare to reopen after months-long closurePublished: June 10, 2020, 6:14 pmThe mid-March closure of the Bexar County Courts complex amid the coronavirus pandemic had a devastating effect on the local justice system, according to District Court Judge Peter Sakai.
San Antonio closes out Pride month with Pride Bigger Than Texas event
Read full article: San Antonio closes out Pride month with Pride Bigger Than Texas eventSAN ANTONIO – Pride month is going out with a bang this weekend in San Antonio. The Pride Bigger Than Texas Festival and Parade will start at 11 a.m. and run till 7 p.m. Saturday. Starting at 8:45 p.m., the Krystal Kelly Running of the Queens High Heel Race will commence, acting as the official kickoff for the Pride Bigger Than Texas Parade. Those running in the race will be competing for many prizes including a VIP pass to the Bonham Exchange. Serving as 2019 Pride Bigger than Texas parade grand marshals will be Autumn Summers, who has raised over $1 million for local charities and has worked in the drag world for 38 years and Gene Elder, who managed the well-known gay bar San Antonio Country and will be serving posthumously.