Travis County judge overseeing indicted Austin police officers recuses herself from 4 cases

AUSTIN, Texas — The KVUE Defenders have confirmed {that a} decide overseeing 4 use-of-force circumstances involving Austin Police Division officers and associated to the Could 2020 protests has recused herself from all 4 circumstances. 

The Defenders confirmed Choose Julie Kocurek filed motions of voluntary recusal within the circumstances for APD officers Justin Berry, Joseph Forged, Joshua Jackson and Stanley Vick. 

In February, 19 APD officers had been indicted on use-of-force prices associated to the Could 2020 protests that had been held in Downtown Austin within the wake of George Floyd’s homicide in Minneapolis. Kocurek’s court docket empaneled the particular grand jury that returned these indictments.

KVUE obtained an ex parte communication discover filed by the Travis County District Legal professional’s Workplace in Vick’s case. The discover explains that on or about Feb. 17, Dexter Gilford, an assistant district legal professional with the DA’s Workplace Civil Rights Division, obtained a textual content message and cellphone name from Kocurek concerning the circumstances.

Gilford stated that upon studying of the indictments in opposition to 19 law enforcement officials, he had emailed Kocurek in order that she might put together her court docket and workers for the “substantial quantity of labor” that may comply with.

Gilford stated that on Feb. 17, Kocurek texted him, asking him to name her. He instantly returned Korucek’s name with one other colleague within the room.

The discover then particulars the substance of the decision as described by Gilford. Based on the discover, as soon as Kocurek answered the cellphone, she stated she “felt betrayed” as a result of “there have been so many indictments in opposition to law enforcement officials.” 

Kocurek reportedly informed Gilford that she “loved a great relationship with legislation enforcement in Travis County” and that she believed the prosecution of the law enforcement officials was the consequence of a “politically motivated marketing campaign” from Travis County DA José Garza. 

Gilford acknowledged that he informed Kocurek that in his expertise, judges didn’t anticipate to be briefed on the circumstances being offered except one thing got here up earlier than the grand jury that required a decide’s consideration. He additionally acknowledged that he did not focus on particulars of the officers’ circumstances nor the proof offered to the grand jury with Kocurek and that he does not consider anybody employed with the DA’s workplace did both, in accordance with the discover.

Gilford reported that Kocurek ended their name by saying she hoped the DA’s workplace “had proof to help the offenses charged within the indictments.”

Kocurek launched the next assertion in response:

“I’m recusing myself not as a result of I’ve a bias or prejudice in opposition to the State, however quite to make sure public confidence within the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.

In submitting these motions, I believe it is very important put my dialog with Mr. Gilford into context. My notion of our dialogue considerably differs from Mr. Gilford’s.

Because the decide who impaneled the particular grand jury,  it was my duty to set bail in these circumstances. The aim of my name was to debate the bail to be set in these circumstances. I had simply obtained a name from the clerk and/or jail indicating that there have been 20 uniformed law enforcement officials ready to be booked into jail they usually had been ready on me to set bail in every of their circumstances. Moments later, I obtained a name from one of many attorneys of the law enforcement officials indicating that the District Legal professional’s Workplace had agreed to setting a $1 bail on every of those first-degree felony offenses. This was extremely uncommon. These kind of communications occur ceaselessly in setting bail. I used to be calling to substantiate this data with Mr. Gilford.

As a result of current submitting by the State, I consider my impartiality will probably be in query by some locally. The notion of others is necessary, particularly in circumstances like these.”

KVUE on social media: Fb | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Melissa Lucio, Texas girl on demise row, granted keep of execution

What’s subsequent for Melissa Lucio, the Texas girl on demise row who was granted a keep of execution?

Undertaking Join: Renderings present first have a look at Austin’s Blue Line gentle rail