VELIA MEZA

Christian Moreno charged with injury to the elderly and dangerous dog attack resulting in death

'Communication is key'; Judges say they've been limited to what they can do in their courts.

Ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela’s appeal of her felony convictions has been moved back to Bexar County temporarily while court reporters attempt to address issues with the written transcript of the case.

Wallace is accused of going to an MLK Day gathering on Jan. 17, 2022, in the 400 block of Spriggsdale Boulevard and opening fire.

A former Bexar County jailer was sentenced to five years in prison Friday for assaulting an inmate.

A former Bexar County jailer was sentenced to five years probation Friday for assaulting an inmate.

The discussion of evidence and a trial date for the high-profile case of Daniel Garcia were heard in court Wednesday.

A man who worked as a Bexar County jailer when he allegedly assaulted an inmate in 2020 is going to trial in May.

Don’t wait — that’s the message a local judge and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration have for parents when it comes to teaching their kids about the dangers of fentanyl.

A judge on Wednesday denied a motion for a new trial for disgraced ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela.

A Bexar County jury on Thursday sentenced a man to life in prison.

A jury took only about one hour Wednesday to find Leopoldo Mora guilty of murder.

Convicted felon Michelle Barrientes Vela has asked a judge for a new trial, weeks after she was sentenced to five years probation and 90 days in jail in her tampering case.

Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela was sentenced Wednesday to five years probation, 90 days in jail and 600 hours of community service.

Update:

Ex-Precinct 2 constable faces between two years of probation and 10 years in prison

High-profile trials scheduled for 2023 are faced with uncertainty as the district attorney’s office has recently lost many attorneys.

Ranger Bradley Freeman, whose testimony was crucial in getting a jury this fall to convict Barrientes Vela on two felony counts of tampering with records, apologized to the court for mentioning a separate official oppression case while that jury was present.

In what can best be described as a massive blow to the prosecution in the Michelle Barrientes Vela public corruption trial, ex-captain Marc D. Garcia was granted immunity by the state Tuesday morning only to have the judge overseeing the case exclude his testimony hours later.

The start and stop sentencing of convicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela resumes Tuesday with a key hearing that will take place without courtroom spectators or cameras present.

Judge Velia Meza ruled that evidence from warrants in 2021 child pornography and bribery cases against Erik Rodriguez must be suppressed, meaning that evidence cannot be used by prosecutors moving forward.

Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Capt. Marc D. Garcia was ordered to appear before Judge Velia Meza when the sentencing hearing of resumes his former boss, Michelle Barrientes Vela at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Sentencing resumed Monday afternoon for disgraced ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, weeks after a Bexar County jury took less than four hours to convict her on two counts of felony tampering with records.

Sentencing continues Tuesday for Michelle Barrientes Vela less than two weeks after a jury convicted her on two felony charges of tampering with government records..

The prosecution rested its case Wednesday afternoon in the public corruption trial of Michelle Barrientes Vela, capping off seven days of testimony that ranged from methodical to explosive and included a mistrial nearly being declared.

A former Bexar County Precinct 2 clerk who sought out the Texas Rangers to expose “wrongdoing” by Michelle Barrientes Vela testified Friday that she wore a secret recording device repeatedly in the summer of 2019 but did not tape the then-constable saying anything incriminating.

The highly anticipated public corruption trial of indicted Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela is being heard in a Bexar County courtroom.

The former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable, who stepped down in late 2019 after triggering the state’s resign-to-run law, faces two felony counts of tampering with evidence.

An attorney for the former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable provided evidence to Judge Velia Meza on July 21, including multiple rounds of live ammunition as well as letters in which someone threatened to kill Barrientes Vela.

Michelle Barrientes Vela is now prohibited from leaving Bexar County and attending political events after the judge overseeing her upcoming public corruption trial set special conditions of bond during a court hearing Thursday morning.

A Bexar County district court judge is trying to help alleviate the overcrowding problem at the jail by spending time on a docket of cases that could be resolved quicker than others.

Attorneys for the one-time Bexar County Precinct 2 constable successfully argued during a 90-minute hearing before Judge Velia Meza decided that they did not have sufficient time to analyze hours of undercover audio recordings from the case.

A look at who won and lost judicial races in the primary election.

Judge Velia Meza, 226th District Court, is hoping to move some felony cases along in her court by starting hybrid trials.

Former San Antonio Police Officer Erik Rodriguez was in court Wednesday as his attorneys filed a motion to suppress evidence in his case that may have been obtained with an illegal search warrant.

A man responsible for 2020′s first homicide in San Antonio will spend 40 years in prison.

A judge sentenced a man Wednesday to 40 years in prison for the shooting death of a man who prosecutors said was helping the defendant plan to kill someone else.

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales this week pushed back on an attempt to remove his office from prosecuting indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, claiming the defense’s motion to have him disqualified failed to provide evidence of any conflict of interest.

The upcoming public corruption trial of indicted ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela took another turn this week as her attorneys filed a formal motion to have District Attorney Joe Gonzales removed from the case.

In an unexpected move, a man on trial for murder changed his plea twice on Wednesday instead of testifying because he feared retaliation, according to his attorney.

Former San Antonio boxer James Cantus was sentenced Friday to 15 years for the sexual assault of two minors.

The Bexar Gives Back sentencing program has had a successful first year, saving thousands of taxpayer dollars and keeping 125 nonviolent offenders out of jail.

County and district judges in Bexar County are looking to encourage more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine by offering some defendants an incentive.

The high profile public corruption case against ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela added another level of intrigue on Thursday, after the judge agreed to hear testimony about whether comments made by the district attorney’s former campaign consultant unduly influenced the proceedings.

The state district judge assigned to the upcoming public corruption trial of ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela said she views comments made over the weekend by the district attorney’s former campaign consultant as a political threat against her.

Bexar County prosecutors have dismissed the most serious public corruption charge against indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, court records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders Wednesday confirm.

Bobby Martinez is given a guilty verdict in court Friday after jury deliberated for about 4 hours.

A judge ruled Wednesday that a man who is facing arson charges for allegedly setting fire to his home and a neighbor’s vehicle in April must continue to wear a GPS ankle monitor while awaiting trial.

State District Judge Velia Meza says domestic violence re-offenders should be jailed without bond until their trial.

The public corruption trial of Michelle Barrientes Vela was delayed another two months on Friday, days after new criminal indictments were filed in the case.

Defense attorneys in Bexar County are undergoing training with new technology as they prepare for the resumption of jury trials next month

Addressing attorneys during a pre-trial hearing for Melissa Peoples on Wednesday, State District Judge Velia Meza said, “This is one of my oldest cases and it’s gonna go to trial.”

In-person jury trials will resume next month in Bexar County, ending a 15-month moratorium on jury service.

The trial of former Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes-Vela and her former captain, Mark Garcia, has moved a step closer to the beginning.

Anxious to begin jury trials when the moratorium on jury service ends in June, State District Judge Velia Meza met with attorneys on Tuesday who have cases assigned to her court.

A 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.

Bexar County District Court Judge Ron Rangel has recused himself from the upcoming felony perjury trials of former Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela and her one-time captain, Marc D. Garcia, the KSAT 12 Defenders confirmed Wednesday.

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio police officer who has been indicted on several charges will be allowed to visit his children as he awaits trial. During a brief hearing Wednesday before 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza, Rodriguez asked that he be allowed to visit his children while on bond awaiting trial. ”I just want to work,” Rodriguez testified. “I want to work and see my kids.”Meza granted a bond modification that allows Rodriguez supervised visits with his children. After he was indicted, Rodriguez was placed on indefinite suspension without pay.

SAN ANTONIO – The circumstances under which the two latest grand juries served were anything but ideal, with the pandemic ongoing and the recent winter storms in the Bexar County area. The 12-member panels met alternately twice weekly in the cavernous central jury room in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center basement, which made maintaining social distancing ideal. The juries reviewed a combined total of about 1,600 cases, down considerably from a usual average of 2,000 cases per grand jury, according to Rangel. AdHe said maintaining the secrecy that by law must surround grand juries was a challenge due to the sheer size of the central jury room, which can accommodate more than 600 people. “We had extra security outside the central jury room so that nobody would go into the room that is normally open to the public,” Rangel said.

SAN ANTONIO – Citing a long rap sheet, a judge has denied an accused killer’s bid to have his bond reduced. Deeply concerned over testimony detailing 24-year-old Jacob Embrey’s criminal record, 226th State District Judge Velia Meza denied Embrey’s request to reduce his $200,000 bond on Wednesday. “In looking at just the video itself, in the beginning, we were able to get a good description of the suspect,” Pena said during testimony. The suspect was then identified as Embrey, who Pena testified had an extensive criminal record, including arrests on drug and assault charges. “I have requested a $75,000 bond, but anything that you feel might be sufficient would be greatly appreciated”, defense attorney Eric DeWalt told Judge Meza.

SAN ANTONIO – Alarmed that San Antonio leads Texas in cases of women murdered by men, the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence has named a task force to address the issue. The task force has developed an order that can be included in a protective order. It is called a weapons transfer order and requires a defendant to transfer any weapons and ammunition they have to law enforcement or a court-approved third party. “The order puts in place a uniform order for all judges to use,” said 150th District Court Judge Monique Diaz, a task force member. Diaz said the task force has been working on developing the order for a year and a half.

SAN ANTONIO – The county is examining potential meeting locations for grand juries in the Bexar County Courthouse complex after some jurors expressed concerns for their safety given the rising number of COVID-19 cases locally. With safety protocols in place, grand juries have been meeting throughout the pandemic. On Thursday, State District Judge Velia Meza toured meeting sites for juries within the complex. The locations are not being revealed since all grand jury meetings are secret and confidential. Spike in COVID-19 cases prompts Bexar County judge to temporarily postpone jury selection in capital murder trial

Man arrested after causing crash that killed teen during attempt to kill himselfBurke ran from the scene but was caught by police soon after the crash. “Colby is a very high functioning, very intelligent young man.”, said Dan Burke, Colby Burke’s father, during the hearing on Monday. Dan Burke said his son is being evaluated by a psychiatrist and treated with medication while in jail. “Colby started a new medication about a month ago -- I believe four weeks ago, if I’m not mistaken. “I’m not convinced that he’s not going to get into a car and do it again,” Meza said.

SAN ANTONIO – After it was revealed that an informant had “planted” evidence that led to the conviction of John Cape, 49, and Louie Garcia, 48, on drug charges, District Court Judge Velia Meza ordered both men released on bond Thursday. Among the court’s options are to make a finding of actual innocence under the state’s Actual Innocence Law. “It’s an avenue of relief that a defendant can file once they’ve been convicted," Court of Criminal Appeals Court Judge Bert Richardson said. There’s a lot of ground to cover outside the legal world by just finding new evidence, whatever that evidence might be. Whether it’s new scientific evidence or whether it’s new legal evidence.”After reviewing the evidence, it is up to the appeals court to set aside the conviction with a declaration of actual innocence.

SAN ANTONIO – Two San Antonio men who had served almost two years in prison on drug charges were ordered released on bond Thursday by 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza. John Cape, 49, and Louie Garcia, 48, were arrested Aug. 10, 2017, on drug charges and were sentenced to eight and 10 years in prison in 2018. A very low bond," Meza said. The judge set bond at $1,000, meaning the men will have to post $100 to be freed. The men said that their families are willing to post bond.

SAN ANTONIO Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza and County Court 15 Judge Melissa Vara announced a low-level offender jail diversion partnership program, called Bexar Gives Back.The program, announced Saturday, is designed to divert low-level offenders from jail by giving an option to sentence the offender to the program and allow offenders to serve the community in return as a payment for the offenses they committed. According to the sheriffs office, the program will save taxpayer expenses for sentenced low-level offenders, which would have normally been spent to house, feed and provide other services while incarcerated at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center. Additionally, this program will provide an alternative to being incarcerated in the Adult Detention Center, help the community, and decrease the jail population, the sheriffs office said in a statement. Related: BCSO holds virtual job fair for potential deputies, dispatchers

SAN ANTONIO A half-dozen defendants will show up outside of the Bexar County Jail on Saturday morning to clean up the area by pulling weeds and picking up trash. Meza and County Court 15 Judge Melissa Vara screened and selected the participants, all who had cases pending in their courts. The program is similar to a work-release program that was discontinued when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar will join the judges in monitoring the program. He said that a cleanup outside the jail will be a part of Saturdays initial session.

SAN ANTONIO In a one-page order issued Wednesday, state district judge Velia Meza denied former attorney Ted Roberts motion seeking judicial clemency, which would have restored his civil rights. I dont have much to say, as I am in a state of shock, Roberts said about the order. But there was no charity, trial testimony revealed. There was evidence that I might have threatened in-person, Ted Roberts testified during a hearing last week. Mary Roberts was given probation.

SAN ANTONIO In the spring of 2007, Ted Roberts and his wife Mary, both attorneys, were convicted in a sex scheme in which they squeezed over $150,000 thousand dollars from four San Antonio men. According to 2007 trial testimony, Mary Roberts would have intimate affairs with the men. There was no charity and the couple would pocket the money, testimony showed. Ted Roberts was convicted of three counts of theft by deception and coercion. Granting judicial clemency would restore Roberts civil rights even though he remains a convicted felon.