What a week, no,  in the courtroom of state District Judge Ben Euresti, a former district attorney, and yet such a good friend to defense lawyers throughout Cameron County.

On the same day, in the same courtroom, Euresti saw a defendant convicted of murdering her husband walk out of his courtroom with a mere probationary sentence, and if that wasn’t enough, the good judge saw to it that a man with a long history of drunk driving was given his walking papers as well.

Holy cow, wait until Bill O’Reilly of Fox News finds out about this stuff! 

In the first case, a jury in Euresti’s courtroom on Dec. 6 saw fit to convict Traci Rhode of murdering her husband in cold blood, and yet, inexplicably, gave the defendant a 10-year probationary sentence. Euresti, ever the tough judge, tacked on a $10,000 fine just to show Rhode that being convicted of murdering her husband is indeed a big deal.

The drama continued in Euresti’s 107th District Court when the hanging judge continued his onslaught on crime by reinstating probation for a defendant with eight DWI convinctions, including four of the felony variety. Hector Abel de la Torre has had other scrapes with the law in addition to all of his DWI troubles. The Valley Morning Star reported that de la Torre also has a record of 17 misdemeanor arrests that include resisting arrest, burglary of a vehicle, burglary of a habitation, and fleeing from a police officer.

And so what to do with a defendant with such a criminal history Why, of course, suspend his seven-year prison sentence and reinstate his probation. That’s what the good judge decided to do Thursday, making it a two-fer with the Rhode case.

“I’m trying to send you a message,” Euresti told de la Torre, as reported by the Morning Star.

And what better message to send a defendant with a pattern of criminal activity and who seemingly has shown no ability to break that history of bad behavior? Get him out of the county jail and set him free. What a message, indeed, judge.

A thread running through both cases is Ernesto Gamez, the pompous and melodramatic Brownsville defense attorney who has such a grand view of his legal abilities that he named his non-descript law office the “Justice For All” building.

Apparently, Gamez helps brings justice for convicted murderers and defendants with multiple DWI convictions. Perhaps, one shouldn’t be so hard on the diminutive and theatrical Gamez, who as they say in sports jargon, has done the most with what he has, which in this case isn’t much when it comes to legal intellectual firepower. Neto, as his buds call him, makes up for it with attitude, strutting around the Cameron County Courthouse like big man on campus.

Gamez sure appears to have his way in certain courtrooms, where judges roll over like tumbleweeds to give Mr. Justice For All what he desires and requests. His legal rationales belong in the law books that Supreme Court justices consult before handing down their weighty decisions. Here’s what Neto had to say about why his defendant with a long list of DWIs and other crimes ought to be set free from jail.

“He has helped save arms and limbs, that’s strong testimony,” Gamez told the Morning Star about his DWI client, who is an X-ray technician. “That was compelling.”

It’s too bad that Gamez wasn’t the lawyer for singer Joe Lopez, who was tried and then convincted on rape charges in recent years. Had Neto been there for Joe, (in Euresti’s courtroom no doubt), the famed defense lawyer could have said, “Joe Lopez has entertained millions. His melodic voice, the way his leather pants on stage encase him, it all brings joys and aesthetic viewing pleasure for those who love his music and masculinity.”

But alas, Neto wasn’t there for Joe. Si no, that would have have been strong testimony, ese.

But enough about Neto. How about that Ben Euresti? How many judges have let a convicted murderer and a guy with multiple DWI felonies walk out of his courtroom - on the same day - with mere probationary sentences? As comedian George Lopez would say, must be nice.

The next time you drive by the Cameron County Courthouse, that cornerstone of judicial fairness where all get a fair shake no matter who their lawyer is, take a look at that imposing brick wall being built on the westside of the building. No, it’s not the border wall. It’s a wall to protect the parking lot where the judges park. They say it’s to provide added protection for the jefes.

But, personally, I think it’s going up to to trap all of the great legal expertise and intellect that spills out of those great minds in robes. The wall looks pretty imposing, but apparently it’s not high enough to keep convicted murderers and DWI felons from walking out of the courthouse like free men and women, light of step, and with justice for all walking right beside them.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.