A listening to in Galveston on Thursday ended in no fast determination on whether or not 122nd District Court Judge Jeth Jones must be got rid of from the trial, officers mentioned.
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Defense legal professionals remaining month sought to have Jones got rid of as judge over bias court cases about his order for a brand new psychological well being analysis for Pagourtzis and accusations that Jones, a former protection lawyer, had a struggle of hobby in presiding over the case.
Jones is the second one judge to preside over the case. In January, he changed former district court docket judge John Ellisor, who retired remaining 12 months.
The May 18, 2018, mass taking pictures at Santa Fe High School left 10 useless and 13 injured. Pagourtzis was once arrested inside of the highschool and charged the day of the taking pictures. However, his prison trial was once indefinitely behind schedule after he was once dominated incompetent to stand trial in 2019. Since then, Pagourtzis has been in remedy on the North Texas State Hospital.
A tribulation may start if Pagourtzis is restored to competency. But critiques finished once a year since he was once dedicated have resulted in no adjustments to his standing.
In March, Jones ordered Pagourtzis to go through a brand new psychological well being analysis by means of a psychiatrist on the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. The order drew an objection from Pagourtzis’ legal professionals as a result of Jones had signed a brand new dedication order in February.
Attorneys argued the order was once invalid and that prison codes require a minimum of 90 days to elapse sooner than he may order a brand new analysis. Defense lawyer Nick Poehl additionally mentioned that Jones had in my view reached out to medical institution group of workers to habits an impartial exam with out informing the legal professionals concerned in the case and likewise accused the judge of being biased.
Poehl motioned for Jones to be got rid of from the trial and changed with some other judge. He later added a 2d criticism, claiming that Jones’ former legislation spouse had in brief met with Pagourztis in the times after the taking pictures along different protection legal professionals.
Jones referred Poehl’s motions to regional presiding Judge Susan Brown, who will make the verdict on his long term in the case.
On Thursday, Brown heard arguments from protection legal professionals and the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office, which adverse the recusal motions. Brown did not make a ruling.
During Thursday’s listening to, Jones’ former legislation spouse, and now fellow district court docket judge Jared Robinson, and some other lawyer, Robert Barfield, gave differing testimony on whether privileged information was revealed during a jailhouse meeting with Pagourztis and Poehl, in accordance to I45Now, a web based news site that covers Galveston County.
Poehl argued if Robinson won privileged information, then attorney-client confidentiality protections would additionally practice to Jones on account of their shared apply, in accordance to the site. Prosecutors mentioned Robinson by no means took Pagourtzis on as a shopper and not won privileged information. Barnes, alternatively, testified there was once privileged information shared in the fast assembly.
Brown ordered prosecutors to reply to that argument inside of 7 days, and then she would make her ruling.
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