PREVIOUS REPORT: Harris County Judge Natalia Cornelio takes stand to fight public reprimand
Cornelio, who presides over the 351st District Court, is appealing a public reprimand issued last year by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The reprimand stemmed from her handling of a death row inmate's case.
Her attorney says the stakes are high.
"It definitely means a lot to her reputation," said Derek Hollingsworth, who is representing Cornelio with partner Andy Drumheller. "A public reprimand to any judge is a meaningful ordeal."
Last October, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded Cornelio showed bias in favor of death row inmate Ronald Haskell, whose appeal was assigned to her court.
Haskell was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2014 mass murder of six members of his ex-wife's family in Spring.
The commission found that Cornelio signed what was described as a "secret" bench warrant, authorizing Haskell's transfer to Harris County for an MRI. The warrant included false information about a nonexistent midnight hearing, the commission found. Prosecutors said they were unaware of the transfer until members of the victims' family received a notification that Haskell was being moved.
"Who on earth has that much power and authority, and who authorized that?" Drue Lyon said, reacting to the discovery.
During the two-day hearing, the review panel, comprised of three justices, raised concerns about the impact the transfer had on the victims' family.
In closing arguments, Martin Cohick of the Texas Attorney General's Office, who was tasked with defending the reprimand, accused Cornelio of "playing fast and loose with a killer who's on death row in ways that are inexplicable to the public and that bring discredit to the judiciary." Cohick also called her actions "flagrant and shameful."
Cornelio's legal team countered that she interpreted the law in good faith, even if her interpretation may have been mistaken. Cornelio testified in her own defense, and witnesses said ex parte requests, or legal motions made without the other party's knowledge, are not unusual in death penalty cases. They added that staff often rely on standard bench warrant templates when preparing such documents.
Beyond clearing her name, Hollingsworth told ABC13 the reprimand could also affect her ability to win future elections and have lasting financial consequences.
"The real consequence is it won't allow her to be a visiting judge after retirement, which is sort of a financial problem," Hollingsworth said.
Visiting judges earn nearly $700 a day.
Cornelio, who is in her second term on the bench, was removed from the Haskell appeal after the controversy became public but before the reprimand was issued. Her current term runs through 2028.
Overturning a public reprimand is rare. An online search shows it has happened only twice since 2010.
The special court of review is expected to issue its ruling within the next couple of months.
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