Bond conditions set for deputy and husband charged in deadly Denny's fight

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Bond conditions set for deputy and husband accused in deadly fight

The judge ordered that the Thompsons have no guns, no contact with the Hernandez family and will undergo random urine tests while out on bond.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- More than two weeks after the deadly altercation outside Denny's, Chauna and Terry Thompson arrived in court for their first appearance Tuesday morning.

The court appearance lasted only a few minutes but bond conditions were set. The judge ordered that the Thompsons have no guns, no contact with the Hernandez family and will undergo random urine tests while out on bond.

WATCH: Couple charged in deadly Denny's fight appears before judge

Bond conditions set for couple charged in deadly Denny's altercation.

They are facing murder charges for the death of 24-year-old John Hernandez.

The incident took place May 28 at a Denny's restaurant in Sheldon, an unincorporated community in northeastern Harris County.

Surveillance video from inside the restaurant shows a scuffle outside and a man wearing an orange shirt taking another man down. He then holds him down for several minutes until authorities arrive.

WATCH: Deputy Thompson and husband seen walking outside Harris County courthouse

Deputy Thompson and her husband are seen walking outside the courthouse.

Hernandez's wife said the fight began when her husband, who was drunk, went outside the restaurant to urinate and subsequently encountered Thompson.

The two started fighting and Hernandez punched Thompson. Thompson then reportedly had him on the ground in a choke hold.

PHOTOS: Deputy Thompson and husband arrive at Harris County courthouse

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The Harris County Sheriff's Office confirmed that sometime during the fight, off-duty Deputy Chauna Thompson, Terry Thompson's wife, arrived and also restrained Hernandez.

The couple then noticed he wasn't breathing and the off-duty deputy immediately began CPR and continued until EMS arrived.

Hernandez was left in a coma following the violent altercation, and he died days later after he was taken off of life support.

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Forensics examiners have since ruled his death a homicide, saying he died from anoxic encephalopathy or lack of oxygen to the brain, due to strangulation with chest compression.

A week later, harrowing eyewitness video emerged that gave investigators -- and the public -- a closer view of the melee that eventually claimed Hernandez's life.

Upon the video's release, Terry Thompson's attorney Scot Courtney said the footage did not paint a complete picture of what occurred and maintained that the Thompsons did nothing illegal.

For Hernandez's family, the first break in the case came on June 7, when the Harris County District Attorney's Office announced that it would present the case surrounding Hernandez's death to a grand jury.

The wife of John Hernandez said she was held in a patrol car and questioned for four hours following the altercation that fatally injured her husband.

After a day of testimony, the grand jury indicted both Thompsons for murder in the death of Hernandez on June 8. If convicted, they could each face five years to life.

Both Thompsons surrendered to authorities that evening and bonded out hours later.

After the indictment was announced, the Harris County Sheriff's Office placed Deputy Chauna Thompson on unpaid leave.

The family has raised concerns that homicide investigators were not called to the scene of the fight despite the grave nature of Hernandez's injuries.

The family of John Hernandez has filed a civil lawsuit against Terry and Chauna Thompson.

John Hernandez's wife is asking for more than $1 million in damages in the lawsuit.