A Dallas County judge was seen making disparaging remarks about a defendant's guilt on a courtroom livestream on Wednesday and declared a mistrial in a murder case, according to footage obtained and reviewed by authorities. I made it. Dallas Morning News.
Judge Nancy Mulder said: news On Wednesday, she recused herself from two pending lawsuits against Jorge Esparza over comments she made on Tuesday, the first day of his trial.
Esparza is accused of stalking a woman and fatally shooting 27-year-old Ricardo Medina-Madris in 2020. The case will be tried before a new judge and jury, and if convicted, Esparza could face life in prison.
Mr. Mulder, president of the 6th Criminal District Court, said in a telephone interview that he had personally apologized to Mr. Esparza's attorney and, through his attorney, “everyone involved.”
“I deeply regret the comments I made in what appeared to be a private conversation with court staff in an empty courtroom,” Mulder said in a statement. He said, “I shouldn't have said what I did and I'm really sorry.
“I sincerely hope that my comments do not adversely affect the public’s confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the local judiciary.”
A spokesperson for the Dallas County District Attorney's Office and Esparza's attorney declined to comment.
Mulder often livestreams high-profile trials taking place in his courtroom. Most recently, he broadcast on YouTube the week-long trial of Lisa Dykes, who was convicted of murdering 23-year-old Maricela Botero Valadez. She plans to continue experimenting with live streaming, she said.
Prosecutors played Esparza's interview with police during the trial Tuesday afternoon, according to a video that has since been deleted from Mulder's YouTube account. Esparza reportedly suffered a panic attack in court shortly after his testimony began, according to KXAS-TV (NBC5).
Mulder dismissed the jury at around 5:10 p.m. and convened with his attorneys outside the courtroom. Shortly after 5:30 p.m., Mulder returned to the courtroom and sat on the bench.
“I don't think he can handle the crime he committed,” the unidentified man said off camera, adding that he believed Esparza needed to be put on suicide watch.
“Oh, I don't know…I think he's upset that he got caught,” Mulder said. “I think he's crying for himself because he knows he's going to prison for a long time.”
In a since-deleted video, the man told Mulder that Esparza killed Medina-Madris “for no reason,” but Mulder said, “He wanted to show her he was a man. “Yes,” he answered.
Investigators discovered that Medina-Madris had been on a date with a woman before the shooting, and the woman told police that Esparza had been stalking her, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
According to the indictment, Esparza followed the woman and sent her several disturbing text messages. Her message “articulated her murderous views” on the men she dated and likened herself to TV characters who stalk and murder their women.
Mulder also criticized his lawyers in the video for not following procedures when admitting evidence.
“Unfortunately, no one is following the law and that's really frustrating,” Mulder said. She lowered her voice and added: “…We all know he was convicted and will be given a lot of time, but that doesn't mean we can just pick up the phone. We have to follow the procedures. ”
The livestream ended abruptly after Mulder said, “Oh, it's still streaming.”
Mulder, a Democrat, is running for a seat on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in November.
Asked if he thought the withdrawal would affect his campaign, Mulder said: news She understands that all cases before the Court of Appeals must be considered honestly and fairly.
“Having come from the demanding position of being a criminal trial judge, I have a better understanding of how difficult the job is, which will lead to a more sympathetic view from appellate judges.” she said.
Staff writer Kelli Smith contributed to this report.
