CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County Judge Inna Klein was recused from multiple cases Wednesday over concerns that she has a conflict of interest.
Judge Sid Harle reached the conclusion that a new judge must be appointed in at least two court cases Klein was presiding over.
In November of last year during the murder trial of Derek Parra, the Nueces County District Attorney's Office contacted the State Bar of Texas' Ethics Division and Judicial Commission about claims that Klein, along with prosecutors and the defense, viewed a broadcast of jurors deliberating in the courtroom.
During that time, jurors were ordered to deliberate in the courtroom because of COVID-19 concerns.
"Things had changed because of COVID, so you were using the courtroom. And so, everyone knew that system is broadcasting it into your office and it's being recorded right?" said Corpus Christi attorney Terry Shamsie.
Klein's court manager Rey Garcia took the stand Wednesday to give further insight into the allegations that Klein and others spied on jurors as they deliberated.
"I can agree that people were in my office while it was being broadcasted," Garcia said.
Shamsie gave his closing arguments in court, asking presiding Judge Sid Harle, visiting from Bexar County's 4th Administrative Judicial Region, to rescue Klein from multiple cases due to these allegations.
"I mean, I'm shocked. I can not believe that four lawyers can sit in a room and watch a jury and then sit in here and say, 'I don't know, I don't know what he was talking about when he said it wasn't muted. I don't know, I was glancing, I don't know' We all know, we're not dumb," Shamsie said.
Harle also gave his final thoughts on Wednesdays arguments.
"The business about the a, whether or not the judge was aware or whether or not the judge actually viewed the jury deliberations, I'm not going to make a finding on that," Harle said. "But I am going to make a finding that there is an absolute conflict that exists at this time. There's an existing conflict until the other matter is resolved, it has not been disclosed to the parties. And for that reason, I'm granting a motion to recuse Judge Klein."
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