who was daniel villegas lawyer at his trial 1993

Was Daniel Villegas wrongfully convicted?

Daniel Villegas has filed a lawsuit against the City of El Paso and eight El Paso Police Department officers, claiming he was wrongfully convicted for a 1993 double murder because officers coerced a false confession from him as a teenager, withheld evidence and deprived him of his constitutional rights.

How long did the Daniel Villegas trial last?

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about nine hours — starting Thursday evening and lasting through most of the day Friday — before reaching their decision. The ruling ended a 25-year saga that included three trials and numerous appeals. “I am thankful for Daniel and his family,” Villegas’ lawyer Joe Spencer said.

Who killed Robert England and Daniel Villegas?

Robert England, 19, was shot once in the head and died in the street. Armando Lazo, 17, was shot in the abdomen and thigh. He made it about 100 yards to a nearby home, where his body was found. The other two, Jesse Hernandez and Juan Medina, survived but could not identify the shooter. A young Daniel Villegas. — ID

Did Daniel Villegas really shoot Lazo with a sawed-off shotgun?

Rangel told Marquez that his cousin, Daniel Villegas, said he had shot Lazo and England with a sawed-off shotgun. He added, however, that he was sure Villegas, who was 16, was joking, as he was always boasting about things that in truth he hadn’t done.

How long did Daniel Villegas' trial last?

Daniel Villegas was found not guilty Friday evening. The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about nine hours — starting Thursday evening and lasting through most of the day Friday — before reaching their decision. The ruling ended a 25-year saga that included three trials and numerous appeals.

Who was the witness in the Villegas trial?

Montoya and co-prosecutor Denise Butterworth said during their closing arguments that Villegas confessed several times to friends and family including his cousin David Rangel, who was a key witness in the trial.

How old was Villegas when he was killed?

Villegas was 16 when Armando "Mando" Lazo and Bobby England were killed in 1993. He is now 41. The jury deliberated for more than eight hours over two days before reaching a verdict. The members had been sequestered all week.

How long was Villegas in prison?

Villegas faced capital murder charges in the 1993 shooting deaths of two El Paso teens and had already served 18 years in prison before his conviction was overturned. "Mr. Villegas, you have been under many conditions in this court," Medrano said after the verdict was read. "You are no longer under any conditions.

What did Spencer say about Villegas?

Spencer said in his closing arguments that the confessions allegedly made by Villegas were jokes and not meant to be taken seriously. He added that prosecutors had no physical evidence connecting Villegas to the shooting.

Who dismissed the jury in the 409th District Court?

After 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano dismissed the jurors, Villegas and his family hugged and then rushed to the elevator, saying only that he was very happy and excited by the verdict. Villegas and his family then went to pray at St. Mark Catholic Church.

Who dismissed the jury in the case of Villegas?

His family and supporters, who packed the courtroom, erupted in applause. After 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano dismissed the jurors, Villegas and his family hugged and then rushed to the elevator, saying only that he was very happy and excited by the verdict.

How old was Villegas when he was shot?

Villegas was 16 years old when Armando “Mando” Lazo and Bobby England were shot and killed. He said his confession to police was coerced. Villegas fell to his knees and the courtroom burst out in cheers when the verdict came in. Jurors were deadlocked earlier in the day.

Who were the witnesses to the Electric Street shooting?

Jesse Hernandez and Juan Medina were eyewitnesses to, and the only survivors of, the Electric Street shooting. Hernandez and Medina testified at both of Villegas’ trials, with their testimony remaining largely consistent between trials. Neither identified Villegas as the shooter.

Did Villegas confess to police?

Prosecutors had very little evidence connecting Villegas to the crime beyond the confession to police, which Villegas said occurred after police threats, and at least one other confession made to relatives.

What happened to Daniel Villegas?

Daniel Villegas spent two decades in prison for murder before his conviction was overturned in 2013. He says he was coerced into confessing to the double murder and is now suing the City and EPPD. The lawsuit says officers threatened Villegas and other teens and withheld and fabricated evidence.

Why did Daniel Villegas sue?

Daniel Villegas has filed a lawsuit against the City of El Paso and eight El Paso Police Department officers, claiming he was wrongfully convicted for a 1993 double murder because officers coerced a false confession from him as a teenager, withheld evidence and deprived him of his constitutional rights. Villegas, now 38, spent nearly two decades in ...

What gun did Villegas use?

The complaint said Rangel’s statement contradicts fact; the victims were shot with a .22-caliber firearm, not a shotgun.

How old was Villegas when he was released from prison?

Villegas, now 38, spent nearly two decades in prison for the murders of 18-year-old Robert England and 17-year-old Armando Lazo after confessing to the crime when he was 16. He was released from prison on bond in January 2014 when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial.

How old were the boys in the Villegas case?

Officers then “set out to interrogate more young men who they could coerce into implicating Mr. Villegas,” including 15-year-old Rodney Williams and 17- year-old Marcos Gonzalez, the lawsuit says. The complaint says the officers threatened the boys until they gave statements implicating Villegas.

What did Marquez do to Villegas?

The lawsuit says Marquez cursed and yelled at Villegas, hit him on the head and threatened him with rape in jail – all before reading him his rights or bringing him before a magistrate judge to verify he wanted to give a statement.

When was Villegas arrested?

Villegas’ arrest. Officers arrested Villegas on April 21, 1993. “The arrest of Mr. Villegas was based solely on the fabricated and coerced statements taken from David Rangel and Rodney Williams, and therefore Defendants lacked probable cause to justify that arrest,” the complaint says.

Was there any evidence of a double murder?

No murder weapon was ever found. No vehicle was ever identified. There was no description of a perpetrator from eyewitnesses. No forensic evidence was ever found that linked any possible perpetrator to the crime.

Is Daniel Villegas free?

Daniel Villegas Exonerated: Man Convicted Of Murder 20 Years Ago. Twenty years after what he and his supporters say was a false confession, Daniel Villegas is free. “I never thought this day would come. Thank God,” Villegas said after being released on Tuesday, according to the El Paso Times.

When was Daniel Villegas released from jail?

Daniel Villegas waves as he leaves county jail in El Paso, Texas. Villegas, convicted in 1995 for the murder of two teens, was released on bond after a court of appeals ruled his defense was inefficient during the 1995 trial. (AP) "A Fatal Confession: Keith Morrison Investigates" premieres July 7 at 9 p.m. on ID.

Who is the lead attorney in Villegas?

They alleged the same killer might have been involved in both crimes. Joe Spencer, Villegas' lead attorney, alleged police used physical, mental and emotional abuse to get a confession out of the teen despite lack of forensic and physical evidence, as well as eyewitness testimony.

Who helped Villegas get exonerated?

He also helped raise funds for Villegas’ legal defense. According to the Texas Tribune, Mimbela also amassed the help of expert witnesses, exonerated individuals, lawyers, investigators and the innocence group Proclaim Justice to further prove Villegas was innocent.

Did Villegas commit murder?

Mimbela said he hired a private investigator to further help him dig into what happened that tragic night. Mimbela said the facts showed that Villegas did not commit the murders. Determined to help, he called the media to present his findings, set up billboards to raise awareness and supported rallies.

When did the Villegas shooting happen?

It features interviews with Villegas and his family, as well as investigators associated with the case. Late one night in 1993 , four young men were walking home from a party when a car pulled up beside them and someone from the passenger side began shooting.

Who brought David Rangel to the El Paso Police Department?

According to The National Registry of Exonerations, Detective Alfonso Marquez of the El Paso Police Department brought in David Rangel, 17, for questioning. Rangel said that others had wrongly implicated him and that, if he didn’t come clean, he would spend the rest of his life in prison. Rangel told Marquez that his cousin, Villegas, had said he had shot Lazo and England with a sawed-off shotgun — but added that he was sure the teen was joking, as he often boasted about things that he hadn’t actually done.

Who is the subject of the documentary "A Fatal Confession"?

The shocking case of Villegas, a man who at age 16, under what he claimed was intense police pressure, took responsibility for a double homicide in the city of El Paso, is the subject of a new Investigation Discovery (ID) documentary titled “A Fatal Confession: Keith Morrison Investigates.”.