Texas Judge Sparks Outrage with Bond for Violent Robbery Suspect

In a controversial move, Harris County’s 351st Criminal District Court Judge Nata Cornelio granted a personal recognizance (PR) bond to Jared Wilson, a suspect charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, despite Texas Senate Bill 6 (Damon Allen Act) prohibiting such bonds for violent crimes. Signed into law in 2021 by Governor Greg Abbott, the legislation aims to restrict bail for offenders accused of serious offenses like Wilson’s. After pleading guilty and receiving deferred probation, Wilson violated terms by accruing two additional felony charges: possession of a prohibited weapon (a machine gun) and tampering with evidence. This decision has sparked outrage, with critics like Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers calling it a clear violation of the statute, potentially leading to a complaint against Cornelio with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

This is not Cornelio’s first brush with controversy. In 2024, she allegedly arranged a secret MRI procedure for death row inmate Ronald Lee Haskell, convicted of murdering six family members, including four children, in 2014. Court filings claim Cornelio issued a bench warrant to transfer Haskell from a high-security unit to Harris County Jail for a supposed midnight court hearing that never occurred. The MRI took place at a private facility, with Haskell entering a waiting room alongside civilians, unbeknownst to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. The DA only learned of the transfer after a surviving victim alerted them via the state’s victim notification system. Cornelio was removed from Haskell’s case, and her actions may lead to charges of tampering with a government record.

Cornelio, a bilingual Mexican-American judge who opposes the death penalty, runs unopposed for re-election, securing her position for another four years. Her decisions have raised concerns about judicial overreach, with former Judge Chuck Silverman noting that complaints can be filed if a judge abuses discretion or defies the law. The Harris County Criminal Justice Center and Cornelio have not commented on the bond decision.