Former Bexar County Pct. 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela has been formally acquitted of criminal charges after the state’s highest appeals–court-denies-effort-to-block-release-of-jack-smiths-final-report-on-trump-probes/” title=”Appeals court denies effort to block release of Jack Smith's final report on Trump probes”>appeals court declined to review a lower court’s decision to overturn her convictions last year, sources told KSAT Wednesday.
The Court of Criminal Appeals refused to grant the state’s petition for discretionary review, falling one vote shy, sources said.
The Eighth Court of Appeals, in El Paso, overturned Barrientes Vela’s felony convictions of tampering with records in early October.
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office then appealed that ruling to the CCA, Texas’ highest court for criminal cases.
A Bexar County jury in 2022 convicted Barrientes Vela of altering security payment logs for Rodriguez Park. She was sentenced months later to five years probation, 90 days in jail and 600 hours of community service in January 2023.
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday on CCA’s decision.
One of Barrientes Vela’s criminal defense attorneys told KSAT he was aware of the court’s ruling and was working to provide a statement Wednesday afternoon.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
