State rests in case against Barrientes Vela, but not before fiery cross-examination of Texas Ranger
The prosecution rested its case Wednesday afternoon in the public corruption trial of Michelle Barrientes Vela, capping off seven days of testimony that ranged from methodical to explosive and included a mistrial nearly being declared.
Barrientes Vela’s clerk wore secret recording device, did not tape anything incriminating
A former Bexar County Precinct 2 clerk who sought out the Texas Rangers to expose “wrongdoing” by Michelle Barrientes Vela testified Friday that she wore a secret recording device repeatedly in the summer of 2019 but did not tape the then-constable saying anything incriminating.
Barrientes Vela’s former clerk says constable was ‘rattled’ by 2019 visit from Texas Ranger
A former Precinct 2 clerk who provided critical information to law enforcement about the inner workings of Michelle Barrientes Vela’s administration testified Thursday that the then-constable was left “rattled” after learning she was under criminal investigation in the summer of 2019.
Witness says Barrientes Vela and ‘her entourage’ intimidated him at county park
A San Antonio man who rented pavilions at Rodriguez Park for decades of special events testified Wednesday that former Bexar County Pct. 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela and other uniformed deputies intimidated him and his family as they prepared to celebrate the Easter holiday in 2019.
Barrientes Vela trial opens with claim that prosecutor and investigator set trap for troubled constable
An attorney for indicted ex-Precinct 2 constable Michelle Barrientes Vela argued Tuesday that the prosecutor and lead investigator in the case teamed up to set a trap for his client and came away with nothing more than a few written records.
BCSO investigating threatening letters sent to Barrientes Vela ahead of public corruption trial
An attorney for the former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable provided evidence to Judge Velia Meza on July 21, including multiple rounds of live ammunition as well as letters in which someone threatened to kill Barrientes Vela.
Dallas PD release report detailing altercation between Barrientes Vela, state house candidate
Dallas police late Thursday released a 10-page report detailing an altercation outside a hotel earlier this month involving Michelle Barrientes Vela that led to the indicted ex-constable being barred from leaving Bexar County ahead of her public corruption trial next month.
Barrientes Vela barred from leaving Bexar County, attending political events after Dallas convention skirmish
Michelle Barrientes Vela is now prohibited from leaving Bexar County and attending political events after the judge overseeing her upcoming public corruption trial set special conditions of bond during a court hearing Thursday morning.
Barrientes Vela accused of accosting state political candidate and community advocate in Dallas
The lead up to the felony trial of Michelle Barrientes Vela took a bizarre turn Friday after she was accused of accosting a Texas House of Representatives candidate and a prominent community advocate who were in Dallas to attend the Texas Democratic Convention.
Barrientes Vela trial delayed to August after DA discovery issues emerge
Attorneys for the one-time Bexar County Precinct 2 constable successfully argued during a 90-minute hearing before Judge Velia Meza decided that they did not have sufficient time to analyze hours of undercover audio recordings from the case.
Judge denies motion to remove DA from Barrientes Vela public corruption case
A visiting judge has denied a motion to have the Bexar County district attorney disqualified from the public corruption case of Michelle Barrientes Vela, setting the state for the indicted ex-constable to finally go to trial nearly two years after she and a member of her administration were indicted.
DA argues to stay on Barrientes Vela case, calls basis of motion to remove him ‘pure fiction’
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales this week pushed back on an attempt to remove his office from prosecuting indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, claiming the defense’s motion to have him disqualified failed to provide evidence of any conflict of interest.
Michelle Barrientes Vela invoked Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during taped deposition
Months before Bexar County officials settled multiple lawsuits filed against indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, she and her former captain repeatedly invoked their 5th Amendment privileges, taped depositions obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show.
As Barrientes Vela’s public corruption trial looms, another person alleges shakedown at Rodriguez Park
The picture of Charles Ybarra smiling while surrounded by loved ones should have represented the proud culmination of months of planning for a family reunion. Instead, its a reminder of one of the most stressful days of his life.
Attorneys for Barrientes Vela file motion to have DA Gonzales kicked off of case
The upcoming public corruption trial of indicted ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela took another turn this week as her attorneys filed a formal motion to have District Attorney Joe Gonzales removed from the case.
The 10 biggest revelations from the Barrientes Vela lawsuit depositions
More than eight hours of civil deposition testimony from Precinct 2 deputies Leonicio Moreno and Christopher De La Cerda included comprehensive descriptions of past scandals involving indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela.
Video depositions reveal new details about alleged mistreatment of deputies at center of Barrientes Vela public corruption case
New details that could play a significant role in the upcoming public corruption trial of ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela are revealed in videotaped depositions obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders.
LaHood, former DA political consultant spar during Barrientes Vela hearing
Former Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood and the person who helped the current DA knock him out of office sparred Thursday during an evidentiary hearing in the case against indicted former constable Michelle Barrientes Vela.
‘Threat’ against judge from DA’s former consultant further complicates case against Barrientes Vela
The state district judge assigned to the upcoming public corruption trial of ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela said she views comments made over the weekend by the district attorney’s former campaign consultant as a political threat against her.
Bexar County paying out another $347K to Pct. 2 deputies targeted by Barrientes Vela
Bexar County has agreed to pay the Precinct 2 deputies at the center of the public corruption case against Michelle Barrientes Vela more than $347,000, to settle a flurry of lawsuits filed by them against the indicted ex-constable in recent years.
Judge recuses himself from criminal trials of Barrientes Vela, former captain
Bexar County District Court Judge Ron Rangel has recused himself from the upcoming felony perjury trials of former Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela and her one-time captain, Marc D. Garcia, the KSAT 12 Defenders confirmed Wednesday.
WATCH: ‘Downfall:’ The story of ex-Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, a KSAT 12 Defenders special
“Downfall” includes an in-depth look at Barrientes Vela’s upcoming felony trial, through interviews with legal and public policy experts as well as her criminal defense team and the former constable herself.
18 months after Barrientes Vela’s removal, new constable still helping traumatized deputies
Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Leticia Vazquez said she walked into a work environment full of chaos and needed far longer than 15 months to correct the problems she inherited from Michelle Barrientes Vela's tenure.
Get hard-hitting investigations first with the new, free KSAT 12 Defenders newsletter
On Thursday, March 25 at 9 p.m., watch “Downfall,” a KSAT 12 investigative special that pulls back the curtain on ex-Bexar County Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela’s controversial time in office and examines her ongoing felony case.
Former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable to be tried on perjury charge first after judge rules to sever offenses
Former Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela will first go to trial on an aggravated perjury charge after a state district judge this week granted a motion to sever the offenses against her.
The hardest-hitting Defenders investigations of 2020
From an FBI raid of an elected constable’s office and allegations of cronyism in local government to questionable uses of force by law enforcement and accusations of sub-standard conditions at nursing homes that had deadly outbreaks, these are the hardest-hitting investigations of 2020 by the KSAT Defenders.
Democratic candidates for sheriff weigh in after ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela indicted on felony charges
Democratic candidates for sheriff sounded off after ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela was indicted on three felony charges and turned herself in to authorities at the Bexar County Courthouse.