Attorney: “Only ask for justice for Daniel.” Federal judge rules Villegas’ lawsuit against the City of El Paso can go to trial
UPDATE: ABC-7 received a statement from the City of El Paso regarding this lawsuit and the decision made by a federal judge.
"The City of El Paso respects the court’s ruling in the lawsuit filed by Mr. Daniel Villegas. While some claims were dismissed, others remain and will proceed as directed by the court. Because this matter is still active litigation, the City cannot comment further at this time," wrote Laura Cruz Acosta, Strategic Communications Director for the City of El Paso.
UPDATE: ABC-7 reached out to the attorney representing Daniel Villegas in his lawsuit against the City of El Paso. Attorney Felix Valenzuela said,
"We are very happy to get Daniel justice from the almost 20 years of his life that was taken away from him 31 years ago. Daniel always said the outrageous conduct by the police detectives was something he thought only happened in the movies or nightmares. He lived it: he was physically and emotionally abused and still lives with those scars today. We look forward to bringing to the jury Daniel’s case and only ask for justice for Daniel."
ABC-7 also reached out to the City of El Paso for comment on the decision and received a response they are working on our request.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - A memorandum opinion and order filed in the United States District Court Western District of Texas and obtained by ABC-7, states Senior U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama ruled Daniel Villegas' lawsuit against the City of El Paso could go to trial.
The lawsuit filed in 2015 alleged three specific "policies or practices which impaired his rights" by officers with the El Paso Police Department.
The failure "to train its officers to exercise care an caution with juveniles"; failure to investigate and discipline officers for "threatening and physically harming juvenile suspects and violating juvenile policies"; and the last was encouraging officers to clear the cases while tolerating dishonestly and not supervising officers.
Judge Guaderrama dismissed the first two claims but ruled that Villegas can go forward with the the third claim that the department leadership would tolerate dishonesty violation of rights in order to make arrests.
The lawsuit stems from allegations that Villegas was forced to confess to the murders of Armando Lazo and Robert England in a drive-by shooting back in 1993 when Villegas was just 16-year-old.
Villegas was convicted in 1995 and sentenced to life in prison. He served 20 years in prison. That conviction was overturned in 2013 and five years later he was acquitted.
