Migrants accused of participating in April riot appear in court for pre-trial hearing
Update: El Paso District Attorney will be addressing Thursday's pre-trial hearing at 4:30 p.m. at the El Paso County Courthouse. Watch the news conference live below.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- 14 migrants appeared in court Thursday morning, seven of which are being represented by EL Paso's Public Defender and the other half represented by various local attorneys.
The migrants are accused taking part in riots at the border wall back on April 12th, 2024.
According to the judge presiding over the case, trial is set to begin on Monday, June 10th.
El Paso Public Defender Kelli Childress made multiple motions in court, including a motion to quash the indictment.
According the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, a motion to quash an indictment means:
"If the motion to set aside or the exception to the indictment in cases of felony be sustained, the defendant shall not therefor be discharged, but may immediately be recommitted by order of the court, upon motion of the State's attorney or without motion; and proceedings may afterward be had against him as if no prosecution had ever been commenced."
El Paso's Public Defender argued that the charges and allegations are too vague and her clients need to be given specific actions in which they are accused.
She listed hypothetical examples, including "cutting razor wire, bending the fences or putting their weight on a border fence."
The prosecution, lead by Assistant District Attorney Preston Munson filed a motion citing a conflict of interest. The state argued against one lawyer representing multiple migrants simultaneously, that motion was denied by Judge Ruben Morales.
ADA Munson declined to comment following the hearing. ABC-7 reached out to the District Attorney's office to see if DA Hicks will be speaking about Thursday's hearing.