El Paso DA asks appellate court to rule on 409th District Court’s actions in Walmart shooting case

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso District Attorney Yvonne Rosales has asked the Texas 8th Court of Appeals to stop the Walmart shooting trial to review the legitimacy of the trial court's orders.

The document is called a “motion for stay of trial” and is asking the appellate court to decide whether or not 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano’s actions on this case are legal.

Procedurally, the case is delayed as the appellate court makes its decision.

At the center of the motion are two actions: the 409th's gag order and the court-authorized report that accuses Vinton Municipal Judge Roger Rodriguez of representing the DA’s office and impersonating and threatening the family of one Walmart victim.

Also filed today, the defense team for the alleged Walmart shooter, Patrick Crusius, filed a response disputing the DA's reasons for the request. The response says the DA's filing is disingenuous and merely a stall tactic to avoid the November 30th hearing where she has been ordered to appear and answer questions about the Ad Litem report.

Another move made Friday includes Attorney Luis Yanez's request to be taken off the case.