Working Together to Find Justice for Texas Families

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) proudly partners with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors as we collectively endeavor to deliver the justice victims and their families deserve. Last month, we worked with local officials to resolve two tragic criminal cases.

In Hays County, District Attorney Sherri Tibbe and Assistant Attorney General Heather Youree prosecuted a difficult case against a father accused of biting, hitting and starving his three young children. During the weeklong trial, doctors testified that Cesar Mojica Carmona’s then 4-year-old daughter and 3-year-old twins suffered from more than 140 patterned injuries, including at least 60 bite marks that left permanent scars all over their bodies. The defendant’s horrific beatings left his children with more than 20 broken bones, including broken legs, broken teeth, and fractured ribs, feet and fingers, most of which went untreated.

The violence and malnourishment Mojica Carmona inflicted upon his children left them severely developmentally delayed. According to prosecutors, the twins could not walk or talk when state officials took them into custody. The children’s foster mother testified that the children suffered severe emotional distress after seeing their father’s image on television news reports. They cried and clung desperately to their foster mother as they begged not to be returned to his custody.

Hays County jurors rendered guilty verdicts on 14 counts of injury to a child and sentenced Mojica Carmona to 14 concurrent life sentences in prison. Today, the three victims and a fourth sibling live together with a foster family that adopted them. Thanks to a coordinated effort by state and local authorities, these innocent children have begun the healing process and are working toward a hopeful future.

Tragic events in May 2007 led us to another very sad case in East Texas. A concerned neighbor reported seeing nearby property owner Randall Wayne Mays shooting in the direction of Mays’ wife. Henderson County sheriff’s deputies responded to the call and soon found themselves in a standoff with Randall Mays, who subsequently barricaded himself inside his house with a high-powered rifle. Mays finally surrendered, but not before mortally wounding two veteran lawmen, Deputy Tony Ogburn and Investigator Paul Habelt, and severely injuring a third, Lt. Kevin Harris.

Assistant Attorney General Wes Mau was sent to assist Henderson County District Attorney Donna Bennett, who led Mays’ capital murder prosecution. During the trial, prosecutors played audio from the crime scene, which was recorded by a patrol vehicle’s dashboard camera. Jurors, witnesses and family members were brought to tears as the sound of Mays’ fatal gunshots were replayed on the tape. After short deliberation, Henderson County jurors convicted Mays of capital murder and sentenced him to death.

The May 2007 standoff occurred just hours after the three deputies attended a memorial service honoring fellow officers. Fortunately, the tragic shooting triggered an immense outpouring of community support for the victims’ families. With the conclusion of the trial and their fellow Texans’ thoughts and prayers, we can only hope the victims’ families find closure and peace. We lost two of Texas’ finest on that awful day, but by working together, law enforcement and prosecutors delivered justice for these officers, their families and the Henderson County community.

As Attorney General, I deeply respect and admire the courageous peace officers who honorably protect our fellow Texans. Officers and their families must know that our Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund stands ready to assist eligible peace officers who are injured in the line of duty. By supporting local authorities and continuing to work closely with prosecutors, we hope to serve those who serve Texans. Together, we can ensure a safe, just and prosperous future for generations to come.

For more information about the cases mentioned in this article and the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, visit the Office of the Attorney General online at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov.

Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas