MARCH 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.3

FROM THE

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGEEsqueda family deserves better!On February 26, 2025, District JudgeHilary Unger in Harris County alloweda Capital Murder of a Police OfficerDefendant to walk out of the HarrisCounty Courthouse after significantlyreducing his bond. It was the first timein Texas history such an egregious acthas ever been committed by a sittingDistrict Court Judge.To be clear, the Defendant DremoneFrancis is a repeat offender. He andhis accomplice Ronnie Palmer set upand ambushed Harris County Sheriff’sDeputy Fernando Esqueda. A totalof 41 rounds were fired by these twoassailants towards and into DeputyEsqueda. Arguably one of the mostheinous, violent, and treacherouscrimes committed against a TexasLaw Enforcement Officer in recentmemory.I cannot begin to fathom whatgoes through the mind of someone,specifically a District Court Judge, torelease someone who she knows tobe a repeat serial threat to both societyand law enforcement. Someoneshe knows to be repeat offender andwho has broken all bond conditionson previous cases. Someone who sheknows to be a clear and direct threatto everyone, including her and herown family.As if the job of being a Law EnforcementOfficer in Harris County, Texasisn’t difficult and dangerous enough,now we have District Court Judgesliterally undermining the Rule of Law.This judge places a value of “ZERO”on the lives of every single Law EnforcementOfficer, no matter theircapacity or role, in Harris County.Let’s set all of this aside for minuteand look at it from the point of viewof Deputy Esqueda’s family members.The defendant and his accomplice areboth accused of ambushing and violentlymurdering your loved one, whowas just doing his job to serve andprotect the community. Now one ofthem is free to roam the very streetsthey killed your loved one. And forwho knows how long as the pendingtrial is possibly years away.Such an indignation towards the officer’sfamily and everyone who wearsa badge in Harris County should havenever occurred. It’s as if Deputy Esqueda’slife had no value, no meaning,no nothing according to Judge HilaryUnger. I can’t imagine how the alreadysleepless nights Deputy Esqueda’swife will now be compounded by theintense fear of “is Dremone Francisgoing to come after us next?”I wish I could say this is all just abad dream, but it’s not. Tragically,Democrat judges in Harris Countyhave repeatedly shown they have noremorse, no sympathy, no compassion,and no understanding for victimsof violent crimes. These Judgeshave made it their mission to releaseas many violent offenders into thestreets, communities, schools andchurches of Harris County as possible.No matter what the cost of life andpeace of mind for all those affected.Given the facts of this case and theclear violation of State Law, the entirestaff of the Blues Police Magazine,the world’s largest police magazine,are calling for the immediate suspensionof District Judge Hilary Ungerfrom the 248th District Court in HarrisCounty, Texas. We also call for animmediate Official Judicial Reviewand Investigation into Judge Unger’sactions, decisions and rulings specificto this case.We do so with the fervent belief,that her willful disregard for publicsafety and complete disregard for thelife of a Fallen Texas Peace Officerwho was violently ambushed andmurdered, is a direct violation of heroath as a District Court Judge and aswell as the State of Texas Bar.With sincere respect and compassionto the entire Esqueda Family,Fernando’s friends, co-workers andevery member of the Harris CountySheriff’s Office, The Blues wishes toextend our sincerest condolences.This indignation thrust upon you, ontop of the tremendous loss you havealready had to endure, should neverhave happened.And furthermore, we stand withyou. We always have and we alwayswill.8 The BLUES - MARCH ‘25

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