EDINBURG — The fourth day of testimony in the trial for former Edinburg Mayor Richard Molina ended before it even began Friday.
The court recessed early for the weekend on Friday morning after visiting Judge Carlos Valdez informed the jury he needed to carefully look at some matters.
It’s unclear what those pending matters are.
Earlier that morning, the judge took up other issues outside the presence of the jury including a motion to quash the subpoena issued by Molina’s defense team to Hidalgo County District Clerk Laura Hinojosa.
The subpoena ordered Hinojosa to appear in court to testify on behalf of the defense and for her to bring records including text messages, emails, written notes and/or memoranda concerning a different case.
During the brief Friday morning hearing, Molina’s defense attorney Jaime Peña indicated in open court that the case in question is still under seal and is related to a witness who has already taken the stand.
Peña told the judge that witness is Richard Ramirez, a Border Patrol agent who testified that he changed his address to Edinburg at Molina’s behest and voted illegally in the 2017 general election.
Attorneys for Hinojosa filed a motion to quash the subpoena, stating the subpoena is improper because the information it asks for “may not be made public” under Article 20.22 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
The attorneys discussed the motion in the judge’s chambers and the judge later denied the motion to quash.
Molina is currently on trial facing one count of engaging in organized voter fraud and 11 counts of illegal voting.
The state rested its case against the former mayor on Thursday afternoon and the defense is expected to begin calling its witness on Monday morning.
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