(956) 821-9918

LENNARD K. WHITTAKER-MOLINA, ATTORNEY

BILINGUAL CRIMINAL TRIAL STRATEGIST

RECENT CASES

Homicide

Texas v. Edgar Reyes

Attorney Involvement: 17 months, 5-member team format, strategist role

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2024

Kind of Case: Capital murder, felony murder, injury to child SBI, injury to child SBI by omission

Outcome: Acquitted on capital murder and murder.  Sentenced by Court to 20 years concurrent for reckless injury to child and reckless injury to child by omission (Pending appeal).

Key info: 17-week-old falls from bed height, dies after respiratory arrest. Intracranial and retinal hemorrhages led State to conclude a violent murder. Defense showed jury evidence of pre-existing bleeding disorder in infant which made child subject to hemorrhages.

Prosecution public statement five days after jury verdict (click here)

Sexual Cases – Adult

Texas v. O.M.

Attorney Involvement: 41 months. Joint representation

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2024

Kind of Case: Sexual assault

Outcome: Plea to Deferred Adjudication Misdemeanor Indecent Assault

Texas v. D.S.

Attorney Involvement: 15 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2024

Kind of Case: Aggravated sexual assault

Outcome: Plea to terroristic threat to family/household. Spent 15 months in jail.

Texas v. J.R.

Attorney Involvement: 5 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2015

Kind of Case: Sexual assault

Outcome: Dismissal — plea to non-sex crime

Sexual Cases – Minors

Texas v. R.M.**

Attorney Involvement: 29 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2025

Kind of Case: Class A misdemeanor assault w/bodily injury

Outcome: Dismissal

Key Info: Originally a sexual abuse case. The felony was dismissed. Misdemeanor proceeded on conditional waiver of statute of limitations. Conditions: dismissal of felony and restraint from bringing any felony based on the specific complaints. On dismissal motion, State announced its intent to bring another indictment.

Texas v. R.S.

Attorney Involvement: 48 months, joint representation

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2024

Kind of Case: Aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14

Outcome: Plea to Class A Misdemeanor Assault

Key Info: Outcry delay: 18 years.

Texas v. A.E.

Attorney Involvement: 39 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2024

Kind of Case*: Aggravated Sexual Assault of child under 6, Indecency by Contact

Outcome: Acquittal on aggravated sexual assault charges. Conviction on indecency by contact. (Pending appeal). 62 months in jail. Sentence: 60 months.

Key info: No physical evidence. Child Accuser did not describe criminal act from stand. Hearsay evidence allowed to describe criminal act to jury.

Texas v. J.T.

Attorney Involvement: 18 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2022

Kind of Case: Continuous sexual abuse of child and three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Outcome: Dismissal on morning of jury selection. Released after 13 months in jail.

Texas v. H.A.

Attorney Involvement: 38 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2022

Kind of Case*: Indecency with a child by contact.

Outcome: Jury acquittal. Released after 39 months in jail. Case expunged.

Texas v. R.M.**

Attorney Involvement: 8 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2022

Kind of Case: Indecency with a child by contact.

Outcome: Dismissal.

Texas v. D.R.

Attorney Involvement: 6 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2022

Kind of Case: Sexual assault of child (statutory rape), indecency w/a child (statutory rape), possession of child pornography (couple´s selfies)

Outcome: Dismissal.

Texas v. J.H.

Attorney Involvement: 4 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2022

Kind of Case*: Continuous child sex abuse, agg sexual assault of child, indecency w/a child.

Outcome: Dismissal — Accusation made during parental discipline; days later she recanted; DA interrupted in police investigation, then hastily indicted. Eventually, case expunged. CPS adoption reversed.

Texas v. H.B.

Attorney Involvement: 28 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2022

Kind of Case*: Aggravated sexual assault of child, indecency w/a minor.

Outcome: Dismissal – TRE 601 action pending; released after 28 months in jail.

Texas v. B.H.

Attorney Involvement: 8 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2020

Kind of Case: Continuous child sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Outcome: Dismissal — accusation made to garner leverage in family law case, released after 8 months in jail.

Texas v. G.M.

Attorney Involvement: 13 months, joint representation

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2019

Kind of Case: Continuous child sexual abuse.

Outcome: Dismissal — stepdaughter made premeditated false accusation (discovered by atty in Adolescent Accuser cell phone calendar app) against stepdad in order to hurt biomom.

Texas v. J.S .

Attorney Involvement: 30 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2019

Kind of Case*: Sexual assault and indecency w/a minor.

Outcome: Dismissal.

Texas v. M.A.

Attorney Involvement: 20 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2018

Kind of Case: Continuous child sexual abuse.

Outcome: Dismissal; released after 21 months in jail.

Texas v. L.S.***

Attorney Involvement: 14 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2017

Kind of Case*: Aggravated sexual assault of child

Outcome: Dismissal at TRE 601 hearing

Texas v. C.O.

Attorney Involvement: 14 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2017

Kind of Case: Aggravated sexual assault of child

Outcome: Dismissal — plea to unrelated charge

Texas v. R.Z.

Attorney Involvement: 18 months, joint representation

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2016

Kind of Case: Indecency with child by contact

Outcome: Acquittal; released after 19 months in jail

Texas v. A.V.

Attorney Involvement: 2 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2015

Kind of Case: Sexual assault of child

Outcome: Dismissal

Texas v. D.C.

Attorney Involvement: 9 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2015

Kind of Case: Aggravated sexual assault of child

Outcome: Dismissal

Domestic Violence

Texas v. L.M.

“Carrie Underwood” case

Attorney Involvement: 1 month

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2025

Kind of Case: Aggravated domestic assault with deadly weapon

Outcome: Dismissal with $200 donation

Key Info: Pregnant client parked her vehicle behind common law husband’s pick-up truck in motel parking lot. Client’s texts & calls ignored. Clerk refused to disclose hubby’s room. Client took a blade to hubby’s truck. Hubby was cut while trying to remove blade from client. Prosecutors would have had significant challenges in jury selection.

Texas v. A.M.

VAWA Visa Case

Attorney Involvement: 55 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2025

Kind of Case: Aggravated domestic assault with deadly weapon

Outcome: Dismissal with mutual Protective Order

Key Info: Wife confronted client w/content from client’s phone. Client displayed Wife’s infidelity indications from Wife’s phone. Struggle over phones ensued. Wife called 911 on client’s phone. Wife declined to bring charges until the following day..armed with ER records noting a broken nose. Wife pursued a domestic violence visa. Months were spent to acquire 911 recording in which Wife denied being hit by client. Case dismissed with condition of status-sensitive mutual protective order.

Texas v. S.G .

Attorney Involvement: 8 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2021

Kind of Case: Domestic assault/impede breath.

Outcome: Dismissal after investigation of diagnoses/medication of accused.

Texas v. E.G.

Attorney Involvement: 11 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2020

Kind of Case: Injury to child.

Outcome: Dismissal after jury selected.

Texas v. J.G .

Attorney Involvement: 10 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2019

Kind of Case: Domestic assault/impede breath.

Outcome: Dismissal — medicine reaction.

Texas v. R.S .

Attorney Involvement: 11 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2018

Kind of Case: Aggravated domestic assault with deadly weapon

Outcome: Dismissal

Texas v. L.S.***

Attorney Involvement: 18 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2017

Kind of Case*: Misdemeanor domestic assault

Outcome: Directed verdict

Assaultive (non-domestic)

Texas v. A.G.

Attorney Involvement: 61 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2025

Kind of Case: Aggravated assault w/deadly weapon, assault on public servant, indecent exposure, aggravated assault on public servant, criminal mischief, harassment by incarcerated person.

Outcome: 10 yrs probation on assault on public servant, other charges dismissed, unadjudicated and time-served. Spent 78 months in jail.

Key info: Client accused of assaulting family member while intoxicated and/or deluded. While in jail, client lost competency and picked up 5 charges. Client speared attorney in court. Client attempted to spear attorney in later hearing. When competency restored, a new diagnosis was discovered.

Texas v. D.M.

Attorney Involvement: 9 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2017

Kind of Case: Assault on public servant

Outcome: Dismissal — medicine reaction

Contraband / Narcotics

Texas v. J.R.

DPS Pretextual Stop case

Attorney Involvement: 5 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2025

Kind of Case: Manufacture/Delivery of Controlled Substance, 4 kg of methamphetamine

Outcome: Dismissal (with Motion to Suppress Traffic Stop pending)

Key Info: Elements of a successful (though illegal) pre textual traffic stop:

a. an unrecorded instruction to target a given vehicle,

b. record a traffic violation, &

c. Conduct the stop. Pursue consent for intended search.

On this occasion, DPS filed to record an infraction. By dismissing case, only DPS will know how a car battery came to have 4 kg of meth.

Texas v. A.E.

Attorney Involvement: 12 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2021

Kind of Case: F1 Manufacture/delivery of controlled subtances, tampering with evidence.

Outcome: Dismissal with suppression pending, pled to unrelated charge.

Texas v. R.A.

Attorney Involvement: 9 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2018

Kind of Case: Possession of marihuana

Outcome: Dismissal after Motion to Suppress Evidence

Driving Offenses

Texas v. P.G.

Attorney Involvement: 77 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2025

Kind of Case: DWI w/child, domestic violence w/previous condition, unlawful carrying of weapon, possession of marihuana, violation of protective order.

Outcome: Suppression granted in DWI w/child. Al casesdismissed, including Protective Order.

Burglary / Theft / Robbery

Texas v. P.M.

Attorney Involvement: 14 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2023

Kind of Case: Burglary of habitation

Outcome: Plea to Criminal Trespass (sentence sculpted with immigration consequences in mind)

Key info: Co-defendant pled to burglary and assaulting police by coughing at police at height of covid. A burglary of a home in broad daylight on a Sunday morning at height of covid made little sense.

Texas v. D.L.G.

Attorney Involvement: 9 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2018

Kind of Case: Aggravated robbery

Outcome: Dismissal

Texas v. J.T.

Attorney Involvement: 5 months

Jurisdiction: Hidalgo, resolved 2017

Kind of Case: Burglary of habitation

Outcome: Dismissal

* Prosecution of family member of mentally ill child/adolescent.

** These cases are connected

*** These cases are connected