ONE OF SEVERAL HUG-A-CRIMINAL JUDGES IN HOUSTON

Woke Houston judge grants bond to violent robbery suspect after arranging secret procedure for death row inmate

 

By Emma Richter 

 

Daily Mail

Aug 13, 2025

 

 

Harris County's 351st Criminal District Court Judge Natalia Cornelio let Jared Wilson walk on a person recognizance bond - a decision that goes directly against Texas Senate Bill 6 

 

A Houston judge broke the law after granting bond for a suspect charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. 

Harris County's 351st Criminal District Court Judge Natalia Cornelio decided to let Jared Wilson, who pleaded guilty to the violent charge, walk on a person recognizance bond. 

Her decision went directly against Texas Senate Bill 6, or the Damon Allen Act, which was signed into law in 2021 by Governor Greg Abbott. 

The legislation specifically targets bail proceedings for criminals accused of offenses, including aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, and other violent crimes.  

It is unclear why she chose to set Wilson free, but since he's been out on deferred probation, the suspect racked up two more felony charges, according to court documents reviewed by Fox26. 

 

Wilson pleaded guilty to the violent crime. Since he's been out on bond, he's been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, a machine gun, and tampering with evidence

 

Wilson has been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, a machine gun, and tampering with evidence, all of which violate his probation. 

This is not Cornelio's first time defying the court of law after prosecutors said she secretly arranged a procedure for a death row inmate last year. 

The judge allegedly allowed Ronald Lee Haskell - a convicted criminal who murdered six family members, including four children, in 2014 - to have an MRI at a private medical facility, The Texan reported. 

 

Ronald Lee Haskell was sentenced to death for murdering six family members, including four children, in 2014

 

 

Haskell's victims: This photograph is shows Stephen Stay, 39 and Katie Stay, 34 and their five children, 15-year-old daughter, Cassidy, Rebecca, seven, Emily, nine, Zachary, four and Bryan, 14. Cassidy was the sole survivor of the shooting

 

The sealed orders revealed that Cornelio allegedly had Haskell transported from a high-security unit to a doctor's office on July 30. 

Photos submitted to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office showed Haskell entering a waiting room with regular civilians, the outlet reported. 

The DA's office was only made aware of the alleged transport after one of Haskell's surviving victims notified the state's automatic victim notification system. 

A formal complaint was then filed against Cornelio with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. She was also removed from Haskell's case. 

Her latest decision could see Cornelio stand before the State Commission on Judicial Conduct again, according to Criminal District Court Judge Chuck Silverman. 

Silverman, who cannot speak on a specific case or judge, told Fox26: 'Hypothetically, in the event you feel a judge has abused his or her discretion or hasn't followed the law, you can file a complaint with the judicial commission and proceed that way.' 

Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers of Houston agreed that what she did is a big 'no no.' 

'That's a no, no. Because we enacted a law, better known as Senate Bill 6, that eliminated most violent crimes, including aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, from being eligible for a PR bond,' Kahan said. 

 

Last year Cornelio allegedly arranged for convicted killer Ronald Lee Haskell, who is on death row, to go to a doctor's office for an MRI. (Pictured: Haskell during his sentencing hearing in 2019)

Cornelio is a bilingual Mexican-American who 'became a lawyer to make a difference, and to help ensure that all of our communities have equal access to and protection of our laws'

 

'You can't be doing this. It's a violation of the statute. You can't give a PR bond, bottom line, to anyone for a charge of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, but it happened.' 

Daily Mail contacted Cornelio and Harris County Criminal Justice Center for comment on her decision. 

Cornelio, who also goes by 'Nata,' is a bilingual Mexican-American who 'became a lawyer to make a difference, and to help ensure that all of our communities have equal access to and protection of our laws,' according to her re-election website. 

Throughout her career, Cornelio said she has witnessed 'first-hand that our lower income communities and our communities of color are disproportionately impacted by our justice system and regularly represented Spanish-speaking clients who otherwise would not have had an attorney who spoke their language.' 

She lives in Houston with her husband and dog named 'Biggie Smalls.' Cornelio attended New York University and the University of Chicago Law School.