Attorneys Steve Barrera and Brian Powers detail the defense of John, an honor student charged with the murder of his high school counselor, Dr. Peña, who was grooming him.

🔎 Explosive Evidence of Predation

After a year delay in discovery, the defense gained access to Dr. Peña's phone records, revealing a massive pattern of abuse.

• Hundreds of Thousands of Texts showed Peña grooming scores of male students over the years, using offers of college help as a "hook" to lure them.
• The relationships escalated to drug dependency for some former students, with Peña coordinating with multiple dealers.
• The Notes App contained 18 single-spaced pages documenting John's four visits, confirming John's consistent, respectful refusals to Peña's advances ("That's for the ladies, I'd rather not do that, please don't").

🏫 Systemic Protection and Prior Misconduct

Investigation uncovered that Peña had been pushed out of a previous teaching role for retaliating against an uncooperative student by messing with his grade. He was simply reassigned as a counselor, where he immediately resumed his predatory behavior. The school maintained a culture of protection, fearing the consequences of reporting a popular colleague.

💊 Medical Evidence and Investigative Bias

The defense secured critical medical evidence:

• Cocaethylene: The medical examiner found high levels of cocaine and alcohol in Peña's system, which metabolized into cocaethylene, a compound that causes heightened aggression, sexual aggression, and increased strength/pain tolerance.
• Investigator Bias: Bodycam footage showed a Ranger and investigator, who knew Peña, dismissing concerns about other victims, stating, "If it ain't in a report, it didn't happen," despite the known reluctance of victims to report.

⚖️ The Emotional Trial and Not Guilty Verdict

The intense, week-long trial culminated in an emotional verdict.

• Jury Impact: The defense's theory was supported during jury selection when two panelists, a victim/target and a concerned mother, confirmed the widespread nature of Peña's actions.
• John's Testimony: John took the stand and broke down during cross-examination while detailing his trauma and refusals, visibly moving the jury.
• Excluded Evidence: Despite months of preparation, the judge disallowed the testimony of other victims, preventing the jury from hearing evidence of Peña's pattern of grooming.
• Verdict: The jury returned a Not Guilty verdict after just 45 minutes of deliberation. Two jurors hugged John afterward.
• Texas Self-Defense Law: The attorneys emphasized the legal defense: a person has the right to use deadly force if they reasonably believe they are about to be sexually assaulted or kidnapped, which applied to John's situation as Peña had physically restrained him.

The attorneys called John a hero for inadvertently stopping Peña's continued predation in the community. John is now doing well, has his pilot's license, and has moved on with his life.

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