Willacy releases man held 10 months

RAYMONDVILLE - A man held for more than 10 months on $500,000 was released Monday by Willacy County Jail officials after a grand jury found no evidence to charge him with murder, authorities said.

Pablo Hernandez, 32, was charged in connection with the Aug. 3 death of brother-in-law Efrain Coronado, 32, Sheriff Larry Spence said.

On Friday, a grand jury found no evidence to charge Hernandez with murder, District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra said.

"Ten month's in jail - that's ridiculous," Raymondville Police Chief Uvaldo Zamora said.

A prosecutor with the Texas Attorney General's Office presented the case to the grand jury after Guerra recused himself, Guerra said.

"The question was whether it was self-defense or not," Guerra said. "That information was presented to the grand jury by the Attorney General."

Guerra said he recused himself because of Zamora's comments on the case.

Zamora, who had said Coronado's family feared Guerra would dismiss the case, said Guerra recused himself because he believed Hernandez killed Coronado in self-defense.

Guerra failed to give Hernandez a speedy trial, Spence said.

"To the best of my recollection, we have not had anyone in jail, especially for that length of time, who was eventually no-billed and released," Spence said.

Bernard Ammerman, the county's district general-elect who takes office Jan. 1, could review the case to determine whether there's evidence to present for indictment, Guerra said.

Hernandez was accused of stabbing Coronado to death after an argument broke out at a barbecue at Hernandez's home.

At about 1 a.m., Hernandez head-butted Coronado after Coronado slapped Hernandez's son, witnesses testified in a September hearing.

Then Coronado pulled a knife and ran toward Hernandez, witnesses testified.

When Irma Hernandez-Coronado, who's Hernandez's wife and Coronado's sister, stood between her brother and her husband, Coronado sliced her blouse, she testified.

Then Coronado stabbed Hernandez's left forearm as Hernandez tried to protect himself, defense attorney Mario Rodriguez said in the hearing.

Evidence showed Hernandez then stabbed Coronado, Guerra said in the hearing.