Harris County Judge Frank Aguilar has been placed on paid suspension following his New Year's Eve arrest for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at his Galveston home. The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct signed the suspension order, which remains in effect until either the charge is dismissed or Aguilar is acquitted, according to a report by the Houston Chronicle.
According to a redacted probable cause affidavit obtained by ABC13, Aguilar is accused to have struck his girlfriend "in the face and head with a closed fist multiple times" and placing his foot on her "head and chest area." These allegations are contrasted by an affidavit from the girlfriend, who now claims that she was coerced and actually fell from stairs after mixing sleep medication with alcohol. She has firmly stated, "Frank Aguilar never touch me or hit me," in a recent filing. Aguilar's defense attorney, Mark Diaz, has highlighted this reversal, but declined to provide additional comment.
Despite the serious allegations, judicial protocols are being maintained. According to Amanda Cain, Communications Director for the Administrative Office of the District Courts, they are "working diligently" alongside Judge Susan Brown of the Eleventh Administrative Regional to keep court schedules ongoing in light of Aguilar's suspension. Their goal is to ensure "dockets and daily court operations remain uninterrupted," as stated in an interview with the Houston Chronicle.
Prior to this incident, Aguilar had faced previous allegations of domestic violence. He was acquitted in a 2010 case involving another family member. The judge's history of legal entanglements with such charges has led the Harris County prosecutors to recently file several recusal requests for cases involving similar allegations, which Aguilar denied. His denial prompted referral to an administrative judge who has yet to decide on the recusals, the Houston Chronicle reported. With Aguilar now temporarily off the bench, Judge Brown is expected to assign a visiting jurist for the interim.
The complexities of Aguilar's situation also include another layer from a past incident with his girlfriend. Weeks before his arrest, prosecutors accepted charges against her in an August occurrence at Aguilar's property, where she allegedly assaulted a man identified as John Doe when he refused to help her unload gas cans from her vehicle. Aguilar's connection to the accusation remains unclarified in the charges. Aguilar, who currently presides over the 228th District Court in Harris County, is out on a $1,500 bond, as reported by ABC13.
