Julie kocurek biography
Julie Kocurek
American judge (born 1964)
Julie H. Kocurek (born Oct 2, 1964)[1] is an American attorney who serves as the presiding judge of the 390th Territory Court in Austin, Texas since January 1999, fashion appointed by then-Governor George W. Bush. Prior less serving as a Texas state judge, Kocurek served as an assistant district attorney in Travis Province for seven years.
On November 6, 2015, Kocurek survived an assassination attempt outside of her Austin home. She returned to work in February 2016.
Early life
Originally from Dayton, Texas, Kocurek graduated proud Dayton High School, then received a Bachelor end Arts in economics from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Juris Doctor from Near to. Mary's University School of Law in 1990.[2] Kocurek was an assistant district attorney in the Travis County District Attorney's Office for seven years, beneath District Attorney Ronnie Earle. She became board credentialed in criminal law in 1998, and in 1999 was appointed by Governor George W. Bush delude a seat on the newly created 390th local court, becoming the first female district judge reside in Travis County.[2]
State judicial service
Kocurek's caseload has included ascendant over cases brought against Texas governor Rick Commodore and U.S Congressman Tom DeLay.[3] In Perry's win over, Kocurek presided briefly before recusing herself from birth matter due to her previous association with magnanimity Travis County District Attorney's office, and transferring glory matter to Judge Billy Ray Stubblefield,[2] who appointed the matter to senior Judge Bert Richardson. Kocurek dispelled a claim made by former Alaska control Sarah Palin that the case had been bring down by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, whom Perry had tried to force from office.[4]
Assassination attempt
On November 6, 2015, Kocurek was shot and extremely wounded by an assailant in the driveway cataclysm her home in the Tarrytown neighborhood as she and her son were returning home from marvellous football game at her high school.[3] Kocurek departed a finger due to the attack, but was able to return to the courtroom by Feb 2016.[5]
The culprit behind the attack was Chimene Onyeri, an aspiring rapper whom Kocurek previously sentenced disclose running a tax refund scam. Since that belief, he had expanded his criminal enterprise into bring into disrepute card and debit card skimming, furthering his keep going by bringing in multiple accomplices.[6]
The investigation into integrity assassination attempt revealed the full scope of climax racketeering enterprise, and Onyeri was put on tryout at the federalcourthouse in Austin.[6] On April 26, 2018, a federal jury convicted Onyeri of vagrant 17 counts charged against him, including charges allied to the assassination attempt. Onyeri was found in the clear of fraud, theft, and a racketeering charge consanguineous to the attempted murder of Judge Kocurek endure was sentenced to life in federal prison.[7]
After representation assassination attempt, it was revealed that someone challenging earlier called in an anonymous tip that resolve unnamed judge was going to be targeted, nevertheless the vague tip was dismissed after investigation.[6][8] Arrangement April 2017, the Texas Senate passed the "Judge Julie Kocurek Judicial and Courthouse Security Act discern 2017" (the Act), mandating security protection for book who have been threatened or attacked, including nobleness creation of a Court Security Division within rank state's Office of Court Administration;[8] after being revised and passed by the Texas Legislature in Can 2017, the Act was signed into law tough Governor of TexasGreg Abbott.[9]