Attorney says Texas judge defended efforts to sway verdict

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – A defence attorney says a Texas judge mentioned God while defending his efforts to convince jurors to acquit a woman accused of trafficking a teenager.

Sylvia Cavazos said Friday she’ll seek a retrial over state District Judge Jack Robison interrupting deliberations last week to tell jurors they shouldn’t convict her client. Jurors ignored his pleadings and returned a guilty verdict.

The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung reported that Robison then recused himself and apologized, telling jurors that “When God tells me to do something, I gotta do it.”

Cavazos told The Associated Press the judge also expressed in chambers that he felt God had told him to act. She said Robison felt like he did the right thing.

Court administrator Steve Thomas said Friday the judge wasn’t commenting.