DA forgets to charge murder suspect- A Texas man accused of shooting his 17-year-old friend in the head walked out of jail Monday because prosecutors forgot to file proper paperwork after his arrest.
Richard Mendoza Jr., 26, is accused of killing Christopher Daigle in 2002 near Missouri City, Texas, while the pair were on a hunting trip.
But because the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office forgot to get an indictment within the 90-day window of the suspect's arrest, he was let out of jail Monday ahead of his arraignment, KPRC reported.
Mendoza and Daigle went hunting in an open field on Nov. 7, 2002. Daigle's family says Mendoza thought his friend was flirting with his girlfriend, so he shot him in the back of the head, myFOXhouston.com reported.
No arrest was made until Daigle's bones were finally discovered in the field on Aug. 12 this year.
After DNA testing, Mendoza was immediately arrested and held in jail.
District Attorney John Healey admitted his office made a huge mistake by not filing the necessary paperwork on time and he has taken full responsibility for it.
"It is a mistake that shouldn't have been made, but it's a long road between now and the time the defendant is going to be in front of 12 citizens of Fort Bend County," Healey said.
Richard Mendoza Jr., 26, is accused of killing Christopher Daigle in 2002 near Missouri City, Texas, while the pair were on a hunting trip.
But because the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office forgot to get an indictment within the 90-day window of the suspect's arrest, he was let out of jail Monday ahead of his arraignment, KPRC reported.
Mendoza and Daigle went hunting in an open field on Nov. 7, 2002. Daigle's family says Mendoza thought his friend was flirting with his girlfriend, so he shot him in the back of the head, myFOXhouston.com reported.
No arrest was made until Daigle's bones were finally discovered in the field on Aug. 12 this year.
After DNA testing, Mendoza was immediately arrested and held in jail.
District Attorney John Healey admitted his office made a huge mistake by not filing the necessary paperwork on time and he has taken full responsibility for it.
"It is a mistake that shouldn't have been made, but it's a long road between now and the time the defendant is going to be in front of 12 citizens of Fort Bend County," Healey said.
