Nico LaHood

Last updated

Nicolas "Nico" LaHood
Personal details
Born (1972-09-16) September 16, 1972 (age 51)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Political party Independent
Other political
affiliations		 Democratic (until 2018)
Education St. Mary's University
OccupationFormer Bexar County Criminal District Attorney, Attorney, Former Magistrate Judge

Nicolas "Nico" Anthony LaHood (born September 16, 1972) is a former criminal district attorney of Bexar County, Texas.

Contents

Early life and education

LaHood was born on September 16, 1972, to Judge Michael Thomas LaHood Sr. and Norma Olivia (née Mendiola) [1] in San Antonio, Texas. [2]

While in his third year at San Antonio College in 1994, LaHood was arrested for attempting to sell ecstasy pills worth $3,600, with a firearm to an undercover police officer at a strip club. He entered into a plea bargain in August 1994 and was given deferred adjudication and probation. [3]

LaHood graduated from St. Mary's University in 1999 and then law school in 2002. [3]

Career

LaHood ran for district attorney in 2010 but narrowly lost to Susan Reed. Controversies that contributed to his loss included his age, past drug arrest, and firearm charges. After the election, LaHood had already decided to run again in 2014. In the 2014 Democratic primaries for the District Attorney race, LaHood faced off against Therese Huntzinger. LaHood narrowly beat his opponent: LaHood received 20,413 votes, just 47 more than Huntzinger's 20,366. [4] In the 2014 election for District Attorney, LaHood defeated Susan Reed, the incumbent. LaHood was sworn in as the new DA on January 1, 2015. [5]

In 2017, state district judge Lori Valenzuela testified that LaHood had threatened the careers of two defense attorneys if they brought up an affair between a prosecutor in his office and a key witness for the prosecution in a murder case. Judge Valenzuela, who presided over the case, testified under oath that she had witnessed the threats made in her chambers. LaHood also testified, denying that he had made a threat. [6] [7]

LaHood has promoted the unfounded conspiracy theory that vaccines are linked to autism. In a statement videotaped in his office for the anti-vaccine film Vaxxed , Lahood asserted that vaccines "can and do cause autism," [8] [9] [10] LaHood repeated these claims in testimony to a Texas House committee. [10] LaHood also stated that Islam is a "horrifically violent" religion. [8] [9]

On March 6, 2018, LaHood lost the Democratic primary for district attorney to Joe Gonzales by more than 18 percentage points. [11] [12]

In September 2018, LaHood announced he was leaving the Democratic party, saying "leftists have taken over". [13]

Personal life

LaHood married Davida Gil on July 8, 2006. They have four children together. On August 15, 1996, LaHood's brother Michael LaHood Jr. [14] was murdered in the driveway of his parents' house after a failed robbery. The triggerman Mauriceo Mashawn Brown, along with three other men, were later caught and tried. Under the Texas law of parties, not only Mauriceo Mashawn Brown, but also the driver of the car that carried Brown, Kenneth Foster Jr., was tried for capital murder, and in May 1997 both were sentenced to death. In July 2006, Mauriceo Brown was executed for the crime by lethal injection. On August 31, 2007, Foster's death sentence was commuted by Governor Rick Perry. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bexar County, Texas</span> County in Texas, United States

Bexar County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelson Wolff</span> American politician (born 1940)

Nelson William Wolff is a retired American judge and Democratic politician from San Antonio, Texas. He represented Bexar County in the Texas House of Representatives from 1971 to 1973 and the Texas Senate from 1973 to 1975. He served on the San Antonio City Council from 1987 to 1991 and then as mayor of San Antonio from 1991 to 1995. He served as Bexar county judge from 2001 until December 31, 2022.

John Howland Wood Jr. was an American lawyer and judge from Texas. He served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas before being assassinated by contract killer Charles Harrelson outside Wood's home in San Antonio, in 1979. Wood's killing was the first assassination of a federal judge in the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States District Court for the Western District of Texas</span> United States federal district court in Texas

The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas is a federal district court. The court convenes in San Antonio with divisions in Austin, Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Pecos, and Waco. It has jurisdiction in over 50 Trans-Pecos, Permian Basin, and Hill Country counties of the U.S. state of Texas. This district covers over 92,000 square miles (240,000 km2) and seven divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward C. Prado</span> American judge and ambassador (born 1947)

Edward Charles Prado is an American diplomat who is a former United States ambassador to Argentina from 2018 to 2021. He is a former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Wayne Patrick "Pat" Priest was a San Antonio, Texas state court judge who has presided over a number of nationally and regionally important cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genene Jones</span> American female serial killer

Genene Anne Jones is an American serial killer, responsible for the deaths of up to 60 infants and children in her care as a licensed vocational nurse during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1984, Jones was convicted of murder and injury to a child. She had used injections of digoxin, heparin, and later succinylcholine to induce medical crises in her patients, causing numerous deaths. The exact number of victims remains unknown; hospital officials allegedly misplaced and then destroyed records of Jones' activities, to prevent further litigation after Jones' first conviction.

Susan D. Reed was the Criminal District Attorney of Bexar County, Texas from 1998 to January 3, 2015. She is a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Uresti</span> American attorney and politician

Carlos "Charlie" Uresti is an American attorney and Democratic politician from San Antonio, Texas. From November 2006 until his resignation in June 2018, he served as a member of the Texas State Senate representing Senate District 19, one of the largest geographical senatorial districts in the Texas Senate, covering a third of the Texas-Mexico border. Prior to his election to the Texas State Senate, he represented the 118th district in the Texas House of Representatives from January 1997 until November 2006.

Daniel C. Morales is an American politician. He served as the 48th Attorney General of Texas from January 15, 1991, through January 13, 1999, during the administrations of Governors Ann Richards and George W. Bush. As Attorney General, Morales reached a $17 billion settlement with big tobacco companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Foster (criminal)</span> American prisoner

Kenneth Eugene Foster Jr. is a prisoner formerly on death row in Texas, convicted under the Texas law of parties. At 19 years old, he was convicted of murdering Michael LaHood Jr. on August 15, 1996 at 2:46 a.m., despite not firing a shot. On that same night, Foster, along with three of his friends, Julius Steen, Mauriceo Brown, and Dwayne Dillard, were driving around San Antonio committing armed robberies. Eventually, the group found LaHood outside his parents' home. From there, Mauriceo Brown allegedly exited the car and killed him with a shot to the head. Foster's conviction and death sentence were contested because he was convicted under the law of parties, not for physically committing the crime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Gallego</span> American politician (born 1961)

Pete Peña Gallego is an American lawyer, politician, and higher education leader who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 23rd congressional district from 2013 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 68th district beginning in 1991. He was president of his alma mater, Sul Ross State University in Far West Texas, from 2020 through 2022 and continues to serve as president emeritus as he writes and speaks on issues related to college accessibility and affordability, particularly for first-generation students.

Pat Maloney Sr., also known as PM, was an American trial lawyer. Based in San Antonio, Texas, Maloney was a "firebrand plaintiffs' lawyer known as the king of torts." During his 50-year career, he won verdicts of $1 million or more in 100 cases, and won the first million-dollar verdict in the history of San Antonio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 San Antonio mayoral election</span>

On May 9, 2015, the city of San Antonio, Texas, held an election to choose the next Mayor of San Antonio. Interim mayor Ivy Taylor ran for election to a full term and narrowly defeated former state senator Leticia Van de Putte in the runoff election on June 13, 2015, to become the first African American elected to the position. The election was officially nonpartisan.

Sid Harle is an American judge and Republican politician who presided over several high-profile cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 San Antonio mayoral election</span>

On May 6, 2017, the city of San Antonio, Texas held an election to choose the next mayor of San Antonio. The election was officially nonpartisan with candidates party affiliations not appearing on the ballot. As no candidate secured a majority of the vote, a runoff was held on June 10, 2017 with Councilman Ron Nirenberg defeating incumbent mayor Ivy Taylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tay-K</span> American rapper and convicted murderer (born 2000)

Taymor Travon McIntyre, better known professionally as Tay-K is an American rapper and convicted murderer. He is best known for his 2017 song "The Race", which peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in January 2018. The lyrics detail criminal activity carried out by McIntyre, and became popular following a nationwide manhunt for his eventual arrest in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Joe Gonzales is an American attorney and politician who is the Bexar County criminal district attorney, defeating Tylden Shaeffer in the general election. Gonzales became the Democratic candidate after defeating incumbent district attorney Nico LaHood in the March 6 Democratic primary. Before his election, Gonzales was an attorney practicing at Joe Gonzales & Associates, P.C. Gonzales was re-elected to a second term in 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "Nicholas Anthony Lahood". Family Search. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Nico Lahood". Family Search. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Padilla, Gloria (May 15, 2010). "Unlawful past may hurt district attorney bid". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bexar County, Texas, Primary Election. OFFICIAL RESULTS". www.bexar.org. March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Changing of the guard: LaHood takes office as Bexar Co. DA".
  6. ↑ Jennifer Emily. "Judge: DA threatened attorneys' jobs if they mentioned prosecutor's sexual relationship with witness". Dallas Morning News.
  7. ↑ "Judge backs lawyers' claim that D.A. in San Antonio made threats in her chambers". San Antonio Express-News. April 13, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Chasnoff, Brian (August 31, 2016). "LaHood prone to conspiracy theories". Express News. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Chasnoff, Brian (August 29, 2016). "Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood: 'Vaccinations can and do cause autism'". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Brian Chasnoff, "LaHood: I 'know the truth' about vaccines and autism", San Antonio Express-News (August 29, 2016).
  11. ↑ "BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS. JOINT PRIMARY ELECTION. UNOFFICIAL RESULTS". www.bexar.org. March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  12. ↑ Buch, Jason (March 6, 2018). "LaHood admits defeat in District Attorney's race against Gonzales". San Antonio Express News. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  13. ↑ Lahood Leaves Democratic Party Leftists Have Taken Over [ dead link ]
  14. ↑ Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998. "Michael Thomas La Hood Jr". FamilySearch. Bexar, Texas, United States, Department of State Health Services, Austin. Retrieved October 31, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ↑ Blumenthal, Ralph (August 31, 2007). "Governor Commutes Sentence in Texas". The New York Times.
  16. ↑ Latest News [ dead link ]
  17. ↑ "Michael T. LaHood Jr. Murder 8/15/1996 San Antonio, TX *Mauriceo Mashawn Brown executed, 2 others sentenced to life in prison". July 2, 2015.
  18. ↑ "He Didn't Kill, but He Will be Executed". ABC News .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.