HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — The Houston Police Officers’ Union is criticizing a Harris County judge for granting bond to a man accused of capital murder in the ambush killing of a deputy, FOX News reported.
Judge Hilary Unger set a $1 million bond for Dremone Francis, one of two men charged in the July 2024 shooting death of Harris County Deputy Fernando Esqueda, according to the report. Despite prosecutors’ request for a no-bond hold, Unger set bail at $500,000 for capital murder and $500,000 for tampering with evidence. Francis has since posted bail and has been released.
According to a court document shared by the Harris County Deputies’ Organization, Unger also set bond for the other suspect in the murder, Ronny Palmer, at $3 million. Texas law allows for bond denial in capital murder cases.
Esqueda was shot and killed while conducting surveillance in an unmarked police car, according to the report. Francis and co-defendant Ronnie Palmer, who remains jailed without bond, allegedly fired multiple rounds into the deputy’s vehicle.
The police union called the decision “a disgraceful betrayal of public trust,” adding that 162 homicides have been committed in Harris County since 2021 by suspects out on bond, according to the report.
“If this case doesn’t warrant a no-bond decision, then what does?” the police union asked.
|ANALYSIS: Why the judge’s ruling puts cops at risk
Francis has a prior conviction for drug manufacturing and delivery and had his probation terminated unsatisfactorily in 2022, according to the report.
Judge Unger, known for prioritizing “alternatives to incarceration,” has faced past criticism for allowing repeat offenders out on bond. The National Police Association previously highlighted her 2021 decision to grant bond to Andrew Williams, who was out on bail for capital murder and aggravated assault when he killed a 71-year-old woman in a robbery, according to the report.
The police union vowed to push for judicial accountability and bail reform, stating they will ensure that “Judge Hilary Unger’s name is remembered for this reckless decision.”
