El Paso County District Attorney Yvonne Rosales blamed the former administration for plea deals made in the death of a 5-month-old baby and the beating of a 2-year-old boy.
The blame comes despite her administration having the authority to retract or alter plea agreements anytime before they are signed and accepted by a judge, according to the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
The plea agreements made in the death and beating resulted in a five-year prison term for Pedro Favela Salgado, and a 3-year prison term for the mother, Michelle Gutierrez.
Favela Salgado was originally charged with capital murder. The plea agreement dismissed that charge, which carried a maximum sentence of life in prison.