A Texas judge, labeled as “rogue” and an activist by the Houston Police Officers’ Union, is under scrutiny after setting bond for the second suspect charged with capital murder in the death of Harris County Deputy Fernando Esqueda.
Judge Hilary Unger of the 248th District Criminal Court in Harris County set a $3 million bond for Ronnie Palmer on Thursday, according to a court document shared by the Harris County Deputies’ Organization (HCDO). Palmer had been in jail since July without bond until Unger’s decision. In addition to the capital murder charge, Palmer faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon related to Esqueda’s death, with bonds for those charges set at $50,000 each.
Unger’s controversial decision came just a day after the other suspect in Esqueda’s murder, Dremone Francis, was released from jail after posting a $1 million bond set in November 2024.
The HCDO criticized Unger on Wednesday for Francis’ release and again on Thursday for setting Palmer’s bond. “If you were outraged yesterday, just wait for what Judge Hilary Unger did today. A bond was set for Ronnie Palmer, who is charged with murdering Deputy Fernando Esqueda. We are now beyond outraged; this is a disgrace,” the organization wrote on X.
The court document shared by the HCDO shows Unger set Palmer’s bond for the capital murder charge at $3 million. Texas law permits bond denial in capital murder cases. Although Palmer remains in jail as of Thursday, he now has the opportunity to post bail and return to the streets.
Following community backlash, defense attorney Cheryl Irvin told FOX 26 Houston that Unger was not involved in setting Francis’ bond, despite claims from the Houston Police Officers’ Union and the HCDO. “They made it very difficult for the judge because she is not the one who had set the bond,” Irvin said. “The bond was set, and nobody objected to it from the district attorney’s office from the previous administration.”
Local outlets reported that the State of Texas filed for a proof-evident hearing when Francis was arrested in July 2024, which would have allowed for no bond. However, since the hearing did not occur within the required 10 days, Francis became eligible for bond, and his attorney requested it be set. It remains unclear why the state did not proceed with the hearing.
“People have rights. Regardless of what you think folks have done, you still have a right. One right is the 8th Amendment right to reasonable bail. And the reasonable bail was set for the codefendant, and he made the bail,” Irvin told FOX 26. “Nobody should be objected to that. He’s on house arrest and all the things the judge considered to be proper.”
Unger, who is up for re-election in 2026, has a history of allowing repeat offenders out on bond and has campaigned on prioritizing “alternatives to incarceration with an eye towards rehabilitation, a reduction in recidivism, and an increase in community safety,” according to her campaign website.
The police union stated, “This is not an isolated case. Judge Unger has a history of prioritizing criminals over victims, undermining law enforcement, and making our streets more dangerous. If we don’t stop judges like her now, we will continue to see repeat offenders and violent criminals emboldened by a system that refuses to hold them accountable.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the 248th District Court for comment.
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