Former South Texas Judge Rodolfo “Rudy” Delgado’s motion for continuance was granted for a second time at the Houston federal court last month.
Earlier this year, Delgado, a former judge in the 93rd District State court was indicted on federal bribery charges concerning his courtroom in Hidalgo County. Months after investigation, a federal criminal complaint reveals that Delgado received $6,000 from a confidential informant attorney, Noe Perez, who cooperated with federal agents in a sting-operation.
Since then Delgado has been arrested, indicted, and suspended, followed by his resignation and retirement from his bench of over a decade. Ironically, Delgado’s seat has been filled by Gov. Abbott’s appointment of TFR-Endorsed Jaime Tijerina, who is also Delgado’s opponent in November for 13th Court of Appeals. 
On July 30, Delgado’s attorney, Michael W. McCrum, filed an unopposed motion for continuance to move the September 10 trial date, citing the insurmountable amount of evidence against Delgado doesn’t allow “enough time to review the discovery and prepare for trial.”
Within the motion, McCrum states the federal government delivered six stages of discovery, including over 14,000 pages of documents, 61 boxes held at the FBI Houston office, thousands of files on encrypted discs, and 14 Terabytes of recorded data consisting of ten months of video recordings. Not to mention the additional discovery that has yet to be produced, supplementing the superseding indictments added on June 19 and July 25 on counts of obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and “twenty” alleged acts of bribery. Therefore, it makes it “impossible to proceed to trial on September 10 and effectively represent Defendant.”
On August 6, U.S. Magistrate Alfred H. Bennett, granted the defendant’s motion for continuance as “failure to grant a continuance would result in the miscarriage of justice.” This will be the second motion for continuance granted for Delgado, as he his trial was moved back in April.
Delgado, who maintains his innocence, now faces eight federal counts concerning bribery in exchange for “favorable judicial consideration on cases” entering his courtroom.
Jury selection begins February 25 at the U.S. District Court of Southern District of Texas Federal Courthouse in Houston.
