Thursday, January 10, 2013
"We’re glad this odyssey is finally over,” her attorney told the Associated Press.
A Cobb County Superior Court judge has dismissed the criminal case against Jessica Colotl, the Kennesaw State University graduate whose 2010 arrest for a minor traffic violation sparked debate about illegal immigrants in public colleges. Defense lawyer Jerome Lee today told the Associated Press that Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley granted a request to toss a felony false swearing charge against Colotl. As recently as September, she refused to do so even though Colotl completed a pretrial diversion program to avoid conviction for lying to authorities about her address during that 2010 arrest. At the time, Staley said Colotl's misdemeanor conviction for driving without a valid license “consistently disqualified entry into the …
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Tuesday, Cobb District Attorney Pat Head reminded Superior Court Judge Mary Staley that her own sister was admitted to the same pretrial diversion program that she said Jessica Colotl wasn't qualified to enter.
Even though Jessica Colotl completed a pretrial diversion program, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley last month refused to sign off on ending prosecution of the Kennesaw State University graduate whose 2010 arrest for a minor traffic violation brought national attention to the issue of illegal immigrants in public colleges. Colotl's misdemeanor conviction for driving without a valid license “consistently disqualified entry into the Cobb County diversion program,” Staley explained in her Sept. 24 order. “The court believes all similarly situated defendants should be treated in the same manner.” Tuesday, Cobb County District Attorney Pat Head reminded the judge that Staley's own sister was admitted to the same program despite …
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Cobb District Attorney Pat Head, who is expected to file a motion this week in the case, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he believes "current law prohibits prosecuting this case further."
Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley refused to toss a felony charge against Jessica Colotl, the Kennesaw State University graduate whose 2010 arrest for a minor traffic violation brought national attention to the issue of illegal immigrants in public colleges. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cobb District Attorney Pat Head this week will file a motion in the case. Because Colotl did "everything she was required to do" as part of an agreement that his office made with her, the false swearing charge should be dismissed, Head told the AJC. Colotl completed a pretrial diversion program in February to avoid a conviction for lying to authorities about her address during that 2010 arrest. The program included 150 hours of …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The Kennesaw State University graduate has been granted a third one-year deferment.
Kennesaw State University graduate and illegal immigrant Jessica Colotl will remain in the country for another year, reported the Atlanta-Journal Constitution Monday. Colotl, whose 2010 arrest brought national attention to the issue of illegal immigrants in public colleges and who now faces a standing deportation order, was granted a third one-year deferment this month allowing her to stay in the country. She will apply for another reprieve next year, immigration attorney Charles Kuck told the AJC. Due to the deportation order, Colotl cannot apply for legal permanent residency unless there is federal immigration reform, or she returns to Mexico for 10 years and applies for a visa, Kuck told the AJC. Colotl was arrested in spring of 2010 …
Barbara Baldwin
12:16 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
Staley and head have made a mockery out of our Court system. Poor judgment and a precedence for others to milk our system because they all know Americans are weak and will not stand up for long. . Staley and head should be disbarred and anyone else who abuses our systems. Legally or illegally more ›