Judge Accused Of Assault Says He Was Trying To Help
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) -- A Dallas County state district judge has been accused of assaulting his girlfriend. He says he was just trying to help.
Carlos Raul Cortez, who was charged with family violence assault last week, has filed a motion challenging his girlfriend's claims that he choked her, leaned her over the edge of the balcony at his apartment and threatened to kill her.
In a motion filed Monday, Carlos Cortez said his girlfriend was trying to kill herself and he tried to pull her away from the balcony. Ted Steinke, an attorney for Cortez' girlfriend, called Cortez' contention that he was saving her life ``laughable,'' adding, ``it's my experience that the police don't usually arrest heroes.''
Cortez is asking a judge to throw out an emergency protective order granted by a judge after the Saturday incident.
Cortez is charged with assault family violence, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
In a statement released to CBS 11 on Saturday, Cortez' attorney refuted the claims.
"The allegations made by the complainant are false. If necessary, it will be shown in the proper forum that Judge Cortez actually saved her life. Judge Cortez will continue to serve the State of Texas and Dallas County like he has for the last seven years – as an award winning jurist who handles his court with courtesy and dignity to all who seek Justice."
(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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