Yolanda de Leon gets indicted a third time

October 9, 2008 - 12:29 PM

Yolanda de Leon

Former Cameron County District Attorney Yolanda de Leon has been reindicted for a third time on charges of tampering with governmental records.

The new indictment handed down on Wednesday replaces the other indictments that were handed down in July and in September. 

"There's no crime that's been committed here. They are just trying to make it fit," said defense attorney Israel Cano III.

The indictments come after  alleged confidential information was released to district attorney candidate Peter Zavaletta during the March primary election.

"I am surprised that the attorneys, for defendant Yolanda De Leon, do not realize that superseding indictments in a criminal case are commonplace. The defense is desperate and has resorted to grasping at straws," said Chief First Assistant District Attorney Charles E. Mattingly Jr. in a written statement.

"The facts regarding Yolanda De Leon's criminal conduct have never changed. De Leon has always been accused of the same criminal offenses. All that has been done is to narrow the issues for trial," Mattingly said.

For more on this story, read Friday's The Brownsville Herald.