junior attorney who won the case for jennifer ertman

by Kieran Kemmer Published 3 years ago Updated 1 year ago 5 min read

Who was the ringleader of the Jennifer Ertman murder?

Peter Anthony Cantu Executed for Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murders. HUNTSVILLE, Texas (CBS/KHOU) Murderer Peter Anthony Cantu was executed by the state of Texas Tuesday evening. He was the ringleader in a crime that struck a raw nerve for its sheer brutality: the repeated gang rape, torture and murder of 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman ...

How many of the Pena and Ertman killers have been executed?

Three of the Pena and Ertman killers have been executed. Three others have long prison terms. Two of them will come up for parole in 2028. The Ertmans and Penas are videotaping their protest for the parole board, in case they are not here in 18 years to protest in person.

Who came to witness Cantu's execution?

No one came to witness on Cantu's behalf when he received his lethal injection. The girls' families came to witness the execution and were met by supporters and applause when they walked out of the Walls Unit. "Why do I watch? For justice. For justice for my little girl," Elizabeth's father, Adolph Pena, said.

What was the purpose of the Shoelaces?

Shoelaces were used to strangle Pena. Evidence showed Cantu kicked one of the girls in the face with his steel-toed boot. A tip led authorities to the bodies. And Cantu's brother, upset at the gang's gloating about having fun with the girls, called police. Cantu, then 18, orchestrated the attacks and slaying.

How old was the woman who was found with her throat cut?

Authorities later linked him and O'Brien to a killing six months before the attack on Ertman and Pena. In that case, a 27-year-old woman was found at a Houston park with her throat cut. She'd been raped and eviscerated. On death row, Cantu, now 35, was classified among the best-behaving inmates.

When did Ertman go to jail?

In August 2008, Ertman again climbed the steps to the red-bricked Huntsville Unit prison. Mexican-born Jose Medellin, 33, with needles in his arms, also apologized. Nine minutes later, he was dead.

How many people were sentenced to death for the murder of a girl?

Of the six people convicted for the heinous crimes, five were sentenced to death. Two who were 17 when the girls were killed were spared the death penalty when the U.S. Supreme Court barred execution of people who were under 18 when they committed their crimes.

Who was the mastermind of Jennifer Ertman?

Peter Anthony Cantu Execution: Mastermind of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murders to Die Tonight. HUNTSVILLE, Texas (CBS/AP/KHOU) Tonight, Peter Anthony Cantu will be executed for two of the most notorious deaths in Houston history, the 1993 rapes and murders of 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena and 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman. ...

Who was executed in 1993?

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (CBS/AP/KHOU) Tonight, Peter Anthony Cantu will be executed for two of the most notorious deaths in Houston history, the 1993 rapes and murders of 16-year-old Elizabeth Pena and 14-year-old Jennifer Ertman. Of the six people convicted for the heinous crimes, five were sentenced to death. Two who were 17 when the girls were killed ...

Where did the Pena girls go on a curfew?

On a June night, the two girls were hoping to beat an 11:30 p.m. curfew by taking a shortcut home to Pena's northwest Houston neighborhood. They were crossing a railroad bridge when the gang, drinking beer and initiating a new member, spotted them. One of the gang members grabbed Pena. She screamed.

Why was the homicide of Ertman and Pena so important?

The homicide of Ertman and Pena stood out as truly newsworthy all over Texas because of the grievous idea of the wrongdoing alongside the new law that was set up that enabled the groups of the exploited people to see the execution of the killers.

Why did Medellin get an E on his ring?

Medellin got a ring that had a letter ‘E’ on it, so he could bless it to his then sweetheart, Esther.

How long was Venancio in jail?

Venancio was 14 at the hour of the wrongdoing. Since he was just 14, he got 40 years in jail. He will be up for parole in the following hardly any years. Jennifer Ertman’s dad Randy and different exploited people family doesn’t need him to gain parole.

What did the two young ladies see in the White Oak Bayou?

The two young ladies were simply strolling along around the White Oak Bayou when they saw a couple “Highly contrasting” posse individuals. These group individuals were having a decent time holding a commencement and drinking lager.

What time did the two companions leave the gathering?

The two companions both understood that they would be late returning home, that is the point at which they chose to leave the gathering suddenly to attempt to make it home by their 11 pm check-in time.

Who was the father of Jennifer Ertman?

The father of Jennifer Ertman, Randy Ertman needed to have the City of Houston’s wrongdoing advocate, Andy Kahan to be available for the extremely renowned Medellin execution. Nonetheless, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice didn’t permit Kahan to be available for the Medellin execution.

When was Medellin dismissed?

In 1998, was the point at which he requested of with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals regarding this very issue. In any case, Medellin was officially dismissed.

What happened to Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena?

The murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena have had an impact on victim's rights in Texas still felt 25 years after their deaths. Ertman and Pena were headed home from a party, and took a shortcut to make it home by their 11 p.m. curfew the night they were killed.

What time did Ertman and Pena go home?

Ertman and Pena were headed home from a party, and took a shortcut to make it home by their 11 p.m. curfew the night they were killed.

Who was the person who killed Jennifer Ertman?

Venancio Medellin was part of a group that ambushed Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, as they were walking near TC Jester on June 24, 1993. Medellin was 14 at the time of the killings and has served 27 years of his 40-year sentence, the maximum punishment allowed for a juvenile.

When was the man convicted of murdering two teens denied parole?

Man convicted of murdering 2 teens in 1993 denied parole. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A former gang member convicted for his role in the brutal murder of two Houston teens has been denied parole, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

When did Medellin's brother die?

Medellin's brother, Jose, was put to death in 2008.

Overview

The rapes and murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Peña, two teenage girls from Houston, Texas, aged 14 and 16, respectively, occurred on June 24, 1993. The murder of the two girls made headlines in Texas newspapers due to the nature of the crime and the new law resulting from the murder that allows families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers. The case was al…

Peña and Ertman

Elizabeth Christine Peña (June 21, 1977 – June 24, 1993) and Jennifer Lee Ertman (August 15, 1978 – June 24, 1993) were close friends who both attended Waltrip High School.
Although the girls were just over one year in age difference, both sets of parents approved of their friendship, with Peña's father viewing Ertman—a modest girl who had only recently begun experimenting with makeup—as a "positive influence" on his daughter, later recollecting that, sho…

Murders

Realizing that the girls would be capable of identifying them, Peter Cantu, the leader of the gang, ordered the members to kill the girls. Both girls were strangled to death. Following Cantu's initial instruction, Villarreal first shouted, "Get on your knees, bitch!" to Ertman. O'Brien (the only non-Hispanic, Black person in the gang) and Villarreal strangle Ertman with a red nylon belt before breaking the belt. Both completed the act by strangling the girl with a shoelace in Peña's presen…

Discovery

Four days after the murders, the girls' bodies were found in the park during hot weather conditions. Both victims were badly decaying, and dental records were used for identification. The medical examiner corroborated that the cause of death was strangulation. All those believed responsible were ultimately arrested. Medellín gave both written and taped confessions.

Sentencing and incarceration

At sentencing, the offenders were remanded to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system. Peter Anthony Cantu, José Ernesto Medellín, Derrick Sean O'Brien, Efrain Pérez, and Raul Omar Villarreal received death sentences. Venancio Medellín, the brother of José Medellín, was 14 at the time of the murder, the same age as Jennifer Ertman. Venancio received a 40-year …

Executions

Derrick O'Brien was the first to be executed on July 11, 2006. O'Brien was buried in the Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery in Huntsville, Texas.
Before his execution, O'Brien expressed his regrets for his actions to the families of Peña and Ertman. He then apologized to his family before being executed by lethal injection. In response to accusations from anti-death penalty advocates …

Aftermath

The parents of the murder victims successfully advocated for the State of Texas to allow victims' relatives to have permission to witness executions. Before the murders, Houston officials had stated that gangs were not a significant issue in the city. C.E. Anderson, a Houston Police Department officer who worked on the murder case, described the murder as "part of the impetus for the antigang programs in Houston." Jennifer Latson of the Houston Chronicle said that the de…