11 of 29 Mona Nelson, left, sits with her lawyer, Allen Tanner, right, during Nelson's trial at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, in Houston. Nelson is facing a capital murder charge for the murder of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster in 2010. Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
7 of 29 Connie Spence gives her closing argument during Mona Nelson's capital murder trial at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, in Houston. Nelson is on trial for the murder of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster in 2010. Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
First Assistant District Attorney: Barrett Temple, [email protected] Assistant: Charissa Joyner, 772-6942, [email protected] Ctrm. 200 (County cases): Michael Chaney, [email protected] Assistant: DeeDee Moore, 772-6936, [email protected]
Nelson, 47, was convicted Tuesday of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole after more than two weeks of trial. She did not testify in her own defense, speaking in open court only after she was convicted. "I'm innocent, and I maintain my innocence," Nelson said on hearing the verdict from state District Judge Jeannine Barr.
Alana De La Garza was born in Columbus, Ohio and later relocated to Texas, ultimately attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). After college, she moved to Orlando, Florida, landing roles in a number of independent films as well as commercials.
In " For the Defense ", Cutter indicates that he has romantic feelings for her. McCoy, despite experiencing controversy due to his own relationships with various former ADAs (including the now deceased Claire Kincaid ), appears to be supportive of Cutter's aspirations.
Rubirosa is the fourth and final Law and Order character to be moved to a spin-off. The others are Donald Cragen, Lennie Briscoe, and Mike Logan. For Rubirosa, she was moved from Law & Order to Law & Order: LA, although it happened after the former was cancelled.
5 of 29 Mona Nelson, left, sits with her lawyer, Allen Tanner, center, as prosecutor Connie Spence gives her closing argument during Nelson's trial at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, in Houston. Nelson is on trial for the murder of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster in 2010. Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
17 of 29 Presiding Judge Jeannine Barr, of 182nd Criminal Court, listens to defense attorney Allen Tanner during the pretrial motions for the Mona Nelson capital murder trial on Monday, Aug. 12, 2013, in Houston. Nelson is accused of kidnapping and killing 12-year-old Jonathan Foster. Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
Spence theorized that Nelson became angry when the boy refused to let her in the north Houston apartment where he and his mother were living with a friend of Nelson's. The friend had told Nelson she could wait for her in the apartment, but did not tell the boy, who was home alone with instructions to not let anyone in.
The trial was unusual because Nelson asked, against the advice of her lawyer, that Barr decide the case instead of a jury. The judge announced her decision after deliberating for a day. Prosecutors were not seeking the death penalty.
22 of 29 Prosecutor Connie Spence walks toward the courtroom for pretrial motions in the Mona Nelson, accused of killing 12-year-old Jonathan Foster, capital murder trial which will begin this week on Monday, Aug. 12, 2013, in Houston. Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
7 of 29 Connie Spence gives her closing argument during Mona Nelson's capital murder trial at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, in Houston. Nelson is on trial for the murder of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster in 2010. Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
David Davis later was cleared of any wrongdoing because he was captured on video at a bar when the crime occurred.
John Freeman Gill of The New York Times writes that " Law & Order has been around so long that the datebook in the office of the prosecutor played by Sam Waterston is embossed with the year 1995. But one new ingredient in the show this season, the casting of Alana De La Garza as its first Hispanic assistant district attorney, helped give the "Melting Pot" story both nuance and passion."
In the episode "Strike", legal aid is on strike and Rubirosa is forced to become the defendant's defense attorney. She proves quite capable, and shows her clear belief in "zealously representing [her] client". Besides being Cutter's opponent throughout the trial, she antagonizes Detective Kevin Bernard in court.
Consuela Rubirosa is a fictional character, portrayed by Alana de la Garza, who joined the cast of long-running NBC drama series Law & Order during the 17th-season premiere episode "Fame".