State District Judge Julie Kocurek, the presiding felony judge for Travis County, was shot in the driveway of her West Austin home late Friday, authorities said. Police said the injury is not considered life threatening.
Kocurek was taken to University Medical Center-Brackenridge, where she was joined by several other Travis County judges and her court staff. Her condition initially was considered critical, but shortly after midnight officials said her condition had been upgraded to stable.
Police said the shooting was reported at 10:16 p.m. Kocurek had just returned home and was accompanied by others when she was shot, police Cmdr. Mark Spangler said. No one else with the judge was shot.
A neighbor of Kocurek’s told the American-Statesman that she “just heard four pops.”
Law enforcement officials swarmed the area around Kocurek’s home near Lake Austin looking for the assailant. The search includes dozens of Austin police officers who are searching by both air and ground. Spangler said darkness obviously presented a challenge in the search.
The shooting occurred in Austin’s Tarrytown neighborhood on Scenic Drive, a street of $1 million and $2 million homes that runs along Lake Austin. Police set up crime-scene tape around a white sport-utility vehicle in front of Kocurek’s home, which has a security gate that cuts across the driveway.
Kocurek, a former prosecutor, has served as the presiding judge of the 390th District Court since being appointed by then-Gov. George W. Bush in January 1999. She went on to become the only Republican elected to a state district judgeship in Travis County. In 2006, she switched political parties and joined the Democrats. “My job in the courtroom is not a political job, ” she said at the time. “This is really about me just being honest with myself.”
Until last year, Kocurek served as the administrative presiding judge of all criminal courts in the county, a position she held since 2011, and in that time, she helped spur an overhaul of the defense system used to appoint lawyers to the cases of poor defendants.
Most recently, she was overseeing the case of Mark Norwood, who was convicted in the infamous 1986 killing of Christine Morton and is now facing charges in the 1988 death of Debra Baker. She also was presiding over the case of Dara Llorens, who was arrested in Mexico for the 2002 kidnapping of her daughter, Sabrina Allen.
District Judge David Wahlberg said he received word of the shooting after midnight.
“It’s the most shocking news I have ever received,” he said. “Judge Kocurek is a wonderful woman. It’s unfathomable to think that anyone would be angry with her. We are all praying for her.”
http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/travis-county-judge-julie-kocurek-shot-outside-hom/npH5r/
***“It’s the most shocking news I have ever received,” he said. “Judge Kocurek is a wonderful woman. It’s unfathomable to think that anyone would be angry with her. We are all praying for her.”***
Really? Someone who participates in a system that kidnaps people and puts them into hellhole cages for victimless crimes is “wonderful”?
I say she got off easy. Hopefully her assailant gets away with this.
God speed, shooter. Keep moving, and good luck in getting away with this. You’re a credit to this country for your brave action against the tyranny we all suffer under.
As for the robed bitch, I’m sorry to hear that she’ll survive. Hopefully a patriotic nurse will give her the wrong I.V. bag and finish her off.
They list a bunch of her recent cases as if this were related. NO.
I think she was shot just for being a crooked judge in a corrupt and tyrannical “justice” system, and that’s more than enough reason.
I agree 100% JR
A former prostituter …. I mean prosecutor that says it all
F#@king idiot… SHE LIVED! Get it RIGHT next time!
Exactly!
“A neighbor of Kocurek’s told the American-Statesman that she “just heard four pops.”
Unannounced, how the hell can FOUR shots NOT be fatal.
“No one else with the judge was shot.”
Damn suspicious, if they were in a group.
One shot , one kill . I think some trigger time is needed here .
I bet that BAR loving lesbian whore isn’t laughing at real Americans anymore. Luckily these idiots will double down and start surrounding our servants with bodyguards. I say let them and theirs all congregate in the same location. Bring the families too!
“It’s unfathomable to think that anyone would be angry with her.”, said another District Judge who has no clue. Let’s see, appointed by George W. Bush huh? Honest as the day is long I’m sure. Living in a gated community on Snob ridge with all the other “Little Piggies”, they can’t fathom the inequality and injustice driving the rage behind the incident.
Just remember: pigs inside pens are easier to find and harvest.
America is waking up as I see it!
Kocurek had just returned home and was accompanied by others when she was shot, police Cmdr. Mark Spangler said. No one else with the judge was shot.
Wonder who the “others” were?
Tarrytown is elite. You don’t just get shot, while “others” watch.
This is very likely another hoax and will be considered so until there is some type of proof otherwise. It fits right into the their agenda. In fact, I’m surprised that everyone here seems to buy into this “story” as being “real”. What proof do you have that it isn’t another faked event like Sandy Hook and the dozens of others we’ve proven were HOAXES?
whether it is or isn’t, as you can see, there are a lot of people who don’t like them or what they stand for. honestly, im not even sure how they can like themselves much. must take a lot of money and power to erase all that. their fighting the wrong people. idiots!
Her pic above looks like someone secretly replaced her toothpaste with Vagisil.
I hope it’s true and is a message being sent but the shooter definitely needs range time and a second shot at things.
“This is really about me just being honest with myself.”
If she ever was, and the shooting actually is genuine, she would’ve done the job for the shooter herself.
Lack of information is suspicious with this “news”. Perhaps she will be the next Gabby?
I need to make the coffee stronger, apparently.
Sorry, admin… didn’t pay close enough attention to what was already up. 🙄
four shots and she isnt dead…the police should look for a blind gunman.
had to post. just wish i came up with it.