CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The former Corpus Christi police officer who is supposed to head to jail is asking a judge for another chance.
In November 2019, a Nueces County jury found Norma Deleon guilty on two counts of official oppression.
The following month, Judge Sandra Watts sentenced her to a week in jail, two years probation and 100 days of community service.
Deleon was supposed to start serving her jail sentence this month.
Today, Judge Watts announced that earlier this week Deleon asked for an appeal but she didn't have sufficient funds for an attorney.
During a hearing this morning, Judge Watts appointed Gabi Canales to represent Deleon during her appeal.
The judge also set Deleon's next hearing for Jan. 10.
On November 29, 2018, Deleon asked two fellow officers to escort her to an apartment for a welfare check on a child at a home on Carroll lane.
She was trying to gain access to her boyfriend's niece.
Body-cam video shows Deleon speaking to the girl's father, Joshua Barnes, who asked her to leave several times. He eventually allowed Deleon into his apartment where she later used her cell phone to FaceTime with the girl's maternal grandmother.
Moments later, Barnes realized Deleon was not a case worker but, in fact, dating the child's uncle, fellow CCPD officer Tommy Cabello.
Cabello currently is a is serving a 10-year sentence for domestic abuse against his wife.
During Deleon's trial, Nueces Co. Asst. District Attorney Eric Flores said Deleon used her resources as a police officer, including a police computer, to find the young girl.
