BEAUMONT, Texas — A 39-year-old Jasper man was sentenced to 30 years after being charged with a first degree felony charge of injury to a disabled person with intent to cause serious bodily injury and two misdemeanor charges of family assault causing bodily injury.
A Jefferson County jury deliberated in the trial of a 39-year-old Jasper man accused of abusing a paraplegic woman who had once been his girlfriend.
Opening statements began just before 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon in the trial of Leon Cauley, Jr., 39, of Jasper, who is standing trial on several charges in Jefferson County's 252nd District Court before Judge Raquel West.
Cauley is charged with a first degree felony charge of injury to a disabled person with intent to cause serious bodily injury and two misdemeanor charges of family assault causing bodily injury.
The injury to a disabled person charge carries a maximum sentence of 99 years to life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Trial Day 2
Both the prosecution and the defense rested their cases Wednesday morning before the jury began deliberations.
"This case, in my opinion, is a tale of two witnesses," prosecutor Tommy Coleman told the jurors in reference to Cauley and the woman he is accused of hurting.
Cauley displayed cowardice by picking a victim who cannot fight back he told the jury.
"Cowards don't take responsibility," Coleman said.
She had the courage to survive the challenges of being a paraplegic and went on to obtain a criminal trespass warning against Cauley.
Coleman also thanked the jury for their service on behalf of the county and of the victim during his closing arguments
Defense attorney Joel Vazquez, in his closing arguments, told the jury they are being asked to decide if Cauley did this on purpose.
Did he think it would be funny to scald someone with water, or was he sloppy and criminally negligent, Vazquez asked jurors.
Vazquez told jurors that his client spoke the best he could and gave the best answers he could. He then asked the jury if they agreed with the charge.
He also reminded them that the prosecutor is not an eyewitness, but someone who will try to persuade them that a crime was committed.
Later, the victim later gave 12News a statement:
"I’m honestly happy with the decision that was made today. Justice was served, but no amount of time could heal the depression and hurt I’ve dealt with from this. I truly thank Mr. Tommy Coleman and his team for making all of this happen. I never knew I would be back into a situation to where I’m physically harmed by someone. These last two days have been very trying, let alone the year and a half I’ve been waiting, but I made it through now. I can go on with my life and continue to be a mother to my kids and not let this hinder my mental state anymore. May 1st, 2024 I received my justice."
Trial Day 1
Jefferson County assistant district attorney Tommy Lamar Coleman began his opening statement that by telling jurors that the evidence will show that Cauley poured scalding hot water on the woman while saying, "look at you, baby cry." When she told him the water was too hot, he told her to, "shut the eff up," Coleman told the jury.
Cauley was mad that the woman, who had no way to defend herself, had broken up with him he told jurors Tuesday afternoon.
Coleman went on to describe Cauley mocking her when she asked him to stop, noting that the hot water caused third degree burns.
Vazquez used his opening statements to remind the jury that opening statements are not evidence.
He asked the jury to wait until they had heard all the evidence presented during the trial before they came to a conclusion.
Jury selection in the case began on Monday, April 29, 2024.
Police were called to the north Beaumont home of a woman in December 2022 to investigate the abuse according to a probable cause affidavit in the case.
The woman, who was shot in the face in 2013, is confined to a motorized wheelchair and a hospital-style bed.
She allowed Cauley, her now ex-boyfriend, to move into her home in November 2022 but later realized it was a mistake she told police according to the affidavit.
Cauley began to isolate her, taking away her phone and computer and telling her home health providers to stay away, the affidavit said.
Her condition requires nearly round-the-clock care, police noted in the affidavit.
In mid-December 2022, Cauley began to physically abuse her and poured boiling hot water onto her lap and legs while she was in bed she told police.
She told police she could see the steam rising from the water and told Cauley not to use it because it was too hot, but he poured it on her despite her warning, she told them.
He then rubbed her skin aggressively and told her to shut up and said "look at the baby crying," according to the affidavit.
After she was injured, her brother was able to get Cauley, who damaged her property and stole her medication, out of her house.
Her mother was then able to come care for her and discovered the extent of her injuries.
She was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth hospital in Beaumont where she was treated for third degree burns, the affidavit said.
Cauley has a "lengthy and violent criminal history," according to the probable cause affidavit.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.