Harris County increases bond requirement, teacher fired for showing porn in class

HOUSTON (KIAH) — Here’s what you missed on Eyewitness News at 9 here on CW39 Houston.

Harris County bail board passes 10% minimum rule

After a months-long battle, the Harris County Bail Bond Board passed a minimum 10% bail requirement.

In some cases, the Sheriff’s Office found some companies only required 2% to be put down, which outraged victims’ families.

Wednesday’s board meeting lasted several hours and was full of passionate public comment.

The minimum 10% doesn’t apply to all crimes, but focuses on major ones like murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, trafficking, kidnapping, and continuous abuse of a family member.

Man arrested in possible kidnapping cases in Deer Park, Pasadena

An arrest has been made after police say a man tried to kidnap three young girls last week in Pasadena and Deer Park.

Pasadena police say they found Chase Brefczynski and arrested him this afternoon in Lufkin.

All three victims positively identified him as the man who pulled up to them asking for directions earlier this month. He’s accused of threatening one of the girls with a gun. Fortunately, all three got away.

Klein ISD teacher fired for showing porn in class

A Klein Collins High School history teacher has been fired after showing porn in class.

Police sources say Kevin Welchel was watching an adult video when students were taking a quiz, and it somehow popped up on a screen connected to his laptop.

He’s facing charges and we were unable to reach him for comment.

Lawyer: US Rep. Cuellar not the target of FBI investigation

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s lawyer says federal authorities have informed him that the Democrat is not the target of an investigation that led FBI agents to search Cuellar’s South Texas home.

Cuellar denied any wrongdoing in January after FBI agents searched his house in the border city of Laredo.

Washington, D.C.-based attorney Joshua Berman now says the Justice Department informed him Cuellar is not the target of the investigation.

The statement comes as Cuellar is locked in a primary runoff with a progressive challenge: Jessica Cisneros, a 28-year-old immigration attorney. The FBI and U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment.

Texas girl at center of life support battle leaves hospital

A 3-year-old Texas girl whose mother has waged a court battle to keep doctors from removing her from life-sustaining treatment has improved enough that she was released from the hospital last week and will now be cared for at home.

Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, has been advocating for Tinslee Lewis.

The group said this week that her health had “so steadily improved” that she was released from Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth on April 7.

Her case has been making its way through the courts since November 2019.

Texas inmate who sought pastor’s touch gets execution date

A Texas death row inmate who won a reprieve when his request for his pastor to pray out loud and touch him as he received his lethal injection sparked legal debate has a new execution date.

A South Texas judge on Tuesday signed an order setting John Henry Ramirez’s execution for Oct. 5.

Ramirez had been set for execution on Sept. 8, 2021, but the U.S. Supreme Court blocked his execution and agreed to take up his case to address the role of spiritual advisers in the death chamber.

The Supreme Court ruled last month that states must accommodate the wishes of death row inmates who want to have their faith leaders pray aloud and touch them during executions.

Ramirez’s lawyer says he doesn’t believe the execution can proceed until a civil rights petition in the case is resolved.

For more news and weather from ABC13, join us for Eyewitness News at 9 here on CW39.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.