Opinion ID: 8598
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Rocha Investigation

Text: 5 Salazar assigned Rocha to investigate Cantu's assault allegation. Shortly thereafter Rocha interviewed three of Cantu's friends: Veronica Galvan, Yolanda Escobar and Maria Solis. Veronica Galvan, along with her sister Sylvia Galvan (not interviewed) were present at the party and drove home to Edinburg with Cantu. Veronica Galvan signed an affidavit memorializing the interview. Galvan's affidavit states that she observed Cantu and Lopez dancing in a provocative way which involved grabbing his butt and penis. Later that evening when she and several friends tried to get Cantu out of the bathroom and away from Lopez, Cantu shook her fist at them and told them to leave her alone, which they did. The next morning Cantu looked nervous and began crying on the way home. Cantu stated she was ashamed of what she had done and that she was going to Planned Parenthood to be checked. Later Cantu told Veronica Galvan that she had bruises in her mouth and that she had slept with Lopez. Veronica Galvan stated that she did not know whether Cantu was raped or willingly participated. 6 Yolanda Escobar, who did not attend the party, was Cantu's confidante. Cantu told Escobar that she was worried because Sylvia Galvan had seen Cantu performing oral sex on Lopez. Cantu also told Escobar that Lopez was too rough, which caused bruises in her mouth. Finally, Cantu told Escobar that she was suicidal and was considering changing schools. Escobar did not know whether Cantu consented to sexual relations with Lopez or was assaulted. 7 Maria Solis, who also did not attend the party, signed an affidavit stating that Cantu had confided she was embarrassed about what happened at the party. Sylvia Galvan also confided in Solis. According to Solis, Sylvia Galvan claimed to have seen Cantu performing oral sex on Lopez. Sylvia Galvan told Solis that several women repeatedly tried to get Cantu away from Lopez, but that Cantu would not leave and, with a raised fist, told them to leave her alone. 8 Cantu alleges that Rocha made statements in these witness interviews with Galvan, Escobar and Solis that impeached her virtue and damaged her reputation. Cantu's allegations are supported by affidavits from the three witness-interviewees in which Galvan, Escobar and Solis state that Rocha unnecessarily prolonged the interviews and inappropriately offered his opinion of the case. Veronica Galvan and Escobar stated that Rocha made the following offensive statements: (1) that the incident did not seem like rape; (2) that Cantu had the hots for Lopez; (3) that there is only so much provocation a person can take; (4) that Cantu, Lopez and another woman were involved in a love triangle (illustrated by drawing a triangle with the names of Cantu, Lopez and an unidentified third person); (5) that Rocha intended to interview Cantu and would arrest her if he thought she was lying and (6) that he would subpoena their sister (Sylvia Galvan) if she did not come in to tell what she knew about the assault. Solis' affidavit states that Rocha remarked that the incident did not seem like rape and opined that Cantu had the hots for Lopez. Solis also claimed that Rocha asked her offensive hypothetical questions, such as whether she would bite someone if being forced to give a blow job. 9 The UT-PA investigation was eventually dropped when Cantu did not file a formal complaint. Subsequently, university officials reached the conclusion that alleged sexual assault fell outside the jurisdiction of the UT-PA police department. In August 1991, Cantu reported the incident to the South Padre Island Police Department. The grand jury, however, failed to indict and no criminal action has ever been prosecuted.