Criminal Defense
I was arrested and taken to Lubbock County Detention Center. on May 19, 2022. I was detained and
Travis Sandoval was appointed as my court appointed attorney. Travis was rude to me and family
members. I believe he was biased against me as I was given the diagnosis of Bipolar I. Travis
informed me that his background in mental health services stemmed from his family. He indicated
that his Mother was diagnosed with Bipolar I and Dementia. In his representation of me, Travis was
often rude and impatient. He exhibitted a very low tolerance for frustration and my expression of
emotion. He and the Prosecutor agreed to drop the 3rd degree Felony I was charged with. Later, I
reminded him I was still in Detention for a Criminal Trespass charge. When he went back to the DA
to negotiate a plea for that charge, without my agreement or discusssion with me, he and the
prosecutor made the guilty plea on the Criminal Trespass charge contingent on the dismissal of the
3rd degree Felony. In discussion of the 3rd degree Felony, I indicated I would not plea guilty and
perjury myself as he indicated I would have to swear under oath to the lesser charge of Class A
Misdemeanor of domestic assault. Since I believed I was not guilty, I informed Travis that I would
not be pleading to any charges as that would be considered perjury under the law. I did not
understand the legal documents that were signed and had no way of contacting my attorney prior to
the hearing for the guilty plea on the Criminal Trespass charge. Travis never attempted to defend
me for the Criminal Trespass charge, instead he described my behavior during the incident as
erratic. I believe I was actively Psychotic at the time of the incident, therefore should have been
able to go to trial for being psychotic and not knowing right from wrong. My psychosis stemmed from
being housed in solitarty confinement for over 6 months. I was not allowed to attend the Grand jury
hearing for the indictment of the 3rd degree Felony charge. In addition, several of the guards in
Detention were abusive. One of them used illegal use of force and tazed me for not removing my arms
from the food port door to my cell. I admit I was uncooperative, however I have a seizure disorder
induced by stress and being tazed is a danger to to me. The Detention center staff were given
information on my seizure disorder and Major Depressive Disorder upon intake. I beleve I suffered
a seizure shortly after I was tazed. Travis chose not to intervene or acknowlege any of this
treatment. Instead, he deemed me insane and treated me as such. I tried several times to get a new
attorney appointed. I contacted the judge in my criminal case, the Texas State Bar and the Public
Defender's office and told that I would not be given a new attorney. I believe staff at the
Detention Center violated many of my civil rights to be treated with dignity and respect.