City Court Judge Leticia Astacio rejected a plea deal Friday afternoon and a hearing began on charges that she violated the terms of her conditional discharge on last year’s drunken driving complaint.
Her sister testified that Astacio didn’t drink alcohol on an occasion when a security guard said she appeared intoxicated, and her attorney says she has abided by the terms of the agreement to refrain from alcohol. Other witnesses said she wasn’t drinking at a Thanksgiving event when social media photos showed her with a group of people apparently drinking shots of tequila.
Judge Astacio testified that she had been careful to avoid the appearance of a violation and said inconsistencies with her ignition interlock were due to device error.
The judge was found guilty of a drunken driving charge last year. Part of her conditional discharge was that she avoid alcohol for a year and have her car equipped with an interlock.