Judge weighing possible contempt hearing for former DA Kim Ogg

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Harris County District Attorney's Office seeking revised gag order in Jocelyn Nungaray case

The Harris County District Attorney's Office was in court on Monday asking for a judge to issue a revised gag order in the Jocelyn Nungaray case following an interview that former Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg gave FOX 26 where she provided new evidence.

HOUSTON - Former Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg faces a possible contempt hearing due to interviews she gave to FOX 26 and other news outlets about the Jocelyn Nungaray murder case.

A judge is considering information provided in court on Wednesday to decide if a hearing will be held.

In court on Wednesday

What's new:

Judge Josh Hill updated his protective order on Wednesday morning.

In court, the defense and the prosecution expressed criticism and concerns to the judge about Ogg’s recent interviews about the case.

Hill says he is evaluating the information provided in court on Wednesday to determine if there will be a contempt hearing for Ogg. He has not made a decision.

District attorney's office requests updated gag order

The backstory:

In June of last year, the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray shocked the nation. 

Franklin Pena Ramos and Johan Martinez-Rangel admitted to raping, kidnapping, and murdering Jocelyn. Both suspects are currently held in Harris County Jail with a $10 million bond each.

The case gained further attention when it was revealed that both suspects were undocumented immigrants from Venezuela, having entered the country weeks before committing the crime.

In September 2024, Judge Hill denied a gag order requested by the defense but imposed restrictions on certain discussions of the case. At the time, Kim Ogg was the district attorney. Two months after the restrictions, she gave an interview to "Fox & Friends."

"We’re seeking death because we want the message out there that regardless of who you are, especially if you are illegally in this country, you will face the same consequences as anyone else for murdering a child during the course of raping and kidnapping," Ogg stated.

On May 29, 2025, Ogg spoke with FOX 26, revealing that Pena had been accused of raping an American woman in Costa Rica. "I am very concerned about the decisions that my successor district attorney has been making," Ogg said.

Ogg's interviews have drawn criticism from both the defense and the current prosecuting team.

Earlier this month, the Harris County District Attorney's Office, asked for an update to the gag order in the case with language specifying that former attorneys and witnesses are also subject to the order.

What is a contempt hearing?

Dig deeper:

A contempt hearing in Texas is a process where a court determines if someone has violated a court order or acted disrespectfully towards the court. 

The hearing allows the accused party (contemnor) to present their defense and for the court to assess the evidence and determine if the violation was intentional.