Cassandra Hollemon presided over presided over the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 12 in Harris County, Texas. (Harris County Democratic Party)
One of the newly elected Texas judges who was part of the group that made headlines for being the largest number of Black women justices voted for at once has died.
Cassandra Hollemon lost her battle with pancreatic cancer on Monday. She was sworn in with 16 of her colleagues on Jan. 1, following a campaign to diversify the judiciary of the area. Hollemon began presiding over Harris County Criminal Court of Law 12 after the start of the year, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Over the last month, Hollemon made an imprint on local justice reform when she and her fellow justices forged a battle to settle the milestone lawsuit over the county’s cash bail system. In addition to being part of the history-making group of judges, Hollemon also served on the Community Supervision and Pretrial Services Committee.
However, after going through weeks of what Judge Darrell Jordan described to the Chronicle as “health issues,” Hollemon died at age 57 earlier this week. Hollemon’s daughter, Brandy Hollemon, told The Associated Press Wednesday that her mother died on Feb. 11, which was around one week following her diagnosis.
Brandy explained her mother, who loved being part of the “Black Girl Magic” campaign during the 2018 election season, fell ill in mid-December. Still, the judge continued to work up until her hospitalization on Jan. 23.
“She was an awesome, very strong woman,” Brandy Hollemon said, adding the justice had been mourning the December 2017 death of her own mother as she campaigned last year.
“The other judges would have to console her on the campaign trail, but she wouldn’t stop, she kept going — just endless hours, up late at night at different functions, campaigning and speaking. She just wouldn’t stop,” Brandy Hollemon said.
And Cassandra Hollemon also offered support to her fellow justices as they campaigned. Judge Shannon Baldwin said her colleague offered humor and strength as they forged a bond on the journey to elections.
“She was competitive; she was a fighter,” Baldwin told the Chronicle. “It’s really sad and humbling that she’s not here with us now.”
The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association tweeted Monday, “We are saddened to hear of this sudden loss and send our deepest condolences to Judge Hollemon’s family and friends.”
