Emery Jay Menchaca is my older brother, and he was a young Texas champion roping cowboy, a loving father of two little boys, proud to own his home and run his small trucking business. Now, he's serving 70 years in prison for a broken window! He'll be 99 years old before he gets out. What happened to him can happen to others, and it's wrong!

Emery is a young cowboy who had no priors with the law. He's a great Dad, a hard worker, and a provider. Next to his family, roping was his only other love. It made him a winner in the George Strait Classic and many other events. Fame came easy to a kid blessed with looks straight out of a Hollywood western.

Young marriages have ups and downs. There were disagreements sometimes over Emery's passion for roping, which led to separations; his wife and boys were gone for days. Until one day, the cowboy's wife left for good and found another beau. Emery was devastated, especially when he often saw pictures on social media. He and his girl were still married, but she lived with someone else, and they had two sons. One night in April 2020, he agreed to see her after she called him all day and gave him her address.

Then, Emery's wife called 911, reported he was coming over, and wanted an officer to be sent. They didn't until her boyfriend called and said Emery was there. Officers went to the scene, but Emery had left, and his wife alleged he had attacked her. Police video showed her walking up to their car on her own. She went to the ER briefly and was released.

Police saw a broken window, but neighbors had neither heard nor seen any violence on their street that night. Nor was there any DNA or even fingerprints of Emery inside the house. In court, his estranged wife and her boyfriend said that Emery NEVER entered the house. Yet, the DA insisted the broken window and a hammer in the home meant Emery was guilty of "burglary of a habitation to commit a felony." The Texas cowboy was now facing prison for the rest of his life.

Emery refused a plea deal because he wasn't guilty. Instead. He sat in county jail for two years until the court told the DA to start the trial or let him go. During this time, his wife sent dozens of texts to Emery's family. She spoke of being forced by the DA to go to trial and how Emery was not guilty of what he was being accused, but it was too late.

In court, the DA attacked the image of a champion Texas cowboy and a law-abiding family guy and painted him as a criminal. Then, to get the 70-year sentence, he said Emery entered the house and committed burglary. Except that the only two people there that night swore he had NOT gone inside. So the DA came up with his next-best theory. He accused Emery of throwing the hammer that broke the window! Never mind...no witnesses, no prints, no DNA. Not even proof the hammer was Emery's in the first place. Still, the damage was done, and Emery's attorney was unwilling or unable to put up a better fight. Emery was convicted.

Our only hope now is an appeal, and we need your support with a signature and, if you can, a donation to help pay for the legal fight to free the Texas cowboy. Emery is strong and has faith in God; justice will happen. He misses his sons and forgives those whose actions put him behind bars. Now, it's up to you and me to show the world that Emery is not alone. Let's fight to free the Texas cowboy, my brother. America is about doing what's right, and 70 years is like a death sentence.

Thank you,

Morgan Menchaca