Christina Corpus’ attorneys begin calling witnesses

Aenlle held a civilian role of Corpus’ executive team that was held at a similar rank as the assistant sheriffs. Before this role, Aenlle worked as a contract employee on Corpus’ transition team and volunteered for her campaign. 

After sworn officers repeatedly raised concerns over Aenlle for misconduct and cultivating a toxic workplace environment fearful of retaliation, the county commissioned retired Judge LaDoris Cordell to investigate the numerous complaints. This resulted in a 400-page report released publicly by the county Nov. 12, 2024. 

This report was the foundation laid by the county to make a case against Corpus and her executive team, the sheriff’s attorneys argued. They said it was filled with errors and based entirely on hearsay. 

County Executive Mike Callagy in-effect fired Aenlle from his role in the Sheriff’s Office the day after the report was released by zeroing out the allocated budget for the position — which was a newly created position for Aenlle. 

On the stand, Aenlle was adamant to refer to being fired as “wrongfully terminated” and would often correct the questioning attorney to refer to it as such. He elaborated extensively in his responses to questioning, and monologued about critiques of the Sheriff’s Office and his former work colleagues. 

Aenlle described former Undersheriff Chris Hsiung — who testified the opening day of the removal hearing — as being “very one dimensional,” and was scared to confront certain people. He said former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan was a “happy-go-lucky guy” who wasn’t able to carry out directives and lied. 

Monaghan was the final witness called to the stand by the county’s legal team. He was Corpus’ assistant sheriff until she attempted to fire him on Sept. 20, 2024. 

The former assistant sheriff spoke to the early days of Corpus’ tenure as sheriff, shortly after she was sworn into office. Once Monaghan took his position in February 2023, he said Corpus’ executive team worked collaboratively, and that the sheriff showed “a lot of care and compassion.” 

Monaghan said as time went on, Corpus and Aenlle’s leadership style became “authoritarian” and described the sheriff as reactive, rash and very disorganized. He described Aenlle as “dictatorial,” and said the former chief of staff would use fear and intimidation tactics to get personnel to do what he wanted. 

The matter regarding Jenna McAlpin was raised to both Aenlle and Monaghan by attorneys. McAlpin was formerly Aenlle’s assistant, and on the stand Aug. 20, she testified to an interaction with Aenlle on her penultimate day as a Sheriff’s Office employee that she found concerning. 

Aenlle accused McAlpin of spreading harmful rhetoric about the sheriff on social media, McAlpin said during her testimony. Aenlle said he “insinuated” that she was doing so, not accusing, and that that was a worthy distinction. 

The interaction left McAlpin in tears, but Aenlle said “that wasn’t unusual” and that people always assume the person that cries is “automatically the victim.” Aenlle said that he, in fact, was the victim in that situation. 

“I was the victim,” Aenlle said. “I was denied the process to clear my name.” 

Aenlle also denied other interactions in previous testimony regarding his mistreatment of personnel. 

Aenlle’s alleged questioning of McAlpin mirrored how he addressed matters of honesty and loyalty with other members as staff of the Sheriff’s Office. 

When Monaghan was first considering taking the role of assistant sheriff and met with Aenlle, Aenlle quickly questioned where Monaghan’s loyalties would lie. Monaghan was recommended to Corpus for the assistant sheriff position by Callagy. 

Monaghan was ultimately fired by Corpus because she could no longer trust him, according to the sheriff’s testimony. Corpus’ attorneys also have argued that Callagy is the problem, and is attempting to control the Sheriff’s Office from his role in the county. 

Aenlle said he questioned Monaghan about his loyalties for good reason. 

“The best interests of the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t always align with the county,” Aenlle said.

Callagy is slated to testify in court Wednesday according to Corpus’ attorneys. 

Before Monaghan took the stand, Detective Jeff Morgan was called and testified to hearing the sheriff call her predecessor, Carlos Bolanos, a “coconut” and also called former Capt. Rebecca Albin a “jew b—.” 

Corpus has denied saying these things during her own testimony. 

At the start of court Tuesday, the county’s counsel addressed the matter of the timeline by which cases have been and can be conducted during the hearing. 

Jan Little, lead attorney for the law firm representing the county, wanted to clarify how much time each side has taken during the hearings so far. Each part is allotted up to 35 hours to present their case, and cross examination counts toward this time. 

Before testimonies were given on Tuesday, Corpus’ attorneys had used more than 18 hours, while the county had used just over 16 hours. 

Every witness called by the county was also on the sheriff’s witness list, and according to the approved removal proceedings, each witness may testify only once and are questioned by both sides. 

The removal hearing will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.