DA Gonzales plans to cut indictment backlog by one-third, despite staffing problems
Bexar County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to allow Gonzales to spend $295,000 in unused funding for six vacant positions to pay prosecutors who volunteer for extra work preparing cases for a grand jury. The so-called โHigh Risk Intake Teamโ would focus on violent crimes, repeat offenders, and cases specifically highlighted by police or prosecutors.
Better communication could solve issues between Bexar County DA and SAPD, says insider
In early September, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said he would get to the bottom of the problems between the Bexar County DA and San Antonio Police Department. Nearly two weeks later, internal talks reveal there maybe a communication problem.
One year after homeless man was shot at a gas station, family frustrated with lack of charges
A year after William Hawkins, 35, was shot in a downtown gas station parking lot near McCullough Avenue and U.S. 281, his family is frustrated by what they see as a lack of justice. The Oct. 14, 2021 shooting happened in broad daylight, and was captured on camera, but the shooter is not currently facing any charges.
Bexar County announces creation of Civil Rights Division to handle shootings by officers
Bexar County announces creation of Civil Rights Division to handle shootings by officersPublished: October 16, 2020, 6:10 pmBexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales on Friday announced the creation of a new civil rights division that will focus specifically on in-custody deaths, police shootings and excessive force cases involving area law enforcement personnel.
Bexar County DA explains reasons for not reopening SAPD shooting cases
SAN ANTONIO Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales has rejected a call to reopen the cases of two black men who were shot and killed by San Antonio police officers in recent years. Nothing about the facts of these cases, nothing about whats in the files, is going to change by us reopening these cases, Gonzales said Tuesday, referring to the deaths of Marquis Jones and Charles Roundtree. The two men were shot and killed in separate incidents. Gonzales said that though previous administrations prosecuted the cases, he personally reviewed the files before opting not to reopen the cases. However, Gonzales did not close the door entirely on the matter.
Do you know what a CLEAR Alert is?
Through her grief and determination, Mandadiโs mother, Alison Steele, fought to get a bill passed by the state legislature, creating whatโs called a CLEAR Alert. Ex-boyfriend testifies about love triangle involving slain Trinity cheerleaderAfter Mandadiโs death, her parents created the CLEAR Alert, standing for Coordinated Law Enforcement Adult Rescue. On May 14, 2019, the state bill to legally create a CLEAR Alert, passed unanimously and went into effect September 1, 2019. "When this did pass into law, law enforcement did receive briefings and what not within their own agencies. Steele said right now, Texas is the only state that has the CLEAR Alert, but other states are trying to follow suit.