Garza’s failure to indict defendants on time is inexcusable. Travis County families deserve better | Opinion
Pam Madere and Corby Jastrow, Austin-American Statesman
When defendants are deported instead of prosecuted, we deny justice to survivors, embolden predators and further endanger our community. Victims see only a system that failed them.
The Austin American-Statesman’s Tony Plohetski recently broke an alarming story: 54‑year‑old Mario Mata gave police a detailed confession last fall about his sexual abuse of a 7‑year‑old in Travis County. Yet, instead of being prosecuted, Mata was deported — because the office of Travis County District Attorney José Garza did not indict Mata within 90 days of his arrest, making him eligible for release.