Victims Pushing Back on Pro-Criminal Policies in Austin, Texas

Austin, the capital of Texas, has become the San Francisco of the southwest.  In 2021 the city set an all-time record for homicides, had twice the national rate for burglary, and vehicle theft, and a third higher rate for robbery and assault.   NBC’s KNXN reports that the city is currently on track to meet or exceed last year’s second highest number of homicides.  Austin also rivals San Francisco on homelessness, with 10,000 people living in 168 different homeless camps according to the New York Post.  While the city passed an ordinance to prohibit camping on pubic property, it is not enforced.  In 2020, responding to the George Floyd riots, the progressive City Council cut the police budget by one-third.  That cut, and the city’s woke law enforcement policies have driven officers to take jobs in other counties or retire, leaving the force short by 400.  Austin’s progressive, Soros-bankrolled District Attorney Jose Garza, who has never prosecuted a criminal case, typically undercharges or plea bargains criminal cases, including those involving murder.

Crime victims are speaking out about Austin’s refusal to fully enforce the law.  This week the trial begins for one of the murderers involved in the June 2021 mass shooting of fifteen people.  Gang member De’Ondre White was 19 when he fired into a crowd at Austin’s popular 6th Street nightclub district.  One of the shots hit 25-year-old tourist Douglas Kantor, killing him.  Fox News reports that in a open letter to the Austin city council Kantor’s mother wrote, “It was you, the city council and others who defunded the police and welcomed these evil people with no regard for life to run and ruin your city.  Your irresponsible choices for political gain has put a target on the backs of Austin’s citizens and all who visit.”

In another murder case reported by Fox News, five criminals charged with the 2020 robbery and murder of Christopher Branham, a 26-year-old father of two, who was murdered on June 24, 2020, after being beaten and robbed in a mob-style attack, were originally set to be charged with capital murder.  But in January of 2021, when District Attorney Jose Garza assumed office, the death penalty was taken off the table for the five participants, and four have been given plea deals.  One of the defendants, who posted video on social media showing her repeatedly stomping Branham while he lay on the ground, got a plea deal and was diverted to a rehabilitation program.  She escaped in 2021 and was on the run when she was hit by a car in Fort Worth, killing her.  Branham’s family was not notified about any of this.

The second defendant in the case, Jesse Perkins, was indicted for aggravated robbery in 2020, but Garza’s office dismissed the charges after taking office “pending further investigation” in a move the family says they were told by Garza’s assistants was made due to “lack of evidence.”  Perkins got a three year sentence for an unrelated robbery charge and will be released this year.

The third defendant, Jamil Watford, was wearing an ankle monitor while participating in the assault of Branham after being released by Travis County on a PR bond for a previous aggravated robbery charge.  Although evidence  indicates that Watford was a ringleader, Garza charged him with aggravated robbery rather than murder.

Anthony Davis, one of the remaining two defendants, who drove Branham to a cornfield and fatally shot him,  got a plea deal and will serve 14 years for the murder.  The fifth defendant, Kyle Cleveland, is facing a capital murder indictment, but the Branham family fears that Garza will cut a plea deal to reduce his sentence.  Cleveland is scheduled to go to trial this month.

Under Texas law all of the participants could have been charged with capital murder.  Texas state law, known as the “law of parties,” provides that “each party to an offense may be charged with commission of the offense.”  Garza claims that he could not charge three of the defendants because while the robbery and beating of Branham involved all five,  it was Davis and Cleveland who finished the unconscious man off in the cornfield.

Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Retired Officer’s Association, told reporters,  “The prosecution is acting more like defense attorneys than they are prosecutors.  Whatever his skewed view of what criminal justice reform is, isn’t working. It sure isn’t working for the victims. It used to be that they got the victims’ buy-in before offering plea bargains. Now it doesn’t appear he’s even doing that, because they’re not even communicating with them, and that’s what’s leading to the revictimization of these families.”

Like Oakland, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City,  which all have Soros-funded progressive (read pro-criminal) district attorneys, Austin has become a lawless and dangerous place for anyone but criminals.