Calls Grow for Travis County DA Jose Garza to Resign Amid “Secret Meetings” Scandal
The pressure on Travis County District Attorney José Garza has reached a boiling point. Fresh allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, political coordination, and withheld evidence in a years-long case against an Austin police officer have prompted some of the region’s most prominent law enforcement organizations to demand his resignation — and they say they’ve had enough.
At the center of the latest controversy is APD Officer Chance Bretches, who faces a felony charge of aggravated assault by a public servant stemming from his role in crowd-control operations during the 2020 George Floyd protests in downtown Austin. Attorneys for Bretches filed a motion in Travis County district court seeking dismissal of the case, alleging that prosecutors in Garza’s office held secret meetings with city officials and concealed evidence that could have helped his defense.
Here’s the situation:
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) March 18, 2026
An Austin cop is on trial related to conduct during the 2020 protests.
His lawyers just accused DA José Garza's office of hiding evidence and holding secret meetings with the City of Austin – meetings never disclosed to the defense.
The lawyers are asking… https://t.co/UlBUsfFe5L
The allegations are backed by sworn declarations from two former Austin officials. Former Austin Assistant City Manager Bruce Mills stated that he met with Garza and members of his office at least three times, beginning in March 2023, to discuss the city’s potential criminal liability for the police response during the 2020 protests. According to Mills, Garza indicated during the first meeting that he intended to indict the city over the department’s actions. The city then retained a criminal defense attorney and entered negotiations with prosecutors about how to avoid an indictment — talks that included proposals that could have resulted in charges against individual officers being dropped if the city accepted some form of accountability. Mills said the discussions ultimately stalled after prosecutors realized the statute of limitations had expired for potential charges against the city.
Bretches’ attorney, Doug O’Connell, also alleges the district attorney’s office knew about expired ammunition rounds used during the protest response and failed to disclose that information to the defense. O’Connell has filed motions to dismiss the case and requested a court of inquiry — an obscure provision in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure that allows a district judge to hold a hearing to determine whether the law has been violated — to examine whether Garza committed a crime through his conduct.
The response from law enforcement was swift. Two of the region’s most recognized police organizations, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) and the Austin Police Retired Officers Association (APROA), called on Garza to resign as Travis County’s top prosecutor. For APROA, it marked the first time the group had ever issued such a formal letter despite years of intense criticism of the DA. “There can be no worse violation of the oath taken by a District Attorney than to intentionally deny a defendant a fair trial,” CLEAT executive director Robert Leonard said. “It is a direct violation of their Constitutional rights.”
Our @CLEAT press release from February of 2022 aged well. Same facts, same political persecution, same misconduct by our DA. Over 4 years ago 🤯 pic.twitter.com/224jr67psv
— Jennifer Hackney-Szimanski (@Jennifer_cleat) March 24, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott also weighed in, writing on X that Garza’s failure to prosecute murderers and his pattern of letting dangerous criminals go free — while prioritizing the prosecution of police — would have consequences.
All of this will be taken into consideration when I have the final say on the fate of the police officer.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 22, 2026
This DA's failure to prosecute murderers & repeatedly letting dangerous criminals go free, while prioritIzing prosecuting police, will have consequences.…
Garza’s office has declined to address the specifics, instead signaling its intention to press forward. In a statement, the office said it would not litigate the case in the press, adding that four years was too long to wait and that it was time for the community to weigh in on whether the defendant’s actions violated the law.
But for many Austin residents and law enforcement advocates, the Bretches case is only the latest chapter in a much longer story of misplaced prosecutorial priorities. The motion also cites what Bretches’ attorneys call a broader pattern of misconduct, pointing to a prior court order sanctioning Garza’s office for failing to disclose evidence in the prosecution of two Williamson County deputies, and allegations by a homicide detective in the Daniel Perry murder case that exculpatory information was withheld from a grand jury.
Meanwhile, critics have long argued that Garza’s aggressive posture toward police officers has been matched by a troubling leniency toward violent repeat offenders. A recent case illustrated the concern sharply: career criminal Caleb Anthony Jenkins was charged with murdering a 25-year-old father of five outside an Austin 7-Eleven, but Garza’s office had previously dismissed or declined to prosecute three separate gun charges against Jenkins dating back to 2022. Jenkins had also been arrested on a domestic violence charge in 2023 and failed to appear in court.
AUSTIN MAN pulled up to a 7-Eleven at 3 a.m., shot a father of five dead in the parking lot, and drove off.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) February 20, 2026
Caleb Jenkins now faces murder charges. But prosecutors had chances to stop him.
November 2023: Jenkins, a convicted felon, was caught with a firearm. DA José Garza's… pic.twitter.com/ahz2MeWgLU
Garza’s office also missed the 90-day indictment deadline 263 times in 2024 alone. In one case, a defendant charged with aggravated assault was automatically freed on bond after prosecutors missed the deadline — and went on to commit a murder.
(Episode from March 26, 2025)
Since taking office, Garza has indicted more than 20 Austin police officers for their actions during the 2020 unrest and has pursued multiple other cases involving alleged excessive or deadly force — yet has secured only a single conviction, one that was later overturned on appeal.
MAJOR UPDATE: We’ve filed a motion in Travis County, TX, requesting a COURT OF INQUIRY into DA Jose Garza & top aides for hiding evidence in APD Officer Chance Bretches’ assault case. But what is a Court of Inquiry? It’s a rare, powerful tool under Texas law (Code of Criminal…
— Doug OConnell (@DouglasOConnell) March 18, 2026
“We’re watching the destruction of our criminal justice system in real time.”
— Vinny Martorano (@VinnyMartorano) March 18, 2026
I sat down with the attorney, Doug O’Connell, and asked him why his recent motions against Travis County DA Jose Garza is important for Austinites to understand.
O’Connell is calling for a dissmissal… https://t.co/N3txxlAUsE pic.twitter.com/puawajDOcO
The trial in the Bretches case is currently scheduled for June 1, 2026, in the 299th District Court in Travis County. Whether it gets that far — and whether Garza remains in office to see it — may depend on what a judge finds when those dismissal motions come before the bench.
Sources:
- CLEAT / APROA resignation demand statements and press coverage of the Bretches case motions
- Court filings in State of Texas v. Chance Bretches, 299th District Court, Travis County
- Sworn declaration of former Austin Assistant City Manager Bruce Mills
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure (court of inquiry provision)
- Coverage of the Caleb Anthony Jenkins murder case and Garza office charging decisions
- Reporting on Garza office missed indictment deadlines and bond release incidents
- Coverage of the Daniel Perry case and grand jury allegations
- Gov. Greg Abbott statement via X
- Prior sanctions ruling against the Travis County DA’s office in the Williamson County deputies case
A Travis County judge declared a mistrial Monday in the murder case of Austin police officer Daniel Perry, halting proceedings that had drawn intense public scrutiny since his conviction was overturned last year. The ruling came after jurors reported they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, forcing prosecutors and defense attorneys to prepare for the possibility of yet another trial in the high‑profile shooting case.
DANIEL PERRY TRIAL: If you want to know what happened, I was the only tv reporter there when the judge declared a mistrial. @fox7austin pic.twitter.com/M4bU9z3FRc
— Meredith Aldis (@MeredithonFOX7) March 24, 2026
Austin police provided new details on Sunday’s homicide on Loyola Lane in northeast Austin. The victim was a 48-year-old male.
APD also announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with a series of stalking and window peeping incidents.
The incident unfolded just before 4:30 a.m. in the 6400 block of Santo Street, near Riverside Drive, after a homeowner called 911 to report a man had forced his way inside the residence. According to authorities, the intruder — naked — confronted the homeowner inside the house. At some point, gunfire erupted. The resident was able to escape without injuries before officers arrived. (Austin American-Statesman)
From Capital Area Crime Stoppers:
FOX 7 Austin‘s Crime Watch:
Austin catalytic converter theft exploded under DA José Garza.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) March 24, 2026
In his first year in office, thefts jumped 227% increase over the pre-Garza baseline in a single year. The following year hit 1,971. The two highest years in the dataset, by far, are both Garza years.
Numbers have… pic.twitter.com/USWiptKGoP
There was an apparent robbery attempt overnight at a 7-11 store in North Austin
(Timestamp shown is PDT. Actual local time of the call was 3:21 a.m.)
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Some students were evacuated early this morning after a fire at The Mark Austin apartments near the University of Texas at Austin campus.
Vice President JD Vance is making a fundraising swing through Texas. His first stop was in Austin on Monday.
City Manager T.C. Broadnax is back with another series of community conversations about next year's #ATXBudget. ✅ Learn how the City budget is created + help shape future spending with your feedback.
— City of Austin (@austintexasgov) March 23, 2026
📌 https://t.co/rVHqe0hBrL
Event info 👇
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/rAST1FKUTE
PODCAST
The City of Austin has redesigned its website, and Austinites have thoughts on the changes and the $1.48 million price tag. On this week’s Tuesday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn talks with producer Elissa Castles and newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw about the website and what local Reddit users are saying.
Rep. Erin Zweiner of Hays County announced the formation of the Hays County Data Center Water Working Group.
Hays Co. residents are concerned about datar centers & their impact on our water resources. I'm proud to announce the formation of the Hays County Data Center Water Working Group to bring together experts to help communities better understand these projects. #txlege #hd45 pic.twitter.com/DPLAoXjB4m
— Erin Zwiener (@ErinForYall) March 23, 2026
The group will discuss how governing bodies can respond to data center development in Hays County and how officials may strengthen local authority through policy solutions.
Good morning AUS travelers!
— Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (@AustinAirport) March 24, 2026
We are expecting over 18,000 departing travelers today.
While that number reflects an average Tuesday here at AUS, we still recommend arriving 2.5 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before for international flights.
Safe Travels ✈️ pic.twitter.com/3AZQzVZrFT
The president ordered TSA to help out at airports where TSA agents have been calling out because they aren’t getting paid. Austin’s ABIA is not one of them.
Austin airport officials have shared a sneak peek of an expansion project they’re calling Concourse M.
An update from CapMetro on the North Burnet/Uptown Rail Station construction.
There are some route changes coming for East Austin CapMetro riders.
The Texas Department of Transportation is continuing to repair joints on the U.S. 290 flyovers after a viral video showed a bridge gap.
A public hearing is set for today at Bowie High School’s cafeteria for Austin residents to weigh in on the proposed MoPac South expansion project, which aims to add express toll lanes along an 8-mile stretch from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane to improve traffic flow and mobility in South Austin.
A new indoor sports complex is coming to Leander.
Pflugerville Mayor Doug Weiss provided an update on the latest timeline for current water restrictions there.
As of today (March 23), Lake Pflugerville’s current elevation is 627.68 feet.
— Pflugerville, TX (@PflugervilleTX) March 23, 2026
Firefighters and state forestry crews were making significant progress Monday against a wildfire that broke out Sunday night inside Bastrop State Park, with the blaze — dubbed the Spring Pine Fire — reaching 85% containment by Monday afternoon, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, after burning through 46 acres and prompting evacuations.
BASTROP/TRAVIS ESD1:
“Responders continue to make good progress with extinguishing remaining fire along the containment lines. One helicopter remains on scene assisting firefighters with water bucket drops. Highway 21 has reopened, please drive safely as firefighting personnel continue to work the area. Smoke remains visible on the highway. Please use caution when traveling through the area. Crews will continue mop up and patrol the area overnight.”
For residents in the area, it’s a reminder of the disaster that occurred there fifteen years ago.
WEATHER
MONDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
That shelter-in-place order in Port Arthur has been lifted,
Advocates are rushing to help landowners with legal aid in sparsely populated rural areas along the Rio Grande in the path of the border wall. The federal government’s efforts to contact landowners about the project has hit a snag due to complicated land ownership. (Texas Standard)
The Supreme Court has denied an appeal by Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed related to DNA testing he says could prove his innocence.
Meanwhile, Clyde Edwin Hedrick, linked to the Texas Killing Fields cases, died while on parole, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The Williamson County Republican Party is switching back to countywide polling places for the May 26 primary runoffs. (Austin American-Statesman)
The Texas Education Agency on Monday directed all public schools in the state to revise lesson plans to remove mentions of Cesar Chavez after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against the labor leader. (Texas Tribune)
The tactics, language and technology used by police in Texas to quickly sweep people into deportation proceedings. Texas Department of Public Safety special agents are breaking state police rules by wearing face-concealing masks during operations. (KUY 90.5)
ICE detainees have been held at more than 220 detention sites around the country. ICE’s biggest detention operations are largely clustered in the southern United States. Just five states — Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Arizona and Georgia — account for just over 60% of the nation’s more than 750,000 ICE detention book-ins. (Texas Public Radio)
ICE agents were seen at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Monday morning after the Trump administration announced a plan to send ICE agents to help at airports dealing with TSA staffing shortages.
The longer President Donald Trump drags out his endorsement of either Sen. John Cornyn or Ken Paxton, the more it is costing GOP donors as the two Senate combatants continue to throw money at each other instead of turning their attention to Democrat James Talarico. Host Jeremy Wallace breaks down the latest in the drama to court Trump’s political love.
(Episode from March 19, 2026)
DoorDash is offering 10% cash back on gas and weekly payments for drivers who log more than 125 miles as Texas gas prices have jumped $1 since last month.
The average price for a gallon of gas in Texas stands at $3.62.
SPORTS
It’s still a bit of a shock, but still sweet.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Nobody handed the Texas Longhorns a ticket to San Jose.
A team that stumbled through the final stretch of the regular season, dropped five of its last six games, and barely squeaked into the NCAA Tournament field as one of the last four teams in — forced to play their way in through the First Four in Dayton — now finds itself two wins away from the Elite Eight.
First-year head coach Sean Miller’s 11th-seeded Longhorns knocked off BYU and its much-hyped freshman sensation in the first round, then stunned third-seeded Gonzaga on a clutch corner three-pointer with 14 seconds left, becoming the first team in five years to travel from the play-in game all the way to the second weekend. Now they face a different kind of test Thursday evening in San Jose, when they draw the battle-tested No. 2 seed Purdue Boilermakers — a program making its third straight Sweet 16 appearance and a team that, notably, eliminated these same Longhorns in the second round four years ago.
For Texas fans, this week is twice as sweet.
NBA: The San Antonio Spurs, although a foregone conclusion, officially clinched the Southwest Division last night.
Victor Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, and the San Antonio Spurs rolled past the sliding Miami Heat 136-111 on Monday night for their sixth consecutive victory. San Antonio’s victory, coupled with Houston’s 132-124 loss to Chicago, allowed the Spurs to clinch the Southwest Division. (Associated Press)
Houston and Dallas both lost last night.
The Spurs, Rockets and Mavericks are all off tonight.
The latest episode of Texas Parks & Wildlife visits Fair Park in Dallas, a museum that celebrates Texas’ rich natural heritage through detailed dioramas.
Operation Game Thief is a 24/7 hotline that lets concerned citizens report hunting, fishing and boating violations to their local game wardens.
A wildlife biologist shows what’s being done to stop the spread of creosote and rebuild pronghorn habitat in West Texas.
