Assistant District Attorney Resigns from Jose Garza’s Office After Being Asked to Delete Evidence

Friday, July 2nd, 2021

Assistant District Attorney for Travis County, Ariane Flores, resigned today by way of a Brady Notice submitted to the State of Texas. A Brady Notice relates to “exculpatory or impeaching information and evidence that is material to the guilt or innocence or to the punishment of a defendant”.

At issue is a demand by Jose Garza’s office for the Assistant DA to delete evidence. The case involves a defendant who was charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child in June. During meetings to discuss the case, the Assistant DA notes that Garza’s office demanded that she “delete emails and work product notes on this case between myself and Victim Witness Counselor.” After she fought the request to destroy evidence, Garza’s second-in-command First Assistant Trudy Strassburger stepped in to again demand the evidence be destroyed.

After again pushing back against deleting evidence, Garza’s office placed further pressure on her, including a credible threat, at which point the Assistant DA alleges she felt she had no choice but to resign.

Others working in the DA’s office have anonymously shared that, since Garza’s election, a “culture of fear” has developed against speaking out about these changes. We will be keeping a close eye on the story and have opened an anonymous tip line below to report other corrupt activities.

A String of Recent Controversies

The resignation comes at a time when Jose Garza has been under increasing scrutiny over his office’s early release of dozens of violent criminals. This month, two individuals who were suspects in the 6th street mass shooting were released from jail without any charges, despite camera footage showing the suspects holding guns during the shooting. The family of 6th street mass shooting victim, Douglas Kantor, released a statement saying they now have ‘no faith’ in Garza to conduct a fair investigation. The victim’s brother added: “what I took away from the press conference was that they are not prosecuting violent criminals anymore.”

Dozens of other violent suspects have been released early as the DA has applied a new approach to convictions that may be contributing to a surge in violent and property crime across Austin. According to CBS Austin’s interview with Dennis Farris with the Austin Police Retired Officers Association, now “criminals understand that they not being held accountable”.

Joshua Hardesty, for example, was murdered in 2018 in North Austin by Issac Thomas. Thomas was arrested for another murder that same year. In June 2021 the victim’s father says he learned that Garza’s office is giving the killer a plea deal that could make him eligible for parole.

Austin Attorney and former State and Federal Prosecutor Doug O'Connell demanded answers to another internal corruption scandal at the DA’s office on July 1st, publicly challenging Garza: “Did your team direct the APD Homicide Detective to not discuss or raise exculpatory evidence? Did your team demand that the Detective eliminate slides from his power point presentation?”

Anonymous Tip Line