AUSTIN, Texas — After months of shining a spotlight on prosecutorial breakdowns resulting in missed deadlines in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, the KVUE Defenders have found that the problem finally appears to be solved.
The missed deadlines to indict jailed defendants stalled justice for crime victims, left defendants languishing in jail for months, and turned some violent ones back onto the street. Now, records show, prosecutors are bringing indictments or taking other action on felony cases within the state-mandated 90-day window when a person remains in jail.
Over the past seven months, KVUE’s joint reporting with the Austin American-Statesman has shown the wide-ranging implications of missed indictment deadlines by the Travis County DA’s office. We’ve revealed the deportation of defendants prior to facing justice, violations of the rights of the accused, and potential legal liability to the county…