The Dallas County District Attorney announced on April 11 that he will not prosecute theft for personal items under $750 if said theft was “out of necessity.”
Additionally, in the memo DA John Creuzot stated that he will stop prosecuting first-offense marijuana crimes and misdemeanor criminal trespassing. Creuzot’s promised changes to law enforcement have been received well by sympathizers of low-level criminals, but lambasted by many members of the public, officials, and Texas Governor Greg Abbot for justifying criminal activity.
“If someone is hungry they can just steal some food,” the governor wrote on Twitter on April 14. “Where does it end? It’s wealth redistribution by theft.”
Dallas Co. District Attorney stokes crime by refusing to prosecute theft of personal items worth less than $750. If someone is hungry they can just steal some food. If cold, steal a coat. Where does it end? It’s wealth redistribution by theft. #txlege https://t.co/dqfYogr4NX
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 15, 2019
On April 18, Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a letter to DA Creuzot asking him to reconsider his reforms and to fulfill his oath to the constitution.
In a letter today, Governor @GregAbbott_TX and Attorney General @KenPaxtonTX are asking Dallas Co. D.A. John Creuzot to reconsider his criminal justice reforms of not charging some thieves and trespassers. pic.twitter.com/F8yKudsMkA
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) April 18, 2019
DA Brett Smith of Grayson County told KXII-TV that as a prosecutor, he must protect and support both the constitutions of Texas and the United States. “Breaking the law is breaking the law, regardless of your position in life,” he said.
According to Creuzot’s memo, the reforms are “a step forward in ending mass incarceration in Dallas County.” In addressing theft, he called the conviction of non-violent crimes—”committed out of necessity”—counter productive for the community.
However, many people were worried about the ripple effect of these policies, such as Tony Rios of West Oak Cliff in Dallas. Rios is a former chair of neighborhood watch.
“My teenage boys told me that kids would steal from Walmart because they would not prosecute for less than a certain amount,” Rios told Dallas News in a letter to the editor. “That had a ripple effect, like stealing bicycles, lawn equipment and other items was OK … To John Creuzot, that might not amount to much, but to a working-class community it has a major effect.”
Another letter from a teacher with 40 years of experience from Duncanville, Dallas: “In order to have law and order in our communities, we have to stop the ‘little’ things before they become chaos.”
Dismissing Pending Criminal Crimes
Creuzot will also dismiss pending misdemeanor marijuana crimes, adding that he has already dismissed over a thousand misdemeanor marijuana cases since he was appointed in November. Pending misdemeanor trespassing cases will also be dismissed, reads the memo.
DA John Creuzot holds press conference to discuss his sweeping reform policies. Here’s one clip. pic.twitter.com/o1fxNd8Y2s
— Dallas County DA (@Dallas_DA) April 12, 2019
But marijuana crimes committed in drug-free zones, involving deadly weapons, or showing evidence of delivery, will be prosecuted. And regarding trespasses: only cases where the criminal entered a home or physically entered onto property will be prosecuted.
“These prosecutions are an ineffective and inhumane approach on dealing with homelessness or mental illness, and yet since 2015, Dallas County has spent nearly $11 million just to incarcerate those charged with trespass,” Creuzot stated in his memo.
DA Smith told KXII-TV that there are other ways of handling these crimes.
“Holding them accountable, letting them out of jail by making sure they show up to court is another way to solve the problem,” he said.
Governor Abbott went as far as calling the DA’s decision socialist.
Thanks for taking the bait. TX provides for the hungry & needy through TANF & other programs.
You proved my point. You & others reveal that STEALING is ok when people want things: cell phone, tire, lawn mower, almost any item you see in a store or in the open. That’s socialism. https://t.co/PrDu86Jf00— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 15, 2019
