Josh Tetens inherited hundreds of pending instances together with 3,741 felonies and three,502 misdemeanors, however his largest fear are the greater than 1,600 instances not filed but.
MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — McLennan County’s new district attorney, Josh Tetens, is already attending to work on his marketing campaign promise — unclogging the backlog of instances caught in courtroom and people who have not even been filed.
The chapter of Tetens because the district legal professional formally began Jan. 1, however he is having to cope with lots of previous enterprise. He inherited the workplace from Barry Johnson who confronted lots of criticism from McLennan County residents.
Tetens tells 6 Information he knew that there was an intensive backlog of instances, however he was shocked to see simply how unhealthy it actually was in his first week on the job.
He inherited hundreds of pending instances together with 3,741 felonies and three,502 misdemeanors. Tetens’ largest concern and essentially the most stunning issue is the instances that have not even been filed. That is greater than 1,600, in accordance with the district legal professional.
“We have now to don’t solely our due diligence as an workplace, however we’ve to be thoughtful of victims, witnesses, legislation enforcement, the taxpayers, if these people are sitting in jail,” Tetens stated. “We’re attempting to maneuver on these as rapidly as we probably can.”
To place the unfiled instances into perspective, Jefferson County in Southeast Texas, which has similarities in dimension to McLennan County, solely has round 150 to 300 instances not filed as of Monday afternoon.
“I believe the numbers type of converse for themselves and hoping people have endurance and understanding that that we’re working diligently as quick as we are able to to deal with all of those open instances and unopened instances and attempt to attain resolutions to save lots of money and time,” Tetens added.
Tetens has laid out a plan to deal with the in depth backlog. He stated violent offenses and older instances are going to be the highest precedence for the foreseeable future. He has additionally instructed his group to deal with instances inside 30 days of coming in. That work began day one.
“We didn’t hesitate, we hit the bottom operating, we have been within the courtroom final, week, we met with legislation enforcement, victims, workers and attorneys,” Tetens stated.
Tetens believes the backlog comes from the earlier administration not taking motion on instances, that’s the reason he has his group taking motion by a deadline.
“Whether or not it’s plea agreements, whether or not it’s a dismissal in some instances which might be warranted, it may simply be that we want some further proof and we attain out to legislation enforcement and make that request,” he stated.
Tetens tells me it may take hiring extra individuals for the district legal professional’s workplace to assist deal with the backlog, however that’s one thing they’re nonetheless assessing. If that could be a route he thinks they need to take, the county commissioners must approve it.
As Tetens and his workplace work to dwindle the backlog, he’s calling on the group for assist — particularly as jury summons get going for the stalled instances.
“We won’t be able to deal with these instances, this backlog, until we’ve the assist of the group and that isn’t solely outdoors and as an entire but additionally within the courtroom serving as jurors,” the district legal professional defined.
Tetens can also be hoping to offer extra sources and providers to these within the prison justice system, whether or not they’re victims or alleged defenders.
Tetens beat out Democrat Aubrey Robertson for the position again within the November Basic Election, profitable 69 p.c of the entire vote. Each candidates ran on comparable platforms, promising to make the district legal professional’s workplace extra environment friendly.