Gov. Greg Abbott renewed his push Sunday for a statewide prosecutor and new tools to remove district attorneys, pointing to an Austin repeat offender case as an example of what he says Texas must fix.
Abbott shared a post from Austin Justice about Octavius Brown, an Austin man the account said has roughly 30 cases since 2013. The post said Brown was recently accused of breaking into three West Campus apartments, exposing himself to residents, and strangling a woman in one case.
“This is why I am calling for a new State Prosecutor position filled by someone who will actually prosecute criminals. Also why we must empower the Legislature to impeach DAs who refuse to do their job,” Abbott wrote on X.
Abbott said Brown received a five-year deferred adjudication community supervision sentence in March after pleading guilty to felony indecent exposure in 2024. Abbott said that offense also happened in West Campus.
The governor’s Sunday post added a fresh example to a public safety agenda he outlined in May, including a statewide prosecutor, expanded bail restrictions, district attorney impeachment, and expansion of the Texas Repeat Offender Task Force.
Statewide Prosecutor Proposal
Abbott has pushed the idea of a statewide prosecutor since last year, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The governor wants Texas to create a prosecutor who could intervene when local district attorneys fail to act in certain criminal cases. CBS Austin reported that Abbott’s proposed statewide prosecutor would need Texas Senate confirmation and would step in when a district attorney fails to indict a violent criminal in a timely manner.
“Our obligation is to protect our communities,” Abbott said, according to CBS Austin. “Part of protecting those communities is prosecuting criminals, not setting them free.”
Abbott and other Republican leaders have repeatedly criticized prosecutors in large Democratic-run counties, including Travis County District Attorney José Garza, over case backlogs, indictment delays, and charging decisions.
DA Accountability
Abbott also wants lawmakers to give the Legislature power to impeach what he calls “rogue” district attorneys.
The proposal would add another accountability tool for prosecutors who Abbott says refuse to do their jobs. CBS Austin reported that Abbott’s public safety agenda includes proposals to target “rogue” district attorneys and judges.
The governor’s Sunday post tied that proposal directly to the Brown case.
“Also why we must empower the Legislature to impeach DAs who refuse to do their job,” Abbott wrote.
Bail Restrictions
Abbott also wants lawmakers to deny bail to illegal aliens accused of felony offenses.
“The reason for this is very simple,” Abbott said, according to KERA. “Somebody who’s here illegally is a greater flight risk than somebody else. And by being arrested for a felony, they’ve already proven that they are an endangerment to our community.”
The measure passed the Senate and a House committee during the previous legislative session but died on the House floor.
Task Force Expansion
Abbott also pointed to the Texas Repeat Offender Task Force, which targets suspects who repeatedly cycle through the criminal justice system.
The task force expanded into Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio in May, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Abbott’s office said the effort had led to 728 arrests, including 455 high-threat offenders, after launching in Houston in October.
The governor said the task force gives state and local law enforcement another tool to target offenders who pose repeated threats to their communities.
The proposals will go before lawmakers during the 2027 legislative session.
