CLEAT Responds to Hung Jury in Austin PD Officer Daniel Sanchez Trial

AUSTIN, Texas—This afternoon, a Travis County jury failed to come to a unanimous decision in the case against APD Officer Sanchez. The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)’s in-house attorney, Brad Heilman, along with members of the Austin CLEAT legal team, represented Officer Sanchez, making the case that his actions were consistent with state law and his training.

“Jose Garza and his team have failed to put forward any set of facts that Officer Sanchez was doing anything other than what he was trained to do and what is lawful under Texas law. Officer Sanchez has served his community honorably and responded to a call for help from members of the public.” said CLEAT Executive Director Robert Leonard.

The decision comes on the heels of a NOT GUILTY verdict handed down this week in a trial involving three additional CLEAT members—San Antonio Police Officers who were charged with murder in Bexar County. CLEAT represented and/or facilitated the defense teams in both trials.

“Rogue District Attorneys like Jose Garza and Joe Gonzales are a stain on society and the law enforcement profession, and our communities have had enough,” said Leonard. “It is evident in their verdicts that citizens at large understand the risks our brave men and women in law enforcement face every day they put on the uniform.”

“Our organization stood by these officers from the beginning, providing internal affairs representation, retaining the best criminal defense attorneys, and working closely with their legal teams throughout the process. CLEAT takes pride in its 50 years of standing behind the men and women in blue when they are wronged by cities or counties, but nothing could have prepared us for the attack our members have been under over the past five years,” Leonard stated. “At the end of the day law enforcement officers should be able to serve their communities free from fear of political persecution. Anything short of that places them at great risk of not coming home at the end of their shift. We are disgusted by the rigorous push to prosecute officers for defending the public while letting hardened criminals off on sweetheart plea deals and endangering the public. CLEAT will continue to fight for our members at every step to ensure their calling to serve the public is honored and respected.”

About CLEAT: Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) is the largest law enforcement union in Texas, dedicated to providing legal protection, legislative advocacy, and professional support for law enforcement professionals statewide and consisting of over 28,000 members. With a commitment to protecting the rights of officers and ensuring they have the resources needed to serve their communities effectively, CLEAT stands at the forefront of law enforcement representation. For more information, visit www.cleat.org.

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