Kim Ogg has been elected the new District Attorney of Harris County, Texas. Ogg is a former Harris County Assistant District Attorney. It has been decades since a Democrat was District Attorney in Harris County, Texas.
What to Expect from the New Harris County DA
So far, Ogg’s plan for the District Attorney’s Office is to balance a defendant’s right to a bond and fair trial with any victim’s right to justice. She wants to be “smart”—not tough—on crime.
Here’s what we can expect from an Ogg Administration:
- Agreeing to personal recognizance bonds for minor offenses, and lower bonds that a defendant can afford in more serious cases.
- Increasing the availability of diversionary programs so that defendants are rehabilitated, do not have the stain of a conviction on their record, and return to being productive members of society.
- Ensuring that prosecutors seek justice—not just a conviction. That means if a case is weak or the police illegally obtained evidence, the prosecutor dismisses the case even if it is a high-profile case or there is a high-maintenance complainant.
After the election and since taking office, Ogg has already fired several dozen veteran prosecutors. She appears to be serious in her commitment to change the culture of an office that has had a reputation – since the Johhny Holmes administration of the 1980s – of being “tough on crime” at the expense of being smart on crime.
At the Neal Davis Law Firm, we look forward to the changes Ogg has in store for the Harris County criminal justice system. Welcome Kim, and we look forward to working with you!
