Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the criminal legal system in Hays
County, along with ideas for re-establishing our expectations for justice. Peeling back the veneer of vengeance which seems to drive the election of “tough on crime” judges, we will be looking at fixes and alternatives to the current carceral system to help make our community stronger and safer. We will be looking specifically at how our community can get involved and the development of new programs like:
- Court watching
- Re-entry and community programs
- Judge scorecards
- Conviction Integrity Units
Shannon FitzPatrick is a licensed attorney in San Marcos and has been practicing law for 30 years. She is a former Assistant District Attorney in Hays County, an Assistant General Counsel for the TX Dept of Public Safety and recently retired from the Office of the Attorney for students at Texas State University. She has served on the boards of Mano Amiga, the Caldwell
Hays Examiner, Free Battered Texas Women, the SMART Orchestra, Friends of the San Marcos Cemetery and more. She is currently working with several women on Texas’ Death Row and continues to volunteer with Mano Amiga when her cat allows.
Cyrus Gray was a student at Texas State studying Physical Therapy when he decided to take a break and get some experience in the field. During this time he and good friend DeVonte Amerson were wrongfully arrested for the murder of a TxSt student in 2018. Cyrus spent over four years in the Hays County Jail before a mistrial and subsequent review by DA Kelly Higgins
caused his charges to be dismissed. Cyrus now works for Mano Amiga in developing re-entry programs to help the formerly incarcerated and other marginalized populations. He also is working on other efforts to hold Hays County elected officials accountable and reduce crime before it happens.
San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 