After our Sunday service last Sunday, July 7, we held letter-writing session to support DeVonte “DJ” Amerson. He was there in person. It was enlightening to meet and visit with him. He is a delightful and talented young man. He has training and a job as a barber and is writing a book. The book is for young people. It focuses on life lessons he wants to share to help them take responsibility for their lives. I can say, without hesitation, he more than deserves to have his case dismissed. It is shocking he has spent so much time in jail without trial.
Mano Amiga provided all the materials for writing letters including a template that is part of this email. If you missed the letter-writing session please consider writing one on your own. Send the completed letter to Sam@manoamigasm.org to coordinate with DJ’s legal team. It must be written and sent before July 17, the date of his hearing. Please contact Karen Brown for any questions.
Eric Martinez, Director of Mano Amiga shared this information:
Devonte’s Co-defendant, Cyrus Gray, who had his capital murder case dismissed in July of 2023 following a mistrial in the summer of 2022 where “the trial revealed that Hays County had poor evidence against him, especially considering the gravity of the charges – no eyewitnesses, video, fingerprints, or DNA connected Gray or Amerson to the murder.” As identified by the Austin Chronicle, the state has zero real evidence against these young men:
San Marcos Police Department Detective Sandra Spriegel testified at Cyrus Gray’s murder trial that after two years of investigation, she and her team had noevidence that Gray and Amerson had ever been inside the apartment where Justin Gage was killed. “We have no idea how they ended up at [the] apartment,” the detective told the court. “We have no idea what the connection is.”
DeVonte’s case is still pending. So we’re doing everything we can to spread awareness about his pending trial and are asking our community to plead with our DA to “dismiss the case with prejudice” . “Dismissed with Prejudice”means there can be no retrial in the future.
Letter Template
Dear DA Higgins,
Introduce yourself
My name is ____. I have lived in Hays County for __ years and work as a ____ at _____.
Make the ask
I am writing to [ask/encourage/plead] that you immediately dismiss the capital murder charge against DeVonte Amerson.
Offer praise
As someone who [voted for you//campaigned for you/donated to your campaign], I was eager for Hays County to have a more compassionate, common-sense minded approach to prosecution.
I believed you when you said during your campaign that you were going to clean up Wes Mau’s mess. I still believe you are doing just that, given all the dismissals and resolutions to date, but this is one case you must address to continue undoing the damage caused during his tenure.
Make your arguments
DeVonte has already been robbed of far too many years of his life. This is especially chilling when you consider that Cyrus’ trial showed just how little evidence there is that these young men committed this crime. Just as Melinda Rothouse, who served as a juror in Cyrus’ 2022 trial, stated in her piece in the Houston Chronicle, the evidence presented by the state “seemed flimsy at best.” There are no fingerprints, no DNA, no identifying witnesses, no surveillance footage, no motive, nothing actually connecting them to the crime. Furthermore, there is an individual named Calvin Hopkins who has himself admitted to killing Justice Gage. For Hays County to continue wasting resources on prosecuting DeVonte is an abomination.
Humanize DJ
Since his release on bond last December, DeVonte has started to work as a barber, is launching his own clothing brand, and is even writing a book! He deserves to continue building his life and be able to spend more time with his family, including his 8-year-old son, without this charge hanging over his head.
Repeat the ask & close
I ask that you dismiss the charges against DeVonte and allow him to continue making a life for himself as a free man. Thank you.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 