An intern at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office uncovered charging discrepancies in hundreds of cases, leading to a sweeping audit. His suspension afterward is drawing scrutiny and questions of possible retaliation.
KHOU 11 Investigates has revealed that the Harris County District Attorney’s Office is undertaking a comprehensive audit following an intern's discovery of potential charging errors in as many as 300 criminal cases.
In a significant development, 25-year-old law student intern Alex Macias uncovered discrepancies that may have resulted in defendants facing wrongful charges or being convicted of more serious offenses than justified. Macias emphasized the importance of due process, stating, “Everyone deserves due process.” “Assisting those who have been charged and ensuring justice for them takes precedence over any imperfections in my academic record at law school.”
District Attorney Sean Teare has admitted to the oversight, emphasizing that it is the responsibility of seasoned prosecutors, rather than a third-year law student, to identify such errors. Teare acknowledged the setback, stating, “It was a failure.” “There is no doubt.”
Macias first identified the issue when he discovered that one defendant had entered a guilty plea to a more serious charge than the evidence warranted. Upon further investigation, he uncovered coding errors and charging discrepancies in numerous criminal trespass cases and subsequently discovered analogous issues in cases involving terroristic threats.
Senior prosecutors expressed gratitude to Macias for bringing the issue to light, leading the District Attorney's office to file approximately 300 Brady notices with the court, indicating that some defendants might have faced wrongful charges. In a recent statement, Macias revealed that he faced suspension after persistently pursuing the matter and notifying external agencies.
The directive for him to relinquish his county-issued phone, laptop, and identification has sparked apprehension among whistleblowers. Macias told KHOU, “I don’t want to believe it was [retaliation], but it certainly appears that way.”
Teare has firmly rejected allegations of retaliation, stating, “In my professional career, I have never retaliated against anyone for anything.” Officials stated that the office is currently conducting audits of other misdemeanor offenses to ensure fairness and rectify errors that have persisted since 2020.
Teare attributed the problem to inexperienced attorneys in the intake division during that period, noting that seasoned prosecutors now man the division.
Macias maintains his stance, expressing no regrets about his decision to come forward. A whistleblower has stated, “In my mind, helping the people that were charged and doing the right thing by them is more important than any blemish on my record in law school.”
