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IN THE PUBLIC EYE
County’s top prosecutor says evidence bolstered by scientific advances
The Courier periodically is running “In the Public Eye,” a series shining a spotlight on local public servants and personalities.
BASTROP — During a legal career spanning three decades, Bastrop County District Attorney Bryan Goertz has seen the prosecution of crime evolve with the use of modern technology and forensic science.
Goertz, 64, is a fifth-generation Bastrop County resident and a Republican who ran unopposed in the Nov. 5 general election.
This is his seventh term as the county’s top prosecutor.
An alumnus of Bastrop High School, Goertz earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1983.
He began his tenure as an attorney after graduating from Baylor University School of Law in 1992, running a private practice for a decade.
In 2003, he won his first term as the district attorney.
The biggest change Goertz has seen in the pursuit of justice “is how evidence is presented to jurors,” he said.
“The digital age has reached our courtrooms thanks to video, digital device tracking and license plate recognition technologies,” he said. “These digital witnesses have helped shape the future of judicial practice in Bastrop County courts.”
In addition, these technologies have created a vital shift in the prosecution of offenses, taking center stage in cases ranging from manslaughter to capital murder, Goertz said.
“Technology, as well as forensic science, have become powerful tools for jury members to utilize while deciding the fate of a defendant’s guilt or innocence,” the district attorney said.
“The integration of technology in the courtroom allows for a bigger picture to emerge, an opportunity for jurors to have a bird’s eye view of criminal acts committed, where in the past jurors relied solely on… witness testimonies,” he added.
From 1983 to 1992, Goertz served as a distributing manager for the Miller Beer Co. before returning to Texas to study law at Baylor.
Professional peers have recognized Goertz for what they describe as a fair and ethical approach to his work, praising his knowledge and expertise in the courtroom.
423rd state District Court Judge Chris Duggan, a Democrat, faced off against Goertz in a 2002 bid for the district attorney’s seat.
Duggan remembers the campaign as exemplifying what a political race should be — “respectful.”
According to the jurist, today, “We have an excellent working relationship. There is mutual respect across the board.”
Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook also had high praise for the head prosecutor.
Noting he and Goertz are “on the same page” when it comes to seeing justice being carried out, the sheriff added they “have a good stance on crime and do not apologize for upholding the law here in Bastrop County.”
Two of the high-profile cases pursued by the District Attorney’s Office during Goertz’s tenure include a plea deal and 35year prison sentence for a defendant after a pregnant woman was shot dead in a murder-for-hire scheme.
The other episode involves the adjudication of death-row inmate Rodney Reed, who was convicted in May 1998 in the abduction, rape and murder of Stacy Stites, 19, of Giddings two years prior. The case has undergone a lengthy appeals process and garnered national attention.
