Group coalescing despite discontent

After discussions and decisions regarding its name, its utility and its makeup, the Hays County Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission is still the focus of some discontent. 

Last week, the grassroots group Mano Amiga voiced concerns about the removal of Immigrant Legal Resource Center attorney Anita Gupta and former chief prosecutor Gary Cobb from the body. Gupta and Cobb were part of Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra’s criminal justice reform task force, which became the commission after a vote in commissioners court. This week, Hays County resident Dan Lyon spoke up about another aspect of the commission’s membership.

Lyon called the decision making behind approving the commission’s voting membership “appallingly bad judgment.”