Susan Reed
Encyclopedia
Susan D. Reed is the Criminal District Attorney
of Bexar County, Texas
. Her office was involved in controversy surrounding the disputed murder
conviction of Ruben Cantu
, a man executed by lethal injection
in 1993 by Texas. She is a member of the Republican Party
.
of Bexar County (San Antonio) in 1998, becoming the first woman to hold the office. She served as Judge of the 144th District Court (San Antonio) from 1986 to 1998. She served as an Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County from 1974 to 1982, including duties as chief prosecutor for court districts 144 and 187. Reed was in private practice from 1982 to 1986, with the firm Soules and Reed, specializing in business litigation.
as a 144th District Court Judge, she helped create a "Gang Unit" in the Adult Probation
department. As Bexar County District Attorney, she has created a new "Elder Fraud Unit" and successfully lobbied the Texas Legislature to increase penalties for crimes against the elderly. Reed is a member of the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women
. She was appointed to the Criminal Justice Policy Council
for Governor
Bill Clements
. Later, Governor George W. Bush
appointed her to serve on the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. She continues to serve on that board under Governor Rick Perry
.
Susan Reed (among other Bexar County employees) bought and traveled on stolen southwest airlines flight vouchers. Reed took at least 3 trips on these stolen vouchers. Her personal driver purchased 200 of these stolen travel vouchers from a court bailiff. Though judges, bailiffs, other court servants accepted these vouchers only the court bailiff and his wife who originally defrauded southwest airlines were charged with crimes. Reed claimed total ignorance of any crime being perpetrated.
were the subject of a series of investigative articles by Houston Chronicle
reporter Lise Olsen in 2005 and 2006. In those articles, Olsen claimed to have uncovered evidence that undermined the Cantu conviction. According to Olsen, the jury Forewoman, the then-District Attorney, the trial Judge, the co-defendant, and the surviving victim all expressed misgivings about the outcome of the Cantu case. The only evidence linking Cantu to the crime was the testimony of Juan Moreno, the surviving victim, but he since recanted his testimony, claiming he had felt threatened by police.
As the District Attorney, Susan Reed investigated the claims of wrongful conviction in the Cantu case. Her office concluded that Cantu was justifiably executed in 1993 and that no credible evidence existed to support the witnesses' claims of innocence. The report concluded that Moreno had been induced to change his testimony by those seeking to undermine the integrity of Cantu's conviction.
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Bexar County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Her office was involved in controversy surrounding the disputed murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
conviction of Ruben Cantu
Ruben Cantu
Ruben Montoya Cantu was a Texan who was executed for murder. During the years following the conviction, the surviving victim, the co-defendant, the District Attorney, and the jury forewoman have all made public statements that cast doubt on Cantu's guilty verdict and death...
, a man executed by lethal injection
Lethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
in 1993 by Texas. She is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Education
Reed was elected District AttorneyDistrict attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Bexar County (San Antonio) in 1998, becoming the first woman to hold the office. She served as Judge of the 144th District Court (San Antonio) from 1986 to 1998. She served as an Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County from 1974 to 1982, including duties as chief prosecutor for court districts 144 and 187. Reed was in private practice from 1982 to 1986, with the firm Soules and Reed, specializing in business litigation.
Career
During her tenureTenure
Tenure commonly refers to life tenure in a job and specifically to a senior academic's contractual right not to have his or her position terminated without just cause.-19th century:...
as a 144th District Court Judge, she helped create a "Gang Unit" in the Adult Probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
department. As Bexar County District Attorney, she has created a new "Elder Fraud Unit" and successfully lobbied the Texas Legislature to increase penalties for crimes against the elderly. Reed is a member of the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women
National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women
In 1995, HHS and DOJ created the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women, consisting of experts from law enforcement, media, business, sports, health and social services, and victim advocacy...
. She was appointed to the Criminal Justice Policy Council
Criminal Justice Policy Council
The Criminal Justice Policy Council was a state agency of the Government of Texas. The agency was located in Suite 1029 in the Stephen F. Austin State Office Building in Downtown Austin, Texas...
for Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
. Later, Governor George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
appointed her to serve on the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. She continues to serve on that board under Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
.
Southwest Scandal
Susan Reed (among other Bexar County employees) bought and traveled on stolen southwest airlines flight vouchers. Reed took at least 3 trips on these stolen vouchers. Her personal driver purchased 200 of these stolen travel vouchers from a court bailiff. Though judges, bailiffs, other court servants accepted these vouchers only the court bailiff and his wife who originally defrauded southwest airlines were charged with crimes. Reed claimed total ignorance of any crime being perpetrated.
Involvements in the case of Ruben Cantu
The 1985 conviction and 1993 execution of Ruben CantuRuben Cantu
Ruben Montoya Cantu was a Texan who was executed for murder. During the years following the conviction, the surviving victim, the co-defendant, the District Attorney, and the jury forewoman have all made public statements that cast doubt on Cantu's guilty verdict and death...
were the subject of a series of investigative articles by Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
reporter Lise Olsen in 2005 and 2006. In those articles, Olsen claimed to have uncovered evidence that undermined the Cantu conviction. According to Olsen, the jury Forewoman, the then-District Attorney, the trial Judge, the co-defendant, and the surviving victim all expressed misgivings about the outcome of the Cantu case. The only evidence linking Cantu to the crime was the testimony of Juan Moreno, the surviving victim, but he since recanted his testimony, claiming he had felt threatened by police.
As the District Attorney, Susan Reed investigated the claims of wrongful conviction in the Cantu case. Her office concluded that Cantu was justifiably executed in 1993 and that no credible evidence existed to support the witnesses' claims of innocence. The report concluded that Moreno had been induced to change his testimony by those seeking to undermine the integrity of Cantu's conviction.