Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot is one of 93 “criminal justice leaders from around the nation” who on Wednesday night, March 9, filed an amicus brief in the Doe v. Abbott lawsuit before the 353rd District Court of Texas opposing Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive ordering the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate those providing gender-affirming healthcare to transgender children.
“The signatories argue that [Abbott’s] directive … to investigate, and potentially prosecute, these parents for child abuse – and to involve medical professionals, others who care for children, and even members of the general public in this mandate – will result in grave harm to already vulnerable young people,” noted a press release from Creuzot’s office regarding the brief. “As noted in the brief, these divisive and deeply troubling policies erode public trust in the integrity of the justice system and thereby inhibit the ability of law enforcement to keep communities safe.”
Creuzot said he is “proud to sign my name to this important legal document” and again emphasized his previous pledge that his office “will not be prosecuting parents or medical providers in accordance with this harmful directive. Transgender youth and their families can rest easy in Dallas County knowing they will not be subject to legal action for choosing what is best for a child’s health.”
The brief reads, in part, “By singling out families with transgender children for government interference and opening the door to intrusions into the privacy of deeply personal medical care, while also triggering potential family separation and even prosecution based on clinically recommended treatment, [Abbott, DFPS Commissioner Jamie Masters and DFPS] have profoundly threatened both public trust and the well-being of these children and their loved ones.
“Mandates and policies such as these create troubling and destructive barriers between members of vulnerable communities and law enforcement and will only increase the risk of victimization, abuse and violence these individuals face.”
Fair Just Prosecution Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, the former federal prosecutor who organized the brief, said, “Instead of promoting policies that can actually make our communities safer and healthier, some state leaders in Texas have decided their priority is to attack the trans community and criminalize life-saving care. At a time when trust in government is in dire need of fortifying, this unthinkable action will only serve to deepen biases and divides in our community, put loving parents and their children at risk and further marginalize an already vulnerable population. And all of this inevitably will erode faith in the rule of law – an essential ingredient in maintaining public safety.”
Joseph Brann, former police chief for Hayward, Calif., and the former director of the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, also signed the brief. He said, “Why would people call law enforcement to ask for help when they believe that the government is utilizing its resources to prosecute loving parents? Anti-trans laws undermine the integrity of the criminal legal system, which makes the job of law enforcement even harder and compromises public safety.”
Others signing the brief include Travis County Attorney Delia Garza, Travis County DA José
Read the brief and see a full list of amici here.
— Tammye Nash
