Ogg’s Family Violence Fiasco
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More than 3,350 domestic abusers have avoided jail time since Kim Ogg became the chief law enforcement officer in Harris County, including hundreds of serial abusers with multiple convictions.
The investigation by Dolcefino Consulting appears to fly in the face of Ogg’s repeated campaign promises to protect the victims of domestic abuse. Just this month, Ogg sent out another campaign mailer on the subject – after women’s groups reported a 40% increase in domestic violence calls during the COVID-19 shutdown.
One of the horror stories uncovered involves Ashley Durrett, a Laporte mother, who was systematically beaten while she was pregnant, jeopardizing the life of her unborn daughter. Durrett documented the bruising all over her body in letters to Ogg’s office and wanted her attacker to get a 10-year prison term. Instead, Ogg’s office gave her assailant, Gene Ysidron, a four-year deferred adjudication term despite the fact that the conviction was his second conviction for family violence. Durrett says she got the news that Ysidron was not going to prison when the District Attorney’s Office called her on the phone.
“I was in the middle of Walmart crying and I asked them why didn’t they let me testify,” Durrett told Dolcefino Consulting in an interview. “For them to tell me he was getting away with a slap on the wrist I was terrified. She is not protecting anybody. Like at all.”
“Kim Ogg swept into office capitalizing on the mistreatment of a rape victim,” says Wayne Dolcefino, President of Dolcefino Consulting. “Ashley Durrett’s story may now haunt Ogg in her campaign for reelection. Talk is cheap. The facts about Ogg’s record are undeniable,” says Dolcefino.
Domestic violence is the leading cause of homicides in Harris County.
Nearly 23, 000 criminal defendants have been granted deferred adjudication since Ogg took office in January of 2017. Of the 3,364 domestic abusers given deferred, 591 of them were convicted of aggravated assault of a family member and 124 were convicted of continuous family violence. Based on the Dolcefino Consulting review of thousands of criminal case files, 561 domestic abusers in Harris County avoided jail under Kim Ogg despite a previous conviction for domestic violence.
Morgan Ryan was being beaten with a 2×4 when police arrived at her home. Her attacker went on to attack another woman – yet Ogg’s office agreed to let him avoid any jail time.
District Attorney Kim Ogg failed to respond to requests for comment, but the investigation has confirmed the worst fears of law enforcement. Nearly 45% of all domestic abusers who avoided jail time violated their promise of good behavior.
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