On Jan. 22, a jury awarded $335,000 to three men who accused Willacy County’s district attorney of false arrest and false imprisonment. In 2007, Gustavo Garza, a special prosecutor investigating claims that District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra had abused the grand jury process, was arrested along with David Martinez, chief deputy of the Willacy County Sheriff’s Department, and Uvaldo Zamora, chief of the Raymondville Police Department. All three were arrested on warrants filed by Guerra. They alleged Guerra prepared a false affidavit to support the warrants, which the men claimed were sought in retaliation for, and to interfere with, Garza’s investigation. Guerra denied the affidavit was false and argued he was acting in good faith in his official capacity. However, the jury found Guerra had the men arrested without probable cause. The plaintiffs’ award included $210,000 in punitive damages.
Garza, et al. v. Guerra, No. 1:08-cv-00084
