Longtime Justice of the Peace Tony Torres died at 4 a.m. this morning, apparently after suffering a massive heart attack in his sleep.
Police responded to the call at Torres' Brownsville.
Torres was 69 years old and was elected to that position for more than 20 years.
During the 2010 Democratic primary, no one filed to take him on for the on Pct. 2, Pl. 2 Justice of the Peace position.
"I feel I've treated the people right," Torres said at the time. “I really don’t look forward to having an opponent. No one does. You spend a lot of money and you spend a lot of energy."
Torres was a member of the Brownsville Police Department for 11 years and still had many friends and supporters in the department.
At one time, the feds made noises about trying Torres for allegations made against him by a convicted felon who was their informant. But when push came to shove, the accuser absconded to Florida and never to be seen again. And a complaint made against him with the judicial ethics commission garnered him a slap on the hand.
"It's never too old to learn," Torres said. "Being a judge is a learning experience."
After spending all those years as a justice of the peace – plus a five-year stint as a probation officer and a member of the bail bonds board – there’s very little of the law enforcement and judiciary process in the county he hadn’t seen.
“Nowadays what we’re seeing in this office is evictions and foreclosures,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking to see all those people losing their homes and having to start all over. I bend over backwards to help them in every way I can. But the economic situation has affected many people who eventually end up before me. I can only hope this improves soon.”
Now it'll be up to the county commissioners to appoint a replacement until the next round of elections. As news of Torres' demise spread in the legal community, the inquiries into his replacement have begun.
"There are already people circling around looking for the appointment," said a courthouse insider.
An autopsy has been ordered into his death.
8 comments:
One of my dad's dear partners in fighting crime. May he rest in peace.
Jake.
May God Bless His Soul and His Family. He was a wonderful, helpful, caring, respectful man. We will miss him dearly. He had a smile of gold and we were so fortunate to have shared a smile with him. BE WITH GOD MY FRIEND. AMEN.
Didn't know him personally, but may he rest in pease. god grant serenity to all his family and friends. He will be remebered for all the good things he did.
He gave it all to public service. God Bless him and his family. If anyone deserves a building named in his honor it's this man.
I agree that he deserves some sort of public recognition like a building named for him. I am proud to have worked in court with him and proud to call him a friend.
Rest in peace Tony; we will miss you at the maquinitas. We will also miss Limas playing alongside us!
He had a Smile of Gold and we will surely miss him. God Bless his family with the confort of knowing Judge Tony Torres is now one of God's newest, most welcomed Angel in Heaven. Be with God Judge Torres. Amen! Thanks for always, always greeting your fellowman with a big smile.
Ernesto Gutierrez Judge (Tony Torres)he was a good simple man and he enjoyed having a good simple conversation it was great knowing a mand who was a kid at heart
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