LOS FRESNOS GUS GARZA, OF SPANKING INFAMY, DIES

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Word has reached us that Gustavo "Gus" Garza, the former Los Fresnos Justice of the Peace who drew national attention in 2008 when he ordered a spanking as punishment for a girl who had multiple truancy offenses, has died.

Garza apparently suffered a heart attack early today and was taken to a local hospital where he was declared dead. He had retired from from his law practice after more than 35 years  in state and federal courts.. He worked not only as a assistant DA, but also was an elected county and district attorney for Willacy County, a special prosecutor for Cameron County, justice of the peace in Los Fresnos and a science teacher.

He retired just last February 2017 as a prosecutor – for the second time – for the Cameron County District Attorney's Office. Among some of the notable cases was the prosecution of former Pct. 2 County Commissioner Ernie Hernandez and his administrative assistant Raul Salazar. As a result of the prosecution, Hernandez agreed to step down as a commissioner and got deferred adjudication. Salazar got nine months in the county jail.

Garza gained national attention after a couple filed a lawsuit in June 2018 that alleged he told a 14-year-old girl's stepfather that she would be found guilty of a criminal offense and fined $500 for truancy unless the stepfather spanked her in the courtroom.

The lawsuit asked a state district court to stop the spankings and remove Garza from office.

The family alleged in the lawsuit that Garza told the father to strike his stepdaughter repeatedly on the buttocks in open court.  When he was through, the judge told him he had not struck the girl hard enough, the father alleged in an affidavit. Others said they had seen the judge order other public spankings.

However, Garza had told others in private conversations that the girl had stopped missing school after that episode and that she had joined the military after graduating from Los Fresnos High School. He said she had come back to his courtroom in her uniform and thanked him.

"Se compuso," he said.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.