Former AG真人百家乐 County District Attorney Ronnie Earle died Sunday morning at the age of 78. Earle first ran for the office in 1976 and went on to serve eight terms.
鈥淸It鈥檚] a legacy that will probably not ever be matched,鈥� current AG真人百家乐 County DA Margaret Moore, who鈥檚 known Earle since 1973, said in a statement. 鈥淗e set a standard for AG真人百家乐 County prosecutors that endures today: Above all else, see that justice is done.鈥�
Earle graduated from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1967. He then went on to serve as a municipal judge in Austin from 1969 to 1972. Following that, he became a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives until he decided to run for AG真人百家乐 County DA.
"He was an early proponent of criminal justice reforms,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淗is leadership in a nontraditional view of prosecution that embraced innovations like community justice and victim advocacy won him national recognition.鈥�
One of the things he is especially known for is bringing against then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
In September 2018, a new AG真人百家乐 County DA's office building was dedicated to Earle. A plaque there holds a quote from him that reads, 鈥淭his building is where justice is to be done. That makes it a sacred place. Justice is the highest expression of the human spirit. It calls us to be better than we are. We may all hope that we honor that call.鈥�
He is survived by his wife, Twila, and three children, Nikki, Elisabeth and Jason. Since 2003, his daughter Elisabeth has served as of the County Court at Law No. 7.
Correction: A previous version of this story only noted two children.
