Dear John,

Before I became the Communications Director for Ground Game Texas, I worked with our allies at Mano Amiga doing jail advocacy. The criminal legal system in Hays County has long been notorious for extreme delays in its court system, leading to a severely overcrowded jail. People too poor to make bond are sometimes forced to spend years of their life in jail, awaiting court.

These are people, to be clear, who have yet to be convicted of any crime, who are constitutionally deserving of the presumption of innocence.

One such person was Devonte “DJ” Amerson, who had been arrested in March of 2018. Along with his good friend Cyrus Gray, DJ had been accused of the murder of Justin Gage, a Texas State student who had been shot and killed during a robbery in December of 2015. DJ and Cyrus claimed they were innocent, and, as I got to know them, I came to believe them.

Cyrus Gray, Myles Martin, DJ’s mother Chelesta Amerson, Devonte Amerson, Amy Kamp

I met DJ and Cyrus in the spring of 2022. At that point they’d both spent four years in jail. If that time was stolen from them, it wasn’t wasted. DJ, Cyrus, and other friends of theirs supported one another and advocated for themselves — they were natural organizers, working with the community they found and created while incarcerated.

Over time, Mano Amiga, with the help of many others outside the organization, was able to successfully support DJ and Cyrus in their efforts to get out on bond. It truly took a village. Much of my work centered around calling the public’s attention to this grave injustice, hidden away in our beautiful city of San Marcos.

When it became clear that DJ would never be released without better legal representation, Mano Amiga raised the money to pay for a new attorney. Local Pastor Darius Todd, who had generously agreed to offer DJ spiritual counsel while he was in jail, also gave him a place to live.

Mano Amiga Executive Director Eric Martinez, Cyrus, DJ, and Pastor Darius Todd

Once they were released, Cyrus and DJ still faced the prospect of trial for capital murder. Cyrus’s case was dismissed in July of 2023, but DJ’s case dragged on, with further delays.

Finally, after attorneys Chris Self and Brad Haggard invoked DJ’s right to a speedy trial, the case was dismissed on April 30th.

While DJ and Cyrus still face an uphill battle in getting any measure of justice for the years that were taken from them, and Justin’s killing remains unsolved, it is a monumental victory that DJ and Cyrus are finally free of the wrongful charge of murder. It is a testament to their own talents and character that they were able to get to this point, and it is also an important reminder of the crucial importance of community organizing everywhere, at every level. DJ, Cyrus, and their friend Myles Martin continue to work with Mano Amiga to advocate for others still incarcerated in Hays County.

I’m proud to be able to continue the work of organizing in communities across the state here at Ground Game Texas, along with our local allies, Mano Amiga among them.

In Solidarity,

Amy Kamp
Communications Director

Ground Game Texas

PO Box 383 Manchaca, TX 78652-9998 | [email protected]

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