78R6860 WMS-D

By:  McReynolds                                                   H.R. No. 312



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Joe L. Price, Trinity County district attorney, was 
an outstanding Texan and devoted public servant whose untimely 
passing on February 21, 2003, at the age of 58, has brought great 
sorrow to his family, friends, colleagues, and community; and
	WHEREAS, Born August 21, 1944, Mr. Price proudly served, 
unopposed, as the elected district attorney of the 258th Judicial 
District since 1977; a 1962 graduate of Trinity High School, he 
earned degrees from Sam Houston State University in 1966 and Baylor 
University Law School in 1969; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Price fought tirelessly to attain justice for 
victims of crime and their families during his 26-year tenure as the 
district attorney in Groveton; one of the Lone Star State's 
longest-sitting district attorneys, he embraced the life of a 
public servant and relentlessly pursued his goal of swift and fair 
legal action in behalf of the citizens of Texas; and
	WHEREAS, In the thousands of criminal prosecutions brought by 
Mr. Price, he never lost sight of the fact that at the root of every 
crime is a victim whose life has been permanently changed, and at 
the heart of those heinous crimes involving loss of life is a family 
who will never again be able to tell the victim how much that person 
is loved; his compassionate work with families left behind, 
including the loved ones of capital murder victim Pamela Mosely 
Carpenter, serves as a blueprint and an inspiration for all 
prosecutors; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Price was an invaluable colleague and member of 
the Texas District and County Attorneys Association Board of 
Directors, as well as a board member of the Kalin House Child 
Advocacy Center and the Trinity scholarship fund, and he was an 
active supporter of the Trinity County Fair and the young people of 
Trinity County; in addition, Mr. Price generously shared his 
extensive knowledge of criminal law and prosecution with his fellow 
prosecutors and with college students; and
	WHEREAS, Those who were privileged to know Joe Price will 
long miss his presence, and his remarkable contributions to 
criminal justice and the rights of crime victims in this state will 
not soon be forgotten; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby pay special tribute to the life of Trinity 
County district attorney Joe L. Price and extend sincere sympathy 
to the members of his family and to his loyal staff: to his parents, 
Dean and Johnnie Price; to his daughters and son-in-law, Aenea 
Marburger and Jo Lin and Lance Brownlee; to his grandchildren, 
Price Brownlee and Marshall and Jenna Marburger; to his sister and 
brother-in-law, Judy and Bill Burton; to his nieces, Julie and 
Ceslie; to his assistant, Deana Bell; to his investigator, Ron 
Dunnahoe; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it 
further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of 
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joe L. 
Price.