This past weekend, Travis County Assistant District Attorney Joseph Francis Frederick III was arrested following an alleged altercation with his roommate, which reportedly escalated over trouble streaming pornography on a TV. According to the arrest affidavit, Frederick, frustrated by his inability to stream the content, woke his roommate to request assistance in resolving the issue.
Following the resolution, Frederick allegedly accused his roommate of flirting with a prior guest, leading to a heated argument. Matters intensified when the roommate attempted to retreat to his locked bedroom. Frederick is purported to have forcibly attempted entry, causing damage to the door. According to the affidavit, upon the roommate’s subsequent exit to use the bathroom, Frederick was waiting in the hallway, aiming a silver revolver at him. Adding to the gravity of the situation, Frederick allegedly raised the weapon to the roommate’s face and threatened to shoot him. Police claim the roommate recorded part of the incident, capturing Frederick holding the gun and demanding that the roommate leave.
Frederick was consequently arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, classified as a second-degree felony. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the case but has yet to issue any detailed comments on the matter.
Local defense attorney Ty Cardenas Wittenstein, who previously served as a prosecutor with the Travis County DA’s Office, expressed doubt regarding Frederick’s continued employment within the office. Wittenstein highlighted the significant strain this incident places on the DA’s workload, emphasizing the loss of an experienced prosecutor as a severe blow to the office’s operational capacity.
For additional details, see the report on CBS Austin and the original article from Above the Law.