I have been a prosecutor for over 30 years. I began my career with the Lubbock County
Criminal District Attorney’s office in the spring of 1976 as an Assistant District Attorney (ADA).
I came back to Llano, my hometown, in 1978 to go into private practice with my father, Wilburn
Oatman, Jr. His practice was mainly civil real estate, having continued Oatman Land Titles
started in 1884 by former Oatman attorneys. My grandfather, Wilburn Oatman, Sr., began
Oatman Law Offices and Oatman Abstract Company (later to become Oatman Land Titles and
now operated by my wife, Diane). Oatman, Sr. was also District Attorney for the present 33rd
Judicial District for the 1900 Term, for which I am very proud.
Sometime in 1980, the Honorable Louis Crump of San Saba and District Attorney for the
33rd Judicial District called me to be his Assistant District Attorney. Having gained extensive
trial and prosecutorial experience in Lubbock County, I quickly took the job. At the time, the D.
A.’s office was just himself and his secretary, along with me and my secretary. The District
included Blanco, Burnet, Llano, Mason, and San Saba counties. The total population then was
roughly 40,000. Mason soon joined another district but the 2010 census population for the
four-county district now is about 78,679 people.
I have accomplished many things these past 27 years, first of all going from a one
attorney, one secretary office to a staff of myself and 15 employees, including two
investigators, two victim service specialists, six assistant district attorneys, and a fine loyal
administrative staff of five. Louis Crump resigned and I was appointed in 1984 then elected
and officially began the 1985 Term.
Since 1984, this office has handled over 12,000 felony criminal cases combining
hundreds of years of pen time, numerous life sentences, thousands of dollars in fines and
restitution for victims. In Lubbock, I assisted in a death penalty case under the law since the
death penalty was assessed in 1972, but we have had none in our district that necessitated a
trial so far.
I think my greatest accomplishments, other than an aggressive and successful
prosecution of felonies, are the Victim Services Program. This has been a great asset even
though my decisions have not pleased everyone, which is impossible. Confidentiality of
information is first and foremost in protecting the integrity of a case itself when dealing with
victims.
It is true that there has been a turnover in my office, but not including my administrative
and victim services staff, which is the foundation of any public office. Attorneys for my office
either have to meet my standards of professionalism or allowed to resign or be terminated. If
there is concern for the turnover, then perhaps my standards are too high. Many attorneys
that left the office were not native to the Hill Country and wanted to move on to larger cities,
better opportunities, or better pay and benefits.
While running for office, I have always been in charge of my own political ads and media
exposure. Though often asked, I never accepted nor sought an endorsement from any
elected official for political office. I personally feel an endorsement of this kind might appear to
be a “conflict of interest” in the eyes of a public that should hopefully never distrust any part of
our criminal justice system.
I will continue my present term in office as I believe in the District Attorney’s office and
want it to continue to be a trusting asset to our criminal justice system. I am not giving up
public service, especially on the local level if needed. My plans are to not promote any
candidate for this office and will do all I can to protect the dignity of my administration through
any debate blaming my administration to cover anyone’s failure to produce what they may
have promised.
When the election process is complete, I will willingly work with the new D.A. to make an
effective transition to a new administration if asked. That is my legacy to the good citizens I
have represented the past 27 plus years.
Sam Oatman Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election
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