"Innocence Commission" Bill Poised to Make Return
State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, was stunned during the 2011 legislative session when a bill she sponsored that would have created an “innocence commission” to investigate cases of wrongful conviction was shot down on its third and final reading.
HB 115 had gone through its first two readings and passed by an 82-54 margin. But the next day, it was defeated by a 51-91 vote. "It was my assumption it was going to pass," McClendon said. "It was a shock."
Calling the commission’s approval a crucial step for ensuring Texas improves its record on wrongful convictions, McClendon ...
Comments (5)
Luisa Inez Newton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If Texas were an intelligent state, we'd dump the death penalty entirely, but unfortunately, Texas is a backward state filled to the brim with so-called "pro-life" people frothing for executions.
Free Things to Do in Dallas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why not put the politics away for a minute and go see a movie! We have 25 FREE PASSES for 2 to see CHASING MAVERICKS with Gerard Butler on Oct 23 in Dallas
David Spratt
Yes by all means we need to create another level of bureaucracy to consume more tax $ so we can hire more people to shuffle paper and second guess everyone else. We have an Appeals Court , a bar Association already. Maybe we should look to requiring accountability from existing institutions rather than creating more?
Marnie Tunay via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yeah, maybe Texas should concentrate on reforms that will mean fewer innocent people end up getting convicted in the first place.
pamela huffman
The State supreme court needs to prosocute the D.A. that screw up these peoples lives. I have a friend of mine, that the tarrant county D.A.'s office has known about for 10 years, it is under investigation. Let'get the move on it, and get it going quickly. He has wasted 20 years of his life, in a place where he doesn't't deserve to be.