District attorney who prosecuted Jeff Wood now wants him off death row
The prosecutor in the death penalty case of a man who didn't kill anyone has asked the parole board and Gov. Greg Abbott to change his sentence to life in prison. Full Story
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Jolie McCullough
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Jolie McCullough was a reporter at The Texas Tribune from 2015 to 2023. She began as a data visualization journalist and then reported on criminal justice policy, ranging from policing and courts to prisons and the death penalty. She joined the Tribune from the Albuquerque Journal, her hometown newspaper. She previously worked at the Arizona Republic and is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Past Contributions
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![Supporters of Jeff Wood gathered on July 23, 2016, in front of the Governor's Mansion to rally against his scheduled August execution.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond -
Texas senators discuss closing youth lockups amid sexual abuse scandal
Several state senators indicated at a Tuesday committee hearing that they would be open to closing at least some of Texas' five remaining remote lockups for committed youth. Full Story
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![State Sens. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, John Whitmire, D-Houston, and Royce West, D-Dallas, at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Dec. 5, 2017.]()
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Two Gainesville youth lockup guards arrested over alleged abuse
Two guards at a Texas lockup for minors were arrested last week after allegedly abusing youths in custody, according to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Full Story
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Texas House revises sexual harassment policy following reports of flaws
The revised Texas House sexual harassment policy includes language that strengthens protections against retaliation and provides specific steps to report inappropriate behavior. It comes about two weeks after The Texas Tribune detailed flaws in the former policy that often left victims to fend for themselves. Full Story
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![State Rep. Charlie Geren, chairman of the House Administration Committee, talks to reporters on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, after the committee voted on an updated sexual harassment policy for the Texas House of Representatives.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas reform advocates want to close all state-run youth lockups
Juvenile justice reform advocates want all the state's youth lockups closed after the department's latest sexual misconduct scandal. Full Story
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What's happening in Harris County now that the sheriff issues bail bonds?
The burden of a federal court order mandating the free release of poor misdemeanor defendants from jail has fallen onto the Harris County Sheriff. County data shows more than 40 percent of the sheriff's bonds fail because defendants aren't showing up to court, but critics say that number doesn't tell the whole story. Full Story
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![The Harris Co. Sheriff's Office and Detention Facility in Houston.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals halts state's last execution of 2017
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stopped the state's last remaining execution of 2017, sending the San Antonio case back to court to resolve claims of false testimony at trial. Full Story
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Texas leaders call for training on sexual harassment — but can't require it for lawmakers
Legislative leaders looking to create better training to prevent sexual harassment will likely face a roadblock if they want to get lawmakers in the room. Full Story
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![An empty corridor at the Capitol.]()
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Texas leaders call for reviews of Capitol sexual harassment policies
Lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate called for a review of sexual harassment policies Tuesday following a Texas Tribune story detailing how current procedures offered little protection for victims. Full Story
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At the Texas Capitol, victims of sexual harassment must fend for themselves
Interviews with more than two dozen current and former lawmakers and legislative aides indicate sexual harassment regularly goes unchecked at the Texas Capitol. And sexual harassment policies rely on officials with little incentive or authority to enforce them, particularly in cases of harassment by lawmakers. Full Story
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Credit: Shelby Tauber