Trial judge in Robert Roberson’s death row case agrees to recusal
Senior District Judge Deborah Oakes Evans recused herself after a challenge to her impartiality over longtime relationships with case prosecutors and judges. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9741fa4f30055468e6f1b3277cc6e15c/Roberson%202018%20SK%2003.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/terri-langford.jpg)
Terri Langford is the Tribune's health services reporter based in Austin. Langford is a veteran journalist, having worked at the Florida Times Union, The Associated Press, The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, WNYC, Honolulu Civil Beat and Texas Standard/KUT. Langford has a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin. She has covered various city and state agencies, criminal justice and health and human services for the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The Associated Press, WNYC and Texas Standard at KUT.
Latest Contributions
-
![Judge Deborah Oakes Evans presides over a hearing in Palestine on Aug. 14, 2018 as Robert Roberson's attorneys seek a new trial. Roberson was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003 for the murder of the murder of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House committee demands that attorney general allow Roberson to testify
The Criminal Jurisprudence Committee plans to issue a new subpoena to the death row inmate for a Dec. 20 hearing if Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office does not cooperate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a03e336203de11ad5d8a0483384de384/TTE%20Moody%20and%20Leach%20JJ%20TT%2001.jpg)
![From left: Texas Tribune reporter Kayla Guo moderates a conversation with State Reps. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and Joe Moody, D-El Paso, in Austin on Dec. 6, 2024. Moody, who is chairman, serves with Leach on the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
Los hospitales en Texas ahora deben preguntarle a sus pacientes sobre su ciudadanía. No tienes que responder.
El gobernador Greg Abbott quiere saber cuánto gastan los hospitales en el cuidado de inmigrantes indocumentados. Los hospitales no deben negar atención en ningún caso. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6f2590b9e0d28d1e8b17259b868f78b8/ATX%20COVID%20Medical%20MG%20TT%2004.jpg)
![The emergency drop-off at an Austin hospital on March 30, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas hospitals are now required to ask for patients’ citizenship. Here’s what you should know.
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to know how much hospitals spend caring for undocumented immigrants. Hospitals should not deny care based on how patients respond. Full Story
![The emergency drop-off at an Austin hospital on March 30, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Could Texas do for Alzheimer’s research what it did for cancer?
Modeled after the state’s $6 billion cancer research fund, the dementia fund — a legislative priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — could pump hundreds of millions of dollars into Texas researchers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3ae20b97fae697fed93835711d444f67/1113%20El%20Faro%20Alzheimers%20BB%2001%20TT.jpg)
![The facilities of El Faro Health and Therapeutics clinical research facility count with an infusion room to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Rio Grande City on November 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune. -
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s execution
The state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f2b787577fd076b180639d2578b427f0/Criminal%20Jurisprudence%20SF%20TT%2006.JPG)
![Former Detective Brian Wharton testifies during a Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin. Wharton was an investigator in the case of the death of Nikki Roberson and has expressed his doubts of Roberson's guilt and agrees with stopping his execution. With his scheduled execution drawing closer, a hearing debating the certainty of Roberson's guilt and there is a bipartisan push to stay his execution. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding
Although Texas counties are not required to provide ambulance services, many are digging deep to pay for their own fleet or to contract out services. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/47f413ca33b98fdcf6d39f650e6a8a86/1108%20County%20EMS%20ST%20TT%2001.jpg)
![The interior of a CareFlite ambulance vehicle outside the Johnson County County Commissioners office in Cleburne on November 8, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Election Day updates: South Texas continues dramatic shift toward Donald Trump, GOP
Texas might not be a swing state, but many of its races will have major consequences to the national political landscape and on the lives of everyday Texans. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7b0951cca85203b3f597b1e1a5ed0b34/1105%20Election%20Day%20Houston%20MF%20TT%2024.jpg)
![Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Texas withdraws request to block U.S. Justice Department from monitoring state’s elections
The federal agency agreed their monitors would remain outside polling locations and wouldn’t interfere with voting. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/08706a0e7a5dc5b7d36f1bdb254e24c5/1108%20Houston%20Election%20Day%20MS%20TT%2003.jpg)
![Voters check in to vote at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston, Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Robert Roberson’s case spotlights Texas’ GOP divide on criminal justice
Texas’ junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5d17cad21daf32a7a75f344e93798175/Criminal%20Jurisprudence%20SF%20TT%2009.jpg)
![From left: State Reps. David Cook, R-Mansfield, Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, during a House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune