We’ll be liveblogging throughout the weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival’s race and immigration track — which includes panels on cartel violence in Mexico and the relationship between illegal immigration and criminal justice.
Brandi Grissom
Brandi Grissom worked at the Tribune from its launch in 2009 until 2014, rising to the rank of managing editor. In addition to editing duties, Grissom led the Tribune's coverage of criminal justice issues. During her tenure at the Tribune, she was chosen as a 2012 City University of New York Center on Media, Crime and Justice/H.F. Guggenheim Journalism Fellow and was a fellow at the 2012 Journalist Law School at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Grissom, along with Tribune multimedia producer Justin Dehn, received a 2012 regional Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting for work on the case of Megan Winfrey, who was acquitted of murder in February 2013 after the Trib’s coverage brought statewide attention the case. Grissom joined the Tribune after four years at the El Paso Times, where she acted as a one-woman Capitol bureau. Grissom won the Associated Press Managing Editors First-Place Award in 2007 for using the Freedom of Information Act to report stories on a variety of government programs and entities, and the ACLU of Texas named her legislative reporter of the year in 2007 for her immigration reporting. She previously served as managing editor at The Daily Texan and has worked for the Alliance Times-Herald, the Taylor Daily Press, the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung and The Associated Press. A native of Alliance, Neb., she has a degree in history from the University of Texas.
Posted inState Government
In Desert El Paso, a Return of Los Lagartos?
El Paso oldtimers fondly remember the small congregation of alligators that inhabited their downtown plaza from 1889 to 1965. As this border city works to remake its downtown, the question arises: Should the city bring back live alligators?
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Evolving Law Results in Unequal Pay to Exonerated Prisoners
How much Texas pays exonerated prisoners depends largely on when they were released and applied for compensation. Changes in the law over the last decade have created vastly different payouts for former prisoners, leaving some feeling doubly wronged.
Posted in
Higher Education
Will Troubles Cut Deep for Perry Troubleshooter?
Gov. Rick Perry’s go-to problem solver, Jay Kimbrough, could have chosen a more inconvenient time to take out his pocket knife in response to his firing from the Texas A&M University System, whose flagship university is Perry’s alma mater. But maybe not much more.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Updated: TDCJ Will End Final Feasts Before Executions
The long-standing tradition of allowing death row inmates one last meal of their choosing before they enter the execution chamber ends today, said Brad Livingston, executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Supreme Court Grants Last-Minute Stay of Duane Buck Execution
At about 7:40 p.m., the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the execution of Duane Edward Buck. His trial was one of several cases in which a psychologist told jurors that his race made him more dangerous.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
State Fire Marshal’s Critics Fear Arson Review Will Be Compromised
Advocates for a review of previous arson cases fear it may be inadequate if it is led by the state fire marshal, who continues to stand by the Cameron Todd Willingham investigation — even though it relied on methods now considered scientifically unsound.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Pardons Board Denies Clemency in Buck Case
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles today voted against recommending clemency for Duane Edward Buck, rejecting the pleas of his lawyers, a victim he shot and a prosecutor who was on the team that sentenced him to death.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Duane Buck Prosecutor Urges Clemency
A lawyer who worked on the Harris County District Attorney’s prosecution team that sent Duane Edward Buck to death row is calling on state officials to halt the execution schedueld for Thursday and allow for a new sentencing trial in the case.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Forensic Science Panel Calls for Review of Past Arson Cases
The Texas Forensic Science Commission said it would not issue a finding of misconduct against the state fire marshal in the Cameron Todd Willingham arson case. But the commission agreed to implement a review of other arson cases.
