Prison investigator A.P. Merillat’s court testimony about the violence inmates serving life sentences can inflict has helped send at least 15 murderers to death row. Now, his credibility has been condemned by the state’s highest criminal court.
Maurice Chammah
Posted in
Demographics
Updated: Lawmakers Urged to Penalize Trafficking Businesses
Despite efforts to crack down on human trafficking in Texas, lawmakers and advocates said Tuesday that pimps still operate with little pressure. Legislators were urged to increase civil penalties for trafficking businesses.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Questions About Old Blood May Have Implications for DNA
Harris County says it is running out of room to store blood in closed investigations. The district attorney is asking the attorney general to allow courts to order the destruction of old evidence. Some worry that could set a dangerous precedent.
Posted in
Demographics
Advocacy Groups Target Private Prisons for Immigrants
A coalition of advocacy organizations issued a report on Thursday arguing that federal immigration policy is leading to a surge in the population of private prisons, where conditions raise human rights questions.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Michael Griffiths: The TT Interview
The incoming director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department on how his experience has prepared him for his new role and how he’ll solve the problems that have long plagued the state’s juvenile system.
Posted in
State Government
Lawmakers, Advocates Revisit State’s Approach to Solitary Confinement
As solitary confinement grows in the national spotlight, Texas lawmakers and advocates are concerned about the re-entry of prisoners held for years without much human contact. For many, it’s a matter of public safety.
Posted inState Government
Perry Going to Italy for F1 Race, Economic Forum
Gov. Rick Perry is going to Italy for an eight-day economic development trip that is sure to raise perennial questions about how his travel is funded.
