Root’s scoop on Rick Perry’s working retirement, Aaronson maps poverty in Texas, Aguilar on a voting rights warning shot from the U.S. Attorney General, Galbraith on the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking operations, Grissom on the drop in executions, Hamilton and M. Smith on UT-Austin President Bill Powers’ rough year, Murphy and Tan and Dehn on the shortage of psychiatrists and Ramshaw on the federal refusal to exclude operators like Planned Parenthood from family planning programs: The best of our best content from December 12 to 16, 2011.
death penalty
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Executions, Death Sentences Drop in Texas, Nation
Leading a national downward trend in the use of the death penalty, Texas has executed just 13 prisoners so far in 2011, the lowest number in more than a decade. And juries meted out only eight new death sentences.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
A Texas Issue, but Not a National One
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals took some heat off of Gov. Rick Perry when it issued a stay of execution for Hank Skinner this week. And the governor has avoided any link to another case involving two of his appointees and a botched murder prosecution in Williamson County.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Supreme Court Denies Duane Buck Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the appeal of Texas death row inmate Duane Buck, who was seeking a retrial based on race-related testimony given during the sentencing phase of his 1997 trial.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Skinner, Running Out of Time, Awaits DNA Ruling From Skeptical Court
Facing a Wednesday execution date, convicted murderer Hank Skinner is again appealing to the state’s highest criminal court to allow for new DNA tests he says could exonerate him. But the court previously has ruled against him — twice.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
The latest UT/TT Poll on the 2012 race and other issues, Root on Herman Cain’s stumble, Ramshaw and Titus on Texas Republicans who don’t support Perry, Murphy maps presidential fundraising in Texas, Philpott on changing the constitution for parks and education, Hamilton on a case of higher ed separation anxiety, Grissom on the state’s breakup with a death penalty witness, Galbraith on a congressman’s search for a big leak, Aguilar on the Border Patrol’s effort to operate in environmentally protected areas and Aaronson on a dramatic drop in government employment in Texas: The best of our best content from October 31 to November 4, 2011.
Posted in
Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: On the Issues
The insiders answered questions from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll for the second week in a row, this time on the death penalty, education, top issues facing Texas, and whether the people they know would vote for a Mormon candidate with whom they agree on issues.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Lower Court Denies Skinner DNA Test, Appeal Planned
A Gray County District Court today denied DNA testing that death row inmate Hank Skinner has been seeking for a decade. Skinner’s lawyers plan to appeal the decision. His execution is scheduled for Wednesday.
Posted in
University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
UT/TT Poll: Mormon Candidates Face Hurdle
More than one in five Texas voters say most of the people they know would not vote for a Mormon presidential candidate even if they agreed with him or her on the issues, according to the new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TYC Ends Contract With Doctor Who Gave Race Testimony in Court
The Texas Youth Commission terminated its contract Friday with a psychologist who testified repeatedly in death penalty cases that Hispanic and black men were more likely to be dangerous in the future.
