John Bradley, the Williamson County District Attorney and the newly-appointed chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, spent his morning answering a steady stream of questions from Texas lawmakers. At issue, if and when his panel will re-open the investigation into whether faulty science led to the arson conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed by the state in 2004.
state agencies
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribBlog: Bradley Makes His Case
Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley expected some verbal jousting today at the Senate Criminal Justice Committee about his plans for the Texas Forensic Science Commission. He was right.
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Politics
2010: McCall’s for Ratliff
Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, is endorsing State Board of Education wannabe Thomas Ratliff, an important move because Collin County is a key part of that race’s geography.
Posted in
Politics
TribBlog: A Chip Off the Old Bloc
The SBOE’s Don McLeroy might miss Rick Agosto more than he thought.
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Politics
The Brief: November 10, 2009
If Williamson County DA John Bradley is sick of the spotlight, then he got appointed to the wrong commission. Of course, many people would argue that regardless.
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State Government
Sanction Season
The state is cracking down on officials who run afoul of election, lobbying and officeholder rules. Just ask Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Broken Border, Part Three: Decriminalize?
Experts from around the U.S. and Mexico are debating the War on Drugs and its affect on violence south of the border. Some of them wonder whether decriminalization is the answer.
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Criminal Justice
On the Records: Ethics Fines Now Searchable
In keeping with our goal of making government data more accessible, we’ve created a simple application for searching fines issued by the Texas Ethics Commission.
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Criminal Justice
TribBlog: A Timely Announcement
Gov. Perry made a timely announcement today: He’s proposing initiatives to improve mental health programs for veterans.
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Higher Education
Texas Reading Exams Fail the National Test
Federal officials say Texas’ testing standards in reading are below the “basic” proficiency standards — and that low bar means those passing the TAKS may not be as proficient as advertised.
