The Supreme Court on Monday denied Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson III’s petition to add another attorney to his team. Roberson has one more shot at delaying his execution with a petition arguing his rights were violated.
Texas Department Of Criminal Justice
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Lawyers Fight For, and Over, Death Row Inmate
Two sets of attorneys who believe their client doesn’t belong on death row are fighting not only the state of Texas but also each other as his case arrives at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Report Recommends Police Reform Mental Health Policies
Holding up San Antonio as an example, a report released Tuesday by the Vera Institute of Justice recommends law enforcement agencies change their practices regarding mental illness, sex workers and addiction.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Black Lives Matter Searches for Its Next Step
More than two years after the heat of anger over Trayvon Martin’s shooting in Florida fused into Black Lives Matter, an Austin chapter is trying to mold its energy into an agenda to influence state lawmakers.
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Criminal Justice
New Statewide Jail Form Aimed at Suicide Risks
In the wake of the hanging death of Sandra Bland and other recent suicides, the state agency that oversees jails is issuing a new inmate intake form so jailers will ask more specific, direct questions when booking people.
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Criminal Justice
Report: Veteran Mental Health Ignored in Capital Cases
Veterans sentenced to death in Texas murder cases — and nationwide — might have escaped the punishment if juries had been told about their military service and any ensuing mental health problems, says a report released Tuesday.
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Criminal Justice
Straus Forms Select Committee on Mental Health
The committee will review and make recommendations on substance abuse, care for veterans, identifying illnesses early and improving delivery of mental health care.
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
Prison Inmates Database Gets an Update
The Texas Tribune’s Prison Inmates database, containing more than 144,000 offenders, is now updated with the latest data available from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. It is now current as of September 2015.
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Criminal Justice
2015 Tribune Festival: Audio From the Justice Track
The Justice track at the 2015 Texas Tribune Festival featured panel discussions on criminal justice reform, the Legislature, open carry, and gay rights and states’ rights. There was also a conversation with several Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges.
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Criminal Justice
Commission Begins Study of Wrongful Convictions
The Timothy Cole Exoneration Review Commission Thursday paid tribute to its namesake – who was wrongfully convicted in a 1985 rape case – and began setting a vision for its role in prevent further wrongful convictions in Texas.
