The former chairman of the Forensic Science Commission on why he believes the governor replaced him and why he argues it is critical for the Texas justice system that the commission finish its investigation into the Willingham arson case.
Texas Department Of Criminal Justice
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Sam Bassett: The TT Interview
The former chairman of the Forensic Science Commission on why he believes the governor replaced him, whether he thinks political motivations were behind it, and why it is critical that the commission finish the Willingham arson investigation.
Posted in
Health care
Video: Capitol Buzz – New Texas Laws
Lawmakers are long gone from the statehouse, but their decisions have consequences that will be seen throughout the next two years. The Tribune’s Thanh Tan spent the month of August explaining 31 ways Texans’ lives are going to change.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
On the Records: How We Got the TDCJ Execution Data
This morning @TribData released a visualization of all executions in the state of Texas since Gov. Rick Perry took office in late 2000. Here’s how we made it happen.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Willingham Aside, Executions Under Perry Raise Questions
As Gov. Rick Perry touts his tough-on-crime policies on the national stage, the case of Cameron Todd Willingham remains in the headlines. But Willingham’s execution is hardly the only controversial one Perry has presided over.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Lawyers Seek Reprieve for Death Row Inmate in Racially Tinged Case
Lawyers for death row inmate Duane Edward Buck today asked for clemency based on the statement of a key witness that the fact he was black meant Buck was more likely to be violent in the future.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Out of Jail, Into Danger: Lockups Continue Nighttime Releases
County jail inmates are often released in the dark of night with little or no money and no transportation. Despite tragic stories of death and assaults, lawmakers this year failed to approve legislation that would require releases during daylight hours.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Tan on coming prison school cuts and online sales taxes, Root on Rick Perry’s support for tax increases when he was a lawmaker, Ramshaw and Serafini on what “Perrycare” would entail, yours truly on the differences between Perry and George W. Bush, Philpott on the passions of the Paulites, Murphy and Seger unveil the Trib’s Texas Public Schools Database, Hamilton on UT’s answer to calls for improvements in higher ed, Galbraith on predictions that the record heat in Texas will be a long-term problem and Aguilar on the legal shootout over gun sales in Texas: The best of our best content from Aug. 22 to 26, 2011.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Despite Questions of Bias, Williamson County DA Will Stay on Morton Case
A state judge has declined to remove District Attorney John Bradley from continuing to investigate the case of Michael Morton, whose 1987 murder conviction has been called into question by new DNA evidence suggesting someone else killed his wife.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Video: 31 Days, 31 Ways: Fewer Classes for Incarcerated Texans
DAY 23 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: The state’s prison education system, known as the Windham School District, eliminates or reduces classes for inmates.
