Two state senators filed a measure on Friday that they hope will bring more transparency to criminal trials and prevent wrongful convictions by requiring prosecutors and defense lawyers to share information.
Courts
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Criminal Justice
Legislature May Restrict Use of Cell Phone Records by Law Enforcement
Texas lawmakers are considering a bill filed by Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, that would require police and prosecutors to prove there is a probable cause of illegal activity before obtaining suspects’ cell phone records.
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Criminal Justice
Lawmaker Hopes to Reverse Law That Makes Penny Theft a Felony
Texas legislators accidentally increased the penalty for theft of a penny to a state jail felony in 2011. Now, a lawmaker hopes to fix the statute, which was aimed at copper thieves.
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Criminal Justice
Ellis Bill Would Restrict Death Penalty for Intellectually Disabled
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and other advocates want a new law to ensure that Texas doesn’t execute offenders who are intellectually disabled. Prosecutors say the existing law already does that.
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Criminal Justice
Updated: Chief Justice Pushes for “Innocence Commission”
Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson pushed lawmakers to establish a commission to investigate wrongful convictions at his biannual State of the Judiciary speech on Wednesday.
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Criminal Justice
Report Backs Push for Board to Oversee Prisons
The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition has released a report calling on lawmakers to approve several bills that would increase supervision over the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which oversees the state’s prisons.
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Criminal Justice
Video: Bill Increases Punishment in Hit-and-Run Cases
A bill in the Texas Senate would make the penalty for failing to stop and render aid in certain hit-and-run cases equal to that of intoxication manslaughter. It’s a move lawmakers and law enforcement hope causes more drivers to do the right thing and stay put.
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Criminal Justice
Barratry Charges Against State Lawmaker Are Dropped
Barratry charges against state Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, were dropped on Wednesday following allegations of misconduct by the investigator who pursued the case against him.
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Criminal Justice
Court Reverses Death Row Inmate’s 2003 Conviction
Death row inmate Nelson Gongora’s conviction was reversed by a federal appeals court, which said that a prosecutor’s comments regarding his decision to not testify denied him a right to a fair trial.
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Criminal Justice
Border Officials: Federal Budget Inaction Could Weaken Security, Trade
“The border is safe.” That’s a common refrain from lawmakers who say the unprecedented buildup of law enforcement in the region has netted positive results. But as sequestration looms, lawmakers say federal inaction could put that reality in jeopardy.