Aaronson on the stats behind the Texas Miracle, Aguilar on an area of the budget that didn’t get cut during the session, Dehn and Tan wrap-up our 31 Days, 31 Ways project, Galbraith talks to Todd Staples about the drought, Grissom on controversial executions during Rick Perry’s tenure (plus a visualization by Murphy and Seger), Hamilton on the Rodney Dangerfield of Texas universities, Philpott on the search for clues in past Perry debates, Ramshaw on Perry’s opposition to abortion rights and Root on Perry’s assurances to conservatives that his past won’t embarrass them: The best of our best content from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2, 2011.
Courts
Stay up to date on Texas courts with in-depth coverage of major rulings, judicial elections, criminal justice, and the judges shaping state law from The Texas Tribune.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Criminal Justice
Embattled ATF Interim Director Reassigned
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced today that the embattled interim director who oversaw the flawed gun-smuggling investigation known as “Fast and Furious” is stepping down.
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Criminal Justice
Video: Perry on Willingham and Innocence
In his October 2010 interview with the Tribune, Gov. Rick Perry talked about controversial Cameron Todd Willingham death penalty case — and the broader issue of innocence.
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Criminal Justice
31 Days, 31 Ways: Tort Reform Bill Gives Texas High Court New Powers
DAY 28 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Under a new tort reform law, the Texas Supreme Court will make rules to expedite certain lawsuits and to allow judges to dismiss meritless ones early on.
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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.
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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.
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Criminal Justice
High Court Approves “Pole Tax” on Strip Clubs
The Texas Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that a $5-per-patron tax on strips clubs does not violate the First Amendment, adding the latest chapter to a four-year legal battle.