Amy Lynn Cowling died on Dec. 29, 2010 in the Gregg County Jail. Her family is outraged over the treatment she received there, but jail officials say Cowling’s unfortunate death was not their fault.
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
Compare How the 2010 Candidates Spent Their Campaign Money
How did the candidates on the ballot last year compare in their political spending on advertising, polling and staff? Use our interactive bubble chart to explore category data released recently by the Texas Ethics Commission.
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Criminal Justice
Veteran Who Shot Baby Seeks Clemency
He was an Army veteran and a Houston security guard who had never been arrested until February 2002, when a fight with his wife sent Timothy Adams into a suicidal spiral. During a stand-off with police, Adams fatally shot his 19-month-old son twice in the chest — landing him a spot on death row.
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Criminal Justice
Bill Aims to Make Sexting Illegal
Under the proposed legislation, teens caught “sexting” could face up to a Class A Misdemeanor. Parents could also face penalties.
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Criminal Justice
Watson Files Bill to Make Sexting Illegal
“Sexting” — sending or receiving pornographic images via cell phones — should be a criminal offense for teenagers, say Attorney General Greg Abbott and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin.
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Guides
Texplainer: Could Texas Fire Up Old Sparky?
The short answer is yes — and no. It’s still around, and would work if it was plugged in. But it can’t be used for executions in Texas anymore.
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Criminal Justice
Last Words: “All Right, Warden, Let’s Do It.”
Before prison officials administer the lethal cocktail of drugs used to carry out executions, the condemned may say their final piece. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice keeps a record of these last statements.
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Criminal Justice
Will Europe Thwart Texas Executions?
Texas has enough supplies of a key drug to carry out only two more executions. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is exploring its options, including what other states are doing. But the drug alternatives are limited and would most likely still leave Texas reliant on nations that oppose the death penalty.
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Criminal Justice
Jail Officials: Mental Health Cuts Hurt Everyone
Slashing funds for community-based mental health care will hurt taxpayers and degrade the quality of life for thousands of mentally ill Texans and their families, Harris County Jail officials told Texas budget writers today in written testimony for the Senate Finance Committee.
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Criminal Justice
TribBlog: LBB Makes Criminal Justice Recommendations
Criminal justice in Texas got a fourfold performance review from the Legislative Budget Board today. From incarceration projections to the cost per bed for prisoners, the board broke down the state’s public safety performance in cold, hard numbers.