Criminal justice

On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Alexa, Alex and Neena about the biggest new state laws taking effect Sept. 1, a crisis facing indigent defense in Texas, the new Texas secretary of state and the latest from the presidential campaign trail.

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Swearingen consistently maintained his innocence in the strangling death of 19-year-old Melissa Trotter. Texas prosecutors, however, had no doubt he was her killer.

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For decades, Texans who can’t afford a lawyer have gotten caught in a criminal justice system that’s crippled by inadequate funding and overloaded attorneys. A growing body of caseload data — and a recent lawsuit — point to an even more fundamental hazard: the unchecked power of Texas judges.

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The line outside the funeral stretched several blocks. “I think our community lost something and this is our community grieving together," said local state Rep. Joe Moody.

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“What President Trump says, and what he does, does not just offend our sensibilities or our understanding of the traditions of this great country,” O'Rourke said. “It changes who we are as a country.”

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After May's 40 homicides, Gov. Greg Abbott deployed state troopers to Dallas. Despite some drops in violent crimes, city officials say they've done more harm than good. Meanwhile, there's still no consensus on what's driving the increase as victims' families are left to grapple with grief.

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In his recent appeals, Johnson has claimed he is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for the death penalty. He was convicted of a double murder in Harris County that took place in 2006.

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The task force will analyze current and emerging state threats and form stronger prevention strategies. Abbott took similar action — which led to sweeping legislation — after last year's school shooting in Santa Fe.

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The law will make the electronic transmission of unwanted sexually explicit material a class C misdemeanor. But legal experts worry it could be written too broadly under the First Amendment to be effective.

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Abbott announced a similar series of roundtables after the shooting at Santa Fe High School.

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A debate over gun control was reignited after a gunman killed 22 people at a Walmart in El Paso. Here's a rundown of Texas' gun laws.

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Jordan and Andre Anchondo were among more than 20 victims killed in Saturday’s mass shooting at a Walmart and a shopping center in El Paso.

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Organizers had to bring in a second mobile station to deal with the high number of people wanting to donate blood. By the end of the drive, over 110 people had donated.

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The world again turned its eyes to Texas after a gunman killed 20 and injured 26 more at an El Paso Walmart. Photographers were on the scene instantly, stayed through the night, and they’re back today. Here is some of their work.

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Police say the gunman legally purchased the weapon he used in the shooting that left 20 people dead and more than two dozen wounded at an El Paso Walmart.

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Police say the suspect is a white male in his 20s from the Dallas area who was arrested without incident. Police are investigating whether it was a hate crime.

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A memo obtained by The Texas Tribune instructs DPS officers to cite and release suspects in misdemeanor marijuana cases "as appropriate." Officials said the goal is to continue enforcement even though some prosecutors aren't taking new pot cases.

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Commissioners approved a settlement aiming to end yearslong litigation over Harris County's misdemeanor bail system. Similar lawsuits in Dallas and other Texas cities also target how bail is set for people charged with felonies.

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John Jones was arrested Tuesday in Travis County. He is accused of raping a woman at a party July 20.

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Crime labs repeatedly told lawmakers and budget officials that they couldn't distinguish between hemp and marijuana without new testing resources. The issue got almost no attention.

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