The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
In the Roundup: State officials vow to find out what happened to Sandra Bland, the woman who died in a Southeast Texas jail. And an addition to the 2016 Republican presidential field could affect some Texas hopefuls. Full Story
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Like many Texas lockups, the Waller County Jail staff had not been sufficiently trained in safeguarding suicidal or mentally ill inmates. Part of the problem is underfunding and understaffing at the state agency overseeing the network of 244 local and private jails. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday asked a federal district judge to dismiss a lawsuit that claims a state agency violated the U.S. Constitution by denying birth certificates to U.S.-citizen children of immigrant parents. Full Story
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As she was being booked into the Waller County Jail, Sandra Bland told officers she had attempted suicide earlier this year, records released on Wednesday show. Bland also indicated that she had been diagnosed with epilepsy and was taking an anti-seizure medication. Full Story
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Two Texas lawmakers said Sandra Bland should have never been arrested after watching the video of the traffic stop taken from the Texas Department of Public Safety trooper’s car that was shown in a closed door meeting before being released to the public. Full Story
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After a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped Sandra Bland's car and approached her, he told her to put out her cigarette and get out of her car. When she asked why, he threatened to "light up" the 28-year-old with his Taser. Full Story
UPDATED: A week after Waller County Sheriff's deputies found Sandra Bland dead inside her jail cell, the Texas Department of Public Safety rereleased the dash cam video of the traffic stop that led to her arrest. DPS officials reposted the video after they say segments were affected by the original upload. Full Story
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Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán's brazen escape last week from a maximum-security Mexican prison prompted anger from U.S. officials. Advocates who want to see changes to drug laws argue now is the time to reassess current policies. Full Story
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Gun rights advocates scored major wins this year in the Texas Legislature, and some aren't stopping there. State Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, wants to allow staff and visitors to bring firearms into hospitals for self-defense. Full Story
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On Sunday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee and a trio of state lawmakers visited with the family of Sandra Bland, the woman who died while in the custody of the Waller County Sheriff's Office. Full Story
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A Baltimore pastor on Monday said video taken from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper's dashboard camera shows Sandra Bland did not attack the officer. Full Story
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Roughly 200 people gathered on the Prairie View A&M campus on Sunday to share memories of Sandra Bland, who died in police custody three days after being pulled over for an improper lane change. Full Story
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While social media has been flooded with questions from across the country about Sandra Bland's death, students and residents in Waller County are turning out in person to protest, raise questions and honor her memory. Full Story
Attorney General Ken Paxton, dogged by a cloud of legal uncertainty since taking office in January, is not using taxpayer dollars to pay his lawyers, according to aides, who left it less clear whether he plans to tap his campaign account. Full Story
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The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old woman found dead in the Waller County Jail on Monday. An autopsy classified her death as suicide by hanging. Full Story
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A Texas correctional officer killed while escorting a prisoner to his cell was beaten to death with a two-foot pry bar, a tool guards carry to unlock the small meal tray openings in a cell door, the Tribune has confirmed. Full Story
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Started during Greg Abbott's tenure as attorney general, a project to upgrade the technology for the state’s antiquated child support enforcement system is years behind schedule. The AG's office, now under the leadership of Ken Paxton, is hoping to restructure the project. Full Story
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Former Gov. Rick Perry has now spent more than $2 million in state campaign cash fighting the abuse-of-power indictment against him. Full Story
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A rookie Texas Department of Criminal Justice guard was beaten to death Wednesday at a northeast Texas prison as he was escorting an inmate, one with an extensive history of attempted escapes and previous beatings of prison personnel, from a day room to a cell. Full Story
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Operation Jade Helm 15, the military training exercise that sparked an international frenzy earlier this year, gets underway Wednesday in Texas. Full Story
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