The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
A Dallas County judge in 2008 found Ben Spencer innocent of the 1987 robbery and murder for which he is serving a life sentence. The state's highest court disagreed, though, and this month he will mark 26 years behind bars. Full Story
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The results of the new University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll on everything from the top race of 2014 to the gun debate, Aaronson on Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on a financial thaw in the Mexican oil patch, Batheja on cents and sensibility, M. Smith on school choice, Rocha and Dehn on TWIA reform, Galbraith on water and fracking, Murphy’s interactive map of poverty in the state, E. Smith's TribLive interview with House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock and Root on a lobby couple living large and reporting small: The best of our best content from March 4-8, 2013. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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The mental health code doesn't give police the right to take a gun from someone who is having a mental health crisis. Mental health advocates, judges and law enforcement officials are urging state lawmakers to address gaps like that one. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson pushed lawmakers to establish a commission to investigate wrongful convictions at his biannual State of the Judiciary speech on Wednesday. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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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. Full Story
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“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. Full Story
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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday issued an acquittal in the case of Megan Winfrey, 24, who has been behind bars since 2007 in a murder case in which her conviction was based almost entirely on evidence from dog-scent lineups. Full Story
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Widely variable discovery practices in Texas makes access to justice dependent upon where a defendant is charged, according to a report released Wednesday, giving weight to bills that would create uniform discovery procedures. Full Story
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This six-part series explores the intersections of the mental health and criminal justice systems in Texas, examining the case of Andre Thomas, a death row inmate who awaits a court decision on whether he is sane enough for execution. Full Story
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In the wake of Michael Morton's high-profile exoneration, state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, filed a bill Tuesday that aims to ensure more accountability for prosecutors who are accused of withholding evidence. Full Story
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Lawmakers on Tuesday took their first crack at a bill designed to ban texting while driving, including reviewing statistics suggesting that bans in other states have not reduced accidents and are difficult to enforce. Full Story
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Andre Thomas' case raises critical questions about how the justice system deals with mentally ill defendants who commit heinous crimes and whether they should be exempt from the death penalty. Full Story
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Andre Thomas is among thousands of mentally ill inmates in a sprawling state prison system that is struggling to keep pace with the increasing need for mental health care. Medical staff say they need more state funding. Full Story
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