The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Lawmakers are pursuing legislative changes that would keep more people locked up in overcrowded county jails while awaiting resolution to their cases. Full Story
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One Senate Democrat joined Republicans, providing the margin needed to approve Justin Berry to the state law-enforcement board. Full Story
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Authorities did not say how the individuals arrested in Hays County may be tied to the Venezuelan gang. It was also unclear what criminal charges people may face, though drugs were seized. Full Story
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Maria Rojas’ attorneys got their first chance to address the claims against her Thursday. She was released on bond but a judge ordered the clinics to remain closed. Full Story
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Superior HealthPlan’s CEO, whom lawmakers grilled about the company’s alleged hiring of private investigators, was reportedly fired after the inquiry was announced. Full Story
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About two-thirds of Texas prisons are not fully air conditioned, and dozens of inmates have died in the sweltering heat. Full Story
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The new DA campaigned on seeking the death penalty for the 2019 massacre, but said he offered the gunman a plea deal of life in prison to avoid dragging out the case for several more years. Full Story
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The removal of the death penalty as an option could lead to a quick guilty plea and life sentence, as happened with federal charges in 2023. Full Story
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En el condado de Maverick, las autoridades pueden tardar meses en informar a los fiscales de una detención, mientras los acusados esperan en la cárcel. Rara vez se asignan abogados a quien los solicita. Full Story
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People in Maverick County spend months in jail waiting to be charged with minor crimes. Some are simply lost in the system Full Story
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Two-thirds of the state’s roughly 100 jails and prisons in Texas are not fully air conditioned in inmate housing areas. Full Story
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The 2022 tragedy was the nation’s deadliest smuggling attempt across the U.S.-Mexico border. Full Story
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Proposed legislation includes increased penalties for retail theft, car burglaries and forgery, among others. Full Story
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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals did not clarify why it halted the execution of David Wood in its order granting the stay. Full Story
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Brittany Marlowe Holberg was convicted in 1998 of robbing and murdering an 80-year-old man in his Amarillo home. The appeals court said critical evidence was withheld. Full Story
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The directive comes as some state agencies have downsized their office spaces after the pandemic forced many employees to work remotely. Full Story
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Democratic state Rep. Gene Wu criticized the department for treating an August 2024 federal report as “nothing.” Full Story
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Texas’ indigent defense commission wants lawmakers to spend $35 million on public defender offices in rural areas, but some say that isn’t nearly enough to ensure compliance with the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
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The development outside of Houston has long drawn the ire of Texas Republicans who claim it’s a haven for undocumented people. Full Story
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Ruben Gutierrez wants to be able to sue prosecutors to compel them to test evidence that he says will prove he did not kill a Brownsville woman in 1998. Full Story
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