The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Vialva was the seventh man executed in the federal execution chamber this year after a 17-year hiatus of the federal death penalty. Texas, meanwhile, is expected to have a comparatively low number of state executions this year because of the pandemic. Full Story
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Much of the overtime cuts were reallocated for other purposes in the department, including more than $3.8 million to hire nearly 100 civilian workers. Other new spending will go toward addressing root causes of crime and improving street lighting. Full Story
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Photojournalists are regularly in the thick of things when they cover stories, but 2020 has made their jobs even more difficult. Here's a look at the work of five Tribune photographers in this extraordinary year — and some of the gear they've used. Full Story
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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals resentenced Juan Lizcano to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is at least the sixth death row inmate whose sentence was reduced after the U.S. Supreme Court slammed Texas' methods for determining intellectual disability. Full Story
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The Republican governor isn't on the November ballot. But he has come out hard against efforts to shift city money away from policing, echoing a national debate on policing and crime during a tumultuous election season. Full Story
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The pledge is the governor's latest political move in an election season consumed by debates on policing reforms and funding. Full Story
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Hall implied that "inquiries about future career opportunities" were a reason for leaving the Dallas Police Department. In 2017, she became the first woman to head the force. Full Story
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The case at issue stems from a 2017 investigation into suspected mail-in voter fraud in Dallas County. Full Story
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Nick Moutos threatened Black Lives Matter protesters and has regularly referred to the organizers as “terrorists.” He called Islam a “virus” and trans people an “abomination.” Full Story
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If passed, the legislative proposal could consolidate Austin's police department under the Texas Department of Public Safety. Full Story
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Texas' most populous county changed its bail practices for misdemeanor defendants last year after a lengthy lawsuit challenging cash bail. Full Story
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Speaking at The Texas Tribune Festival, Rice said she supported "reimagining the role of police" and reallocating funds to social and economic development in some cities. Full Story
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The Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus reupped its request on Friday for a congressional investigation into Fort Hood, the Killeen military base. Full Story
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Tucked at the bottom of the long indictment against Bannon, prosecutors say they want to seize the assets of his nonprofit Citizens of the American Republic, shedding more light on the secretive political group’s finances. Full Story
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Paxton's team had asked that the judge, Jason Luong, be recused from the case because the Texas attorney general's office is representing him — along with about 20 other Houston-area judges — in an unrelated lawsuit. Full Story
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Two days of unruly protests at the Texas Capitol in May left graffiti on the historic building and cuts and bruises on state police officers. Since then, the Texas Department of Public Safety has spent the summer naming and arresting suspects, the majority of whom are accused of misdemeanors. Full Story
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On this week's Tribcast, Alexa talks to Matthew, Alex and Ross about Texans' role at the Democratic National Convention, a new front in the local control fight and what election mail concerns could mean for Texas. Full Story
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The state's three top elected leaders also fiercely criticized the Austin officials who plan to cut up to one-third of their police department's budget, largely through reorganizing divisions out from under law enforcement. Full Story
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This year's prevalent and ongoing protests against police brutality have sparked calls for the Rangers' name to be stricken from the modern-day Texas Department of Public Safety investigative agency, North Texas’ Major League Baseball team and college mascots. Full Story
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Austin officials slashed their police department's budget this week as other Texas cities are rethinking how general fund dollars are spent — and whether spending so much to combat crime addresses the poverty that can cause it. Full Story
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