The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said no visitation would be allowed until further instruction Friday. Some county jails, like Harris and Dallas, have also halted visits. Full Story
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Rigoberto Avila Jr. was sentenced to death in 2001 in the death of his girlfriend's 19-month-old son. In 2018, an El Paso judge recommended he get a new trial because of outdated science used at his trial. Full Story
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State leaders have made serious reforms to some of the issues we previously reported on, though advocates say there’s still a long way to go. Full Story
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McGinty, the CFO of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, will lead an embattled agency of nonpartisan budget analysts who have been without an executive director since October 2018. Full Story
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A former correctional officer was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant Thursday in Walker County, a week after another man was cleared of criminal charges in another inmate homicide. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Public Safety said last week that it would not perform testing to distinguish between hemp and marijuana in misdemeanor cases. Full Story
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A PAC with close ties to Perry is backing Gina Parker’s campaign to oust incumbent Judge Bert Richardson in the GOP primary. Full Story
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Your responses will help us better understand the people consuming our journalism and how they use it — and that will make us better equipped to serve you. Full Story
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Center took a $100,000 bribe in exchange for marking a prospective student a tennis recruit. The student had no background in tennis and left the team shortly after being accepted into the university. Full Story
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In this video, The Texas Tribune dug into hemp and marijuana with lawmakers, crime lab scientists, criminal defense attorneys and hemp entrepreneurs. Full Story
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The closures are expected in the coming months, as the state faces dangerous understaffing in its prisons. Full Story
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Turner’s endorsement comes amid controversy over Bloomberg's “stop and frisk” policy during his time as mayor of New York City. Full Story
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The increase in altercations with inmates comes as Texas' prison population dwindles. In three years, three officers have faced criminal charges in prisoners' deaths. Full Story
Patrick Crusius, the alleged gunman in the Aug. 3 massacre at a Walmart store, already faces state capital murder charges for the racially motivated shooting spree that also wounded dozens. Full Story
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Ochoa was sentenced to death after the slayings in Dallas of his relatives, including his two young daughters. His defense argued he was in a cocaine-induced delirium. Full Story
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Marijuana and hemp are often indistinguishable by look or smell because they both come from the cannabis plant. But hemp is legal, and marijuana is not. Full Story
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The day after the Austin City Council unanimously approved stopping arrests and tickets for low-level marijuana cases, police Chief Brian Manley said he will continue to enforce such laws. Full Story
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John Gardner, 64, was put to death for the 2005 murder of his estranged wife. His lawyers had argued the crime wasn't eligible for the death penalty. Full Story
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An Austin man posted blueprints for the world's first fully 3D-printed gun online in 2013. They've been blocked from the internet twice. Full Story
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Four progressive members of the City Council are pushing the proposal, which needs two more votes to pass. Full Story
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