John Hummel’s lawyer requested a stay of execution in a unique court filing Friday, but Tarrant County officials opposed it.
Criminal Justice
Get the latest Texas Tribune coverage on criminal justice, including crime, courts, law enforcement, and reforms shaping the state’s justice system.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas prisons, youth lockups cancel visitation after coronavirus disaster declaration
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.
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Criminal Justice
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejects new death penalty trial requested under “junk science” law
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 In 2018, an El Paso judge recommended he get a new trial because of outdated science used at his trial.
Posted in
Sold Out
In 2017, Texas leaders promised bold reforms to help child sex-trafficking victims. Here’s what’s changed — and what hasn’t.
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.
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Criminal Justice
Jerry McGinty to head troubled Legislative Budget Board
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.
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Criminal Justice
In two Texas prisoner deaths, one former officer is indicted after another’s case is cleared
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.
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Marijuana in Texas
Texas state crime labs won’t test suspected marijuana in low-level cases
The Texas Department of Public Safety said last week that it would not perform testing to distinguish between hemp and marijuana in misdemeanor cases.
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Texas 2020 Elections
This judge refused to toss Rick Perry’s indictment. Now Perry is backing his opponent in Court of Criminal Appeals race.
A PAC with close ties to Perry is backing Gina Parker’s campaign to oust incumbent Judge Bert Richardson in the GOP primary.
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Criminal Justice
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Criminal Justice
Former UT coach Michael Center sentenced to six months in connection with admissions scandal
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.