James Garrett Freeman shot and killed Justin Hurst, a game warden, following a high-speed chase in 2007. He was executed Wednesday evening, the second execution in Texas this year.
Criminal Justice
Get the latest Texas Tribune coverage on criminal justice, including crime, courts, law enforcement, and reforms shaping the state’s justice system.
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Criminal Justice
Lawmakers Compare Unpopular Driver Surcharge Program to Debtors’ Prison
State senators expressed bipartisan disapproval Wednesday of an unpopular program that levies large surcharges on drivers for traffic offenses, with several calling for broad changes or scrapping it entirely.
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Criminal Justice
Court Clears Way for New Trial in Toddler’s Death
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday stuck to an earlier decision granting relief to a Montgomery County man convicted of murder.
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
Texas Prison Inmates Database Gets an Update
The Texas Tribune’s Prison Inmates database is now updated with the latest data available from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. It is current as of December 2015.
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Criminal Justice
Indictment Sheds Light on Planned Parenthood Sting
As more details come to light about the criminal charges against the videographers that infiltrated a Planned Parenthood facility in Houston, it appears anti-abortion activist David Daleiden was indicted for the very crime he accused Planned Parenthood of committing.
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Criminal Justice
Police Group Upset After DPS Director Says Cops Should “Just Take” Being Spit At
When asked about escalations with law enforcement, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said last week that officers need to respond professionally and added, “Anybody that’s been spit at … you just take it.”
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Criminal Justice
Facing Felony Charges, Anti-Abortion Group Cites Free Speech Protections
As more details about the charges against anti-abortion activists who secretly-recorded Planned Parenthood staff come to light, the videographers are vowing to fight back — setting up a possible legal battle over First Amendment protections.
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Criminal Justice
Texas Lawmakers: Don’t Single Out College Students Who Carry Guns
State senators on Tuesday urged Texas’ six university system chancellors not to single out students who carry guns on campus when the state’s new campus carry goes into effect this August.
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Criminal Justice
Lawmakers to Review Open Carry and Campus Carry Laws Tuesday
Supporters and opponents of two controversial new gun laws passed last year — open carry and campus carry — will update Texas lawmakers Tuesday on how the measures are working so far.
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Criminal Justice
As Pope’s Trip to Border Nears, Catholics Wonder What His Message Will Be
With Pope Francis scheduled to visit Ciudad Juárez next month, the area’s Catholics are speculating whether the famously outspoken pontiff will bring up hot-button social issues such as immigration, poverty and corruption.
