Austin gun store owner Michael Cargill challenged the ban on the devices used in major mass killings after he was forced to surrender two bump stocks.
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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Uvalde school shooting
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies before grand jury investigating Uvalde school shooting
McCraw, the state police chief, traveled to Uvalde to appear before a grand jury considering criminal charges against officers for their botched response to the 2022 school shooting.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas gives $125 million to rural sheriffs and prosecutors for pay increases
The 2023 legislation establishing the grant program also includes new equipment for rural sheriffs.
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Criminal Justice
Paxton’s push to oust incumbents puts spotlight on Court of Criminal Appeals primaries
The attorney general has tried to supplant eight Republican judges on the court after they rejected his efforts to unilaterally prosecute voter fraud. The judges are now pushing back.
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Criminal Justice
Judge rejects attempts to toss indictments against Texas AG Ken Paxton, keeps April trial on course
Paxton’s securities fraud trial will kick off on April 15. He has been under indictment for nearly nine years. He has pleaded not guilty.
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2024 Texas Elections
Harris County Democrats split over heated district attorney race
Incumbent Kim Ogg is at odds with her party, and experts say infighting with challenger Sean Teare could aid Republicans.
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Criminal Justice
Texas and Biden administration lawyers face off in court over new law making illegal border crossing a state crime
An Austin judge will decide whether Senate Bill 4 will go into effect on March 5. The new law allows police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the border.
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Criminal Justice
Houston police investigating motive of woman killed after opening fire at Joel Osteen’s megachurch
Authorities identified the gunwoman as Genesse Ivonne Moreno. The 7-year-old accompanying her remains in critical condition after also being shot.
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Criminal Justice
Texas conservatives test how far they can extend abortion and gender-transition restrictions beyond state lines
Recent state and local legal maneuvers signal that Texas’ conservative movement could be wading into a complicated constitutional morass the country hasn’t dealt with since before the Civil War.
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Uvalde school shooting
Active shooter training: State-specific requirements for schools and law enforcement
No states mandate annual active shooter training for police officers, according to an analysis by The Texas Tribune, ProPublica and FRONTLINE. In comparison, at least 37 states require such training in schools, typically on a yearly basis.