Lawmakers will debate different approaches to graffiti in a House committee hearing on Tuesday. While some argue for less harsh punishments, others say tougher consequences are the way to reduce graffiti crimes.
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
Tears and Relief After Norwood Found Guilty
Family members of Christine Morton and Debra Baker filled a Tom Green County courtroom with tearful hugs and relieved smiles on Wednesday after a jury found Mark Alan Norwood guilty of murder.
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Criminal Justice
Number of Deferred Action Applications on the Decline
After peaking in September, applications for deferred action have dropped off dramatically. Immigration attorneys think most eligible undocumented immigrants are in a wait-and-see mode amid the federal immigration reform debate.
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Criminal Justice
After Drug Lab Scandal, Court Continues to Reverse Convictions
The Court of Criminal Appeals continued to reverse more convictions of drug offenders on Wednesday after a former employee with a DPS crime laboratory in Houston may have fabricated the results of thousands of drug tests.
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Criminal Justice
Updated: Senate Committee Approves Michael Morton Act
A panel of Senate lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that aims to prevent wrongful convictions by requiring prosecutors to share evidence with defense attorneys in criminal trials.
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Criminal Justice
Norwood’s Lawyers Rest Their Case in Murder Trial
After calling just three witnesses on Mark Norwood’s behalf, lawyers for the man accused of killing Christine Morton in 1986 rested their case Tuesday afternoon.
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Criminal Justice
Senate Passes Prosecutor Accountability Bill
The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that attempts to bring more accountability to prosecutors who are accused of withholding evidence in cases that result in a wrongful conviction.
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Criminal Justice
The Polling Center: Texans’ View of Gay Marriage Shifts
While the country has been jogging toward its new position on gay marriage, polling numbers show Texans appear to have been moseying along in the same direction.
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Criminal Justice
Moody to Present One-Way Discovery Measure
State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, on Tuesday plans to present a revised version of his criminal discovery bill that would require only prosecutors to disclose information in criminal trials.
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Bidness As Usual
Judicial Donations Raise Questions of Partiality
Texas Supreme Court justices are elected by voters, and the campaign contributions they receive from law firms with an interest in their decisions have caused some to worry that justice is for sale.
