John P. Scott, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, is tasked with ensuring Texas schools implement statewide safety policies and safeguard against school shootings.
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
Suspects in migrant shooting went to a meeting after firing fatal shots, police report says
Michael Sheppard, one of the suspects, was the warden of an immigration detention center that was the subject of several human rights abuse complaints in 2018.
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Uvalde school shooting
Families of three Uvalde shooting survivors sue school district, gun makers, city officials and others
The lawsuit says each defendant played a part in the shooting’s tragic outcome, from failing to comply with safety protocols to pushing dark marketing that pitches lethal weapons to young minds.
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Operation Lone Star
As fentanyl plagues Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott directs state police to focus on cartels
Abbott directed the Department of Public Safety to boost efforts to collect intelligence on cartels and investigate gangs in Texas that support drug and human smuggling.
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Juvenile Justice
Tarrant County sends more kids to youth prisons than any other in Texas. Many blame this judge.
Critics say state District Judge Alex Kim is sending too many children to the state’s failing youth prison system. The longtime GOP politician points to a rise in teen gang violence.
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Criminal Justice
Three Venezuelan migrants flown from Texas to Massachusetts sue Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
The lawsuit alleges an elaborate scheme of people luring migrants with hotel rooms, McDonald’s gift cards, hundreds of dollars in cash and false information about their final destinations.
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Criminal Justice
Judge dismisses attempt to discipline Texas AG Ken Paxton’s top aide for trying to overturn the 2020 election
The State Bar of Texas brought the complaint after the aide worked on a suit to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in four states.
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Criminal Justice
Texas judge rules that people under felony indictment have the right to buy guns under the Second Amendment
A judge appointed by former President Donald Trump based his decision on a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down New York’s concealed carry law.
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Criminal Justice
Arrests along U.S.-Mexico border top 2 million a year for the first time
Federal authorities are on pace to make more than 2.3 million arrests during the 2022 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. That will far exceed last year’s record of more than 1.7 million arrests.
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Criminal Justice
Texas board rejects posthumous pardon for George Floyd — after recommending one to Greg Abbott
The state’s parole board did not explain why it was denying the request to pardon Floyd, who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, for a minor 2004 drug conviction. Last year, the board recommended Abbott pardon Floyd, then rescinded that suggestion.