While Gov. Greg Abbott steps up his push for stricter bail rules, critics seek a balance between the rights of the accused and the goal of keeping dangerous defendants behind bars.
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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Texas Legislature 2025
Advocates fear Texas lawmakers are about to worsen the state’s homelessness crisis
Republican lawmakers are considering a bill to strengthen the state’s ban on homeless encampments and speed up the eviction process.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas lawmakers want to exempt police from deadly conduct charges
Local prosecutors have used the charge to punish police accused of misconduct. Legislation that would prevent that is advancing through the Legislature.
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Criminal Justice
State appeals court strikes down Austin’s marijuana decriminalization ordinance
A state appeals court ruled that Austin’s voter-approved ordinance obstructed the enforcement of state drug laws. The court rejected a similar ordinance in San Marcos last week.
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Criminal Justice
Texas inmate executed for murder of ex-classmate
Moises Mendoza, who was convicted in 2005 of killing a Farmersville woman, became the third inmate Texas has put to death this year.
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Criminal Justice
House panel passes bill requiring air conditioning in Texas prisons by 2032
Weeks after a federal judge declared hot conditions in Texas prisons unconstitutional, a bill requiring air conditioning in those facilities by 2032 has gained traction in the House.
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Criminal Justice
In act of forgiveness, woman hugs the El Paso Walmart mass shooter who killed her brother
A day after the shooter pleaded guilty to killing 23 people and wounding 22 others, Yolanda Tinajero gave the judge an unusual request.
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Criminal Justice
Prosecutor cites anti-immigrant rhetoric as El Paso shooter is sentenced to 23 life terms
”This community will always remember those whose lives you stole … Their light will never fade,” the judge told the shackled shooter. “While you, your name and your hate, will be forgotten.”
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Criminal Justice
Second shooting at Dallas high school in a year injures four students
Hours after the shooting, officials said the suspect had evaded security protocols at Wilmer-Hutchins High School.
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Criminal Justice
Former U.S. Attorney John Bash first to announce run to replace Attorney General Ken Paxton
Bash served as special assistant to President Trump during his first term and is Elon Musk’s lawyer.