The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Michael Morton’s exoneration last year brought to a crescendo in Texas calls for change in the way that prosecutors are regulated. Morton and others discuss whether there is a need for more accountability for state lawyers and how it ought to be accomplished. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/ErrorsInJudgment-Split-TT-size.jpg)
Kerry Max Cook is battling with prosecutors to clear his name of a 1978 murder conviction, and says his mission is doomed if he must fight in Smith County. That's where a court ruled misconduct had “tainted this entire matter from the outset.” Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Kerry_Cook_banner.jpg)
At least 86 Texans' convictions were overturned between 1989 and 2011. A Tribune analysis finds that in nearly 25 percent of those cases, courts ruled that prosecutors made mistakes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Errors-In-Judgement2.jpg)
UPDATED: The Texas Juvenile Justice Department's board voted on Friday to implement new reforms aimed at reducing violence in the state's troubled youth lockups. It also named Jay Kimbrough interim executive director. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TeenInCuffs.jpg)
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a death sentence for Manuel Velez, citing inaccurate testimony during Velez's sentencing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/velezmanuel2.jpg)
Attorneys for the state of Texas and death row inmate Hank Skinner have filed a joint motion with the Court of Criminal Appeals to send his case back to district court so he can obtain DNA testing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20100120-IMG_2761-2.jpg)
Our primary night scoreboard and liveblog, Aguilar on runoff strategy, Root and Batheja on Round two of Dewhurst vs. Cruz, M. Smith on how public education candidates fared, Ramshaw on what surprised pundits and pollsters, Galbraith on concerns over our electric grid, Aaronson on which government entities have access to your personal info, Grissom with the latest on the Hank Skinner case, Ramsey on Hispanic Republicans and part three of Tan's family planning series: The best of our best content from May 28 to June 1, 2012. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/05282012-Tribweek.jpg)
For years they’ve been the Butch and Sundance of Texas criminal justice policy. Republican state Rep. Jerry Madden and Democrat state Sen. John Whitmire have helped lead a sea change in the adult and juvenile prison systems. But the team is breaking up. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20110428-Cap-Richmond007.JPG)
After nearly fours years leading the state's juvenile justice agency, Cherie Townsend announced on Tuesday that she will retire next month, following reports of increasing violence at Texas' youth lockups. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/YouthinHandcuffs.jpg)
Texans favor the death penalty, even with the alternative of life without parole. They are also nominally in favor of abortion rights and are more likely than not to favor medically assisted suicide for terminal patients. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/UT-TT-Poll-Thurs-LifeDeath-.128.png)
Endorsements stack up, so we've prepared a big spreadsheet to show you who is getting the political support of some prominent interest groups, trade groups and political action committees. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Endorsement-App.jpg)
Researchers at two law schools Monday released an unprecedented listing of all the exoneration cases from the last 23 years. Only two states had more exonerations than Texas, according to the report. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-MMorton-CCR002.jpg)
The Columbia University law professor on the in-depth investigation his team conducted that they believe revealed that Carlos DeLuna did not commit the murder for which he was executed in 1989. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DeLuna_Resize3.jpg)
An administrative judge has again denied Kerry Max Cook's request to move his case out of Smith County, a decision the former death row inmate worries will doom his fight to legally prove his innocence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/KerryMaxCook.jpg)
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Monday stayed the execution of a severely mentally ill inmate convicted of a 1989 robbery and murder at a Fort Worth Steak and Ale restaurant. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Steven-Staley.jpg)
Defense lawyers argue that judges in Harris County — ordered to review a psychologist's work in two death penalty cases — are simply rubber-stamping the conclusions of the psychologist, who was reprimanded last year. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DeathRow-2-fix.jpg)
A study of 41 local jails has found that juveniles awaiting trial often face hours of isolation daily or exposure to abuse by older inmates. County jails struggle to deal with a population they are not equipped or trained to handle. Full Story
Gov. Rick Perry's "happy warrior" is coming to the rescue again for the state's troubled youth lockups. Jay Kimbrough will serve as special assistant for safety and security at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/jay_kimbrough.jpg)
Ted Nugent unplugged: The rocker and Second Amendment defender weighs in on everything from Mitt Romney and the Trayvon Martin case to his theory that President Obama was raised by Communists. Viewer discretion advised. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Nuge-wide.jpg)
If you thought a little Secret Service investigation or a $10,000 bear hunting fine would tame the "Motor City Madman," well, you probably have never sat down for a chat with Ted Nugent. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Nuge-Close.jpg)