The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
The two chambers have been at odds over property tax relief and school choice, but on Tuesday night, those divisions spilled over into priorities the bodies had previously agreed upon. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/29b1fbf094cd7ac79f00b38cfd99be0f/0411%20House%20Vote%20EL%20TT%2008.JPG)
The idea appeared to die in the Texas House over the weekend, but senators kept it alive by grafting the proposal on to another piece of legislation. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5170259e014deb2d98316b8d5a58ec31/0129%20San%20Antonio%20Gun%20Show%20JV%2006%20TT.jpg)
Despite its tendency to distort memories, hypnosis has been used on witnesses in numerous investigations, including death penalty cases. Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a similar bill in 2021. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1167f0bc0a06f5adf2cf075e92ce4ec9/Walmart%20Shooting%20Pretrial%20JS%20TT%2015.jpg)
Emotions often ran high over a proposal to limit young adults’ access to some firearms. Lawmakers have largely prioritized school safety measures, but there was still progress for some gun-related legislation. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d658b44b072668a5c9b96b594f592dbe/0124%20Uvalde%20Legislation%20EL%2002.jpg)
The film, “After Uvalde: Guns, Grief and Texas Politics,” was broadcast nationally on PBS and is also available for streaming on The Texas Tribune and Frontline’s websites. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/632d207ab31945787f1f271a7a56d4ba/uvalde-doc-promo.png)
Evadulia Orta’s son, Rojélio Torres, died in the school shooting in Uvalde last year. Her other children still collect Pokémon cards to add to his collection, and his cousins play with his football. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c965ec8afbb7626907dc47bdb952fb73/Uvalde%20Doc%20Screengrab%20TT%20FF%2001.jpg)
Priority bills that died include a 10-year minimum sentencing for gun-related crimes, a ban on “critical race theory” at public universities and LGBTQ-related legislation. While the bills may be dead, lawmakers have a limited time to attach their ideas to legislation that is still alive. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fbbce63096ea64d81f63ded0de1aefb0/0110%20Lege%20Opening%20EL%20TT%2001.jpg)
The bill would allow for the removal of prosecutors who adopt any policy to not pursue certain crimes, including some low-level theft and drug charges. The Senate’s version will need to be reconciled with the House, which had carved out some exemptions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0ebe5b31bb8283e48f9bbc61d6377be0/0509%20Travis%20County%20Court%20File%20EL%20TT%2003.jpg)
House Bill 6 has widespread bipartisan support and now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has named the issue a priority. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/04acb83a026498707c065115197bfff8/Montgomery%20PD%20Fentanyl%20REUTERS.jpg)
Despite no major influx in border crossings, state troopers will be relocated to border cities. Austin and the Texas Department of Public Safety faced criticism for the racial disparities in state trooper arrests in the capital. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2f90ad38b16138e4de081247bb784457/0511%20Title%2042%20End%20IPA%20TT%2013.JPG)
In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas’ law banning sodomy in 2003. It took almost 20 years for Democrats to get a bill to repeal the defunct ban on the House calendar. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/26cb19289d80ad7779002f38f6388ead/0406%20Budget%20Night%20EG%20TT%2008.jpg)
A Texas lawmaker introduced an amendment that would have revived a proposal to raise the minimum age to buy certain semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 before it was ultimately withdrawn. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a4ff117751f940628f7dfcff21377d4b/0508%20Uvalde%20Bill%20Vote%20EL%20TT%2010.jpg)
Perry’s case has become an explosive political stew of arguments over gun rights, self-defense and racist social media posts. The governor dived in early, saying he would pardon Perry even before a judge handed down the sentence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/439c7ac028ac260f2407625ecbd3b383/Daniel%20Perry%20Sentencing%20AAS%2005.jpeg)
The rate of firearm-related deaths in Texas has reached a level not seen since the 1990s. Texas lawmakers have approved more than 100 bills that loosened gun restrictions since 2000. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/106c4d7b5bafbb092d58884efa54bbb0/Outback%20Uvalde%20REUTERS.JPG)
George Alvarez, the man charged in the deaths of eight people after his vehicle rammed a crowd in front of a Brownsville migrant shelter, had cocaine, benzodiazepines and marijuana in his system at the time, police said Tuesday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/90574765055fd0a08358f4a3eadafd4f/0507%20Migrant%20Crash%20Memorial%20EG%20TT%2008.jpg)
Days after another mass shooting in Texas, the measure to raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 to purchase semi-automatic rifles appears to have failed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1fe4f8871a8f749cd775d174d2b36b8e/0226%20CC%20Gun%20Show%20BY%20TT%2010.jpg)
A mass shooting at this suburb’s community hub — the outlet mall — has punctured the sense of security that drew many to Allen. “That could have been me and my boys,” one local woman said. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/47adc3e31e0480378a8c2874688c25c1/0508%20Allen%20Shooting%20Reacts%20ST%2012.jpg)
Four of the eight people killed in the North Texas attack were of Asian descent. Law enforcement officials said the gunman held neo-Nazi beliefs. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4bd65b57546f229b9cf321da9925dc8f/0507%20Allen%20Shooting%20Makeshift%20Memorial%20EL%2009.jpg)
Texas law allows officials to withhold police records if no one was convicted in a case. At least one city has used this rule to deny the release of suicide records. A new bill aims to close this loophole. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/09aae94923316ac7e6172ed68a8ba7d1/20230508%20dead%20suspects%20loophole%201.JPG)
A security guard, an engineer, and a child as young as three were among the eight victims of the shooting at the Allen outlet mall on Saturday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/af9c7140f172c0195cc4c2c0b5ec7758/0507%20Allen%20Shooting%20Makeshift%20Memorial%20EL%2005.jpg)