The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Seven Collin County detention officers have been fired for their role in allegedly restraining Marvin Scott III, blasting him with pepper spray and placing a hood over his head as he suffered through what his family has described as a mental health emergency. Full Story
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The Tarrant County woman faces a five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on supervised release for a federal conviction. Her vote was never counted. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Houston’s top cop, Art Acevedo, about why he’s leaving for Miami, police funding, constitutional carry, qualified immunity and what he really thinks of Greg Abbott and Sylvester Turner. Full Story
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Agency data shows officers are finding just as many drugs — and writing up even more prisoners for having them — despite the restrictions. Contraband is most often brought in by staff, according to prisoners and employees. Full Story
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A provision that would remove police officers' legal shield against civil lawsuits has been pegged by multiple lawmakers as a sticking point in the Republican-led Legislature. Full Story
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Almost 2,000 vaccine doses have gone to qualifying prisoners as of Thursday, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Full Story
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Texas has seen more mass shootings in the last two years than proven incidents of voter fraud, but legislators are more focused on election law than on gun violence. Full Story
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North Texas remains a focus of the investigation into the Capitol insurrection after 19 local residents have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, according to federal authorities. That's one of the largest numbers in any place in the country. Full Story
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Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Thursday that Troy Finner, the HPD executive assistant chief, will succeed Acevedo as police chief. Full Story
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Almost a year after Michael Ramos, a Black and Hispanic man, was killed in Austin, Christopher Taylor, the officer who shot him, has been charged with murder. Full Story
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State prisons shut down visitation last March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Full Story
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Beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who attended the pro-Donald Trump rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol siege, issued civil investigative demands to Twitter after the company banned the former president from its platform. Full Story
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The Texas Supreme Court’s new order follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s announcement that he will lift a statewide mask mandate and many other coronavirus restrictions next week. Full Story
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The governor's pivot from a focus on racism and policing after protests last summer to an emphasis on police funding and public safety, creates cross-pressures for Texans of color — particularly those who are Democrats, our pollsters write. Full Story
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Recent reforms that let more people accused of minor offenses be released without posting cash bonds appear to be working, new research shows. But Houston area lawmakers want to roll them back. Full Story
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Texas voters support the police and don't want to cut their budgets. But they disagree on the reasons behind the deaths of Black people in encounters with law enforcement, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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A Travis County judge opted to move forward with Monday's hearing without ruling on the motion to dismiss the whistleblower lawsuit. Late Monday night, an appeals court halted the second day of proceedings at the request of the agency's attorney. Full Story
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We’re tracking the fallout from the massive winter storm in Texas, which has brought widespread power outages and transportation problems. Full Story
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Power and water outages have also hit many Texas lockups. Inmates have feared for their safety and officers were kept at their job for days. Full Story
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Paxton's legal troubles are increasing in volume, at just about the time an officeholder in his position would be thinking about the next round of elections. Full Story
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