State Rep. Dutton renews uphill fight to abolish the death penalty in Texas
Every legislative session since 2003, Harold Dutton of Houston has filed at least one bill to end capital punishment in Texas. It’s often been a lonely quest. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Supreme Court to review Texas death penalty case
The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday it would review the legal complexities in a Texas death penalty case, where a man killed a 5-year-old and her grandmother. Full Story
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![Death row inmate Erick Davila was convicted of the 2008 murders of a Fort Worth woman and her five-year-old granddaughter.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
Texas executes first person of the year
The first execution in Texas and the United States, for the killer of two men in Fort Worth after a fake drug deal, was held Wednesday evening. Full Story
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![Christopher Wilkins is scheduled to be executed on Jan. 11, 2017, for the 2005 murder of two men in Fort Worth.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
Rodney Ellis leaves Texas Senate with criminal justice legacy
The 2017 legislative session will open without former state Sen. Rodney Ellis, a 26-year lawmaker who became a criminal justice reform titan in the upper chamber. Full Story
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![Retiring Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, listens to testimony during the Senate Committee on State Affairs hearing on religious freedom on Feb. 17, 2016.]()
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Texas sues FDA over seized execution drugs
More than a year after the feds blocked Texas from importing an execution drug, Texas filed a lawsuit demanding a final decision on whether the drugs can be delivered. Full Story
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Texas judge who questions death penalty won't seek reelection
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Elsa Alcala, a Republican, said the main reason she won't run is because of the “random and unreliable” results from partisan judicial elections. Full Story
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![Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Elsa Alcala.]()
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Use our database to learn more about prison units across Texas
Use the Tribune's Texas Prison Inmates database to learn more about Texas' prison units and the more than 143,000 inmates housed inside them. Full Story
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![The William G. McConnell Prison Unit in Beeville, Texas.]()
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In light of Arizona ruling, will Texas executions change? A Texplainer
Hey, Texplainer: A federal judge in Arizona just ruled that witnesses have the right to see the full process of an execution, including the administration of lethal drugs. Will this affect how Texas carries out executions? Full Story
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![The view of Texas' execution chamber from a witness viewing room.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
In an unusual year, Texas didn't lead the nation in executions
Texas didn't have the busiest execution chamber this year. In fact, it had the lowest number of executions in 20 years. Full Story
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Waco man's death sentence, conviction thrown out over seizure of texts
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals threw out the conviction and death sentence of a Waco man Friday after ruling that the trial court's admission of text messages was unconstitutional because they were seized without a warrant. Full Story
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![Albert Love]()
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Execution halted again for Dallas man who killed his daughters
John Battaglia shot and killed his two young daughters in 2001. He now has another chance to prove he is mentally incompetent to be executed. Full Story
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![John Battaglia and his two daughters, Liberty (left) and Faith, who he murdered on May 1, 2001.]()
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Justices debate definition of intellectual disability in Texas death row case
The U.S. Supreme Court appeared fairly split among party lines in Texas’ latest death penalty case, which focuses on how to define intellectual disability among death row inmates. Full Story
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![The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Bobby Moore, a man who has been on death row since 1980, in March 2017.]()
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U.S. Supreme Court to hear Texas death penalty challenge
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding intellectual disability and executions in Moore v. Texas. Full Story
![The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Bobby Moore, a man who has been on death row since 1980, in March 2017.]()
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Republicans sweep Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals races
Republicans running in three Texas Supreme Court races and three Texas Court of Criminal Appeals races enjoyed strong victories on Tuesday. Full Story
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Most embrace some reforms in Court of Criminal Appeals races
Almost all of the candidates for the state's highest criminal court agree the justice system should change how it handles drug cases and mental illness. Full Story
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![Mary Lou Keel a felony trial court judge in Harris County, is running for Place 2 on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals against incumbent Larry Meyers.]()
Credit: Meyers: Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram -
Texas Will See Lowest Number of Executions in 20 Years
At most, Texas will have executed eight men by the close of 2016, the lowest number since 1996. Full Story
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![Texas' execution chamber in Huntsville.]()
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Execution of Man Who Killed Neighbors is State's First in Months
Barney Fuller's execution Wednesday for the 2003 shooting deaths in rural East Texas ended Texas' longest gap between executions since 2008. Full Story
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![Barney Ronald Fuller Jr. was executed Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
U.S. Supreme Court Seems Receptive to Death Case Appeal
A psychologist testified at Duane Buck's trial that blacks are more dangerous than whites. Buck wants a new sentencing trial. Full Story
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![Former Texas death row inmate Duane Buck]()
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Texas Death Row Appeal Hinges on Racial Testimony
The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday will hear an appeal from death row inmate Duane Buck, whose trial included racially discriminatory testimony. Full Story
![Former Texas death row inmate Duane Buck]()
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Texas Sees an Unusual Lull in Executions
It's been more than five months since the last execution in Texas, an unusual gap for the nation's most prolific death penalty state. Full Story
![Texas' execution chamber in Huntsville.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice