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Criminal Law

StandDown Texas Project

Texas-centric examination of conditions, reform initiatives, and emerging issues related to best practices in the indigent criminal justice system with particular attention to issues involving capital punishment and the administration of the death penalty.
By StandDown Texas Project

Post Frequency: 49.3/day

Last Entry: April 01, 2011 at 14:21:29

Latest Developments on Prison Contraband and Lockdown

Posted on October 23, 2008
Also in today's American-Statesman, Mike Ward reports, "Inmate at center of cell phone controversy transferred to psychiatric unit."Death row convict Richard Lee Tabler, whose exploits with a cell phone triggered a major lockdown of Texas' prison system, was transferred Wednesday...

Mike Ward's Inside Story

Posted on October 23, 2008
Mike Ward broke the story on the smuggled cell phone on Texas death row. In today's Austin American-Statesman he writes, "A reporter's account of the prison cell phone controversy." Here's an extended excerpt from the beginning:I'm returning the medal...

In Tennessee

Posted on October 22, 2008
"Tennessee lethal injection questions remain," is the report in the Nashville City Paper by Clint Brewer.The Tennessee Supreme Court granted a motion on Monday to set an early 2009 execution date for convicted murderer Steve Henley. Henley was convicted in...

Moving Toward Life Sentences

Posted on October 22, 2008
That's the title of a post at Campus Progress, the student affiliate of the Center for American Progress. It's written by Brown University senior Matthew Corritore. LINK Here's the introduction:Last year, New Jersey became the first state to outright abolish...

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Continued Coverage of Prison Contraband Issue

Posted on October 22, 2008
"Lawmakers scold prison officials for security breaches after cell phone controversy," is Mike Ward's report in today's Austin American-Statesman. State prison officials were publicly upbraided Tuesday by lawmakers who said that lax enforcement of contraband rules allowed Texas' highest-security prisoners...

Scheduled Execution

Posted on October 21, 2008
Texas is scheduled to execute Joseph Ries tonight in Huntsville. It would be the state's 12th execution this year, the 417th Texas execution since 1982. It would be the third execution this month, with an additional three executions scheduled for...

Troy Davis

Posted on October 21, 2008
Today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution carries two OpEds on the Troy Davis case. First, in an OpEd that speaks for the paper, State Senator Vincent Fort writes, "Execution clearly would be callous act."Georgians are known for their fairness, faith and decency...

Justices Stevens and Thomas on Race and the Death Penalty

Posted on October 21, 2008
"Two Justices Clash Over Race and Death Penalty," is the Washington Post report by Jerry Markon. The sensitive issue of race and the death penalty triggered an unusual public debate yesterday between two Supreme Court justices. In respectful but pointed...

A Cell Phone on Texas Death Row

Posted on October 21, 2008
"Hundreds of calls from death row; now a call to action," is Mike Ward's report in today's Austin American-Statesman.On Monday morning, authorities busted Richard Lee Tabler in his death row cell and charged him with possession of the phone. Investigators...

Texas Execution

Posted on October 21, 2008
Texas carried out its 12th execution of the year tonight in Huntsville. It's the 417th execution in the state since 1982. The state has by far the most active death chamber in the United States, accounting for more than 37%...

The Unfortunate Limits Upon the Death Penalty

Posted on October 20, 2008
That's the title of an OpEd in today's Cornell Sun written by Cornell Law Review managing editor Kate Rykken. LINKOver the next five weeks, 10 prisoners face the death penalty in Texas. Their crimes include the murders of an eleven-year-old...

North Carolina's Lethal Injection Challenge

Posted on October 17, 2008
"Judge wants to hear arguments in NC execution case," is the AP report via the Raleigh News & Observer. It's written by Estes Thompson. Here's an extended excerpt:A state court judge said Thursday he wants to hear arguments from lawyers...

Texas Execution

Posted on October 17, 2008
Texas carried out its 11th execution of 2008 last night in Huntsville; the second this week. It's the state's 416th Texas execution since 1982. Texas has the most active death chamber in the United States, by far, accounting for more...

Scheduled Execution

Posted on October 16, 2008
Texas is scheduled to execute Kevin Watts tonight in Huntsville. It would be the state's 11 execution this year, the 416th Texas execution since 1982. It would be the second execution this week in Texas. The state has the most...

In North Carolina

Posted on October 16, 2008
The Raleigh News & Observer carries an AP report, "Hearing scheduled in N.C. execution protocol case."Lawyers for death row inmates and the state will argue again before a North Carolina judge over the approval of an execution protocol by the...

In Tennessee

Posted on October 16, 2008
Today's Tennessean looks at the state's indigent criminal justice system and its application of capital punishment in an editorial and three OpEd essays. Let's begin with the newspaper's editorial, "Tentative steps being taken toward fairness in the system...

Execution Date Set for Troy Davis

Posted on October 15, 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has posted this news report.Troy Anthony Davis, convicted of killing an off-duty police officer in 1989, is to be executed Oct. 27. The date was set after a Chatham County judge signed a warrant Wednesday afternoon setting...

In Illinois

Posted on October 15, 2008
The National Law Journal reports, "Ill. law school poised to help wrongly convicted on a shorter path to pardon, compensation." The web only item is written by Karen Sloan.Marlon Pendleton was released from an Illinois prison in 2006 after DNA...

A Tribute to Roy Mersky

Posted on October 15, 2008
The University of Texas School of Law has posted a Tribute to Professor Roy M. Mersky on its website. It includes his oral history.In his 42 years of service to The University of Texas School of Law, Professor Roy M....

Opinion Round-Up

Posted on October 15, 2008
New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak has posted, "Why Abolition of the Death Penalty Was Important," at NJ.com. It's the text of his speech today at Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice. I've just listed three good reasons for abolishing...

The General Election and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Posted on October 15, 2008
One of the criticisms of the Texas judiciary is the way judges are selected -- through partisan elections. On November 4, three of the nine members of the CCA stand for election; two are opposed. Just to be clear StandDown...

News Coverage of the Troy Davis Case

Posted on October 15, 2008
Amnesty International has established this page for individuals to take action in the Troy Davis case. "Savannah DA opens up on Davis case; With Troy Davis' appeals apparently exhausted, DA blasts death penalty critics, media and judicial system," is the...

Texas Execution

Posted on October 15, 2008
Texas carried out is 10th execution of 2008 last night in Huntsville. It was the state's 415th Texas execution since 1982. Ohio and Texas both carried out executions yesterday, bringing the total number of executions this year to 26. Since...

In Houston

Posted on October 14, 2008
"Scrutiny called for in cases that lead to death penalty, DA candidates Bradford, Lykos disagree on how it should be done," is Alan Bernstein's report in today's Houston Chronicle.The candidates for Harris County district attorney showed differences in their approach...

Scheduled Execution

Posted on October 14, 2008
Texas is scheduled to execute Alvin Kelly tonight in Huntsville. It would be the state's 10 execution this year, the 415th Texas execution since 1982. It would be the first of 12 executions scheduled in Texas over the next six...

No Supreme Court Review for Troy Davis

Posted on October 14, 2008
The Court announced today that it will not review the case. At SCOTUS Blog, Lyle Denniston posts, "Court clears way for Davis execution."Refusing to decide whether the death penalty is barred for an individual with a strong claim of innocence,...

Police Don't Learn From DNA Exonerations

Posted on October 14, 2008
That's the title of today's Dallas Morning News editorial examining the lessons from the series, DNA Exonerations. LINK Here's one crushing disappointment about the tragedy of wrongful convictions in Dallas County and across Texas: We see too few safeguards against...

The Dallas Morning News Series - DNA Exonerations

Posted on October 14, 2008
The Dallas Morning News three-part series, DNA Exonerations, concludes today with the article,"Eyewitnesses still play key roles in cases where DNA, other evidence is missing." The series has been reported by Jennifer Emily and Steve McGonigle.The fallibility of eyewitness testimony...

Extraordinary Women in Texas Law

Posted on October 14, 2008
Texas Lawyer has recognized 30 female lawyers in Texas for extraordinary accomplishment. Two of those honored play leading roles in indigent criminal defense work in the state, Maruie Levin, Senior Staff Attorney at Texas Defender Service, and; Andrea Marsh, Executive...

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