The Castle Doctrine, which gained attention in the state of Florida with the similar “Stand Your Ground” killing of Trayvon Martin, is present in one form or another in every state. In Texas, changes to that law in 2007 have increased the number of justifiable homicides in the state from 32 in 2006 to 48 in 2010. [Read more…]
Felony Choking Cases Rise Since 2009 Law Enacted
A brief report from the Houston Chronicle this week indicates that more people in the area are being charged with choking since a change to the law in 2009 made the act a felony. [Read more…]
Texas DoT Launches “Faces of Drunk Driving”
The Texas Department of Transportation has a new campaign to publicize the consequences of drunk driving featuring stories about people who were severely injured by drunk driving accidents. [Read more…]
Austin Man Faces Felony Charges after Photographing Arrest
Antonio Buehler of Austin was pumping gas just after midnight on New Year’s Day when he saw police conducting a DUI investigation. It was when he saw them pull a female passenger out of the vehicle they were stopped, “manhandling” her, that he decided to start taking pictures. It was this that would ultimately end up getting him charged with several crimes and facing 10 years in prison. [Read more…]
Juvenile Lockup to Hold “Worst of the Worst”
No one likes the idea of kids behind bars. But that’s exactly where some of the most violent juvenile offenders in Texas may end up now that the state has decided to reopen part of a lockup near Mart. It will be reserved for the “worst of the worst,” according to officials. [Read more…]
Did Texas Execute An(other) Innocent Man?
A Columbia University law professor and his team of students believe that Carlos DeLune was executed by the state of Texas despite being innocent. DeLuna was convicted of murdering a gas station attendant in 1983. In 1989 he was killed by lethal injection. But professor James Liebman says he was innocent of the crime. [Read more…]
First-time Offender Grandmother Sentenced to Life in Prison
A 56-year old woman is serving a life sentence in Texas federal prison for being reportedly “tricked” into smuggling drugs and money across the Mexican border. Others accused of much worse are serving far lighter sentences. The difference? Elisa Castillo refused to bargain with prosecutors.
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Prescription Drug War Seizes Innocent Woman
In the war on drugs, it often seems that the police are operating on an “arrest now, ask questions later” policy. It certainly appears that’s what happened in the case of Dallas resident Anne Lenhart, who was arrested for trying to fill her pain medication refill at a local CVS. [Read more…]
Harris County Sheriff Holds Staff Accountable Through Firings and Discipline
Law enforcement departments are frequently criticized for doing too little in disciplining officers. But Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia has taken a different approach, bolstering the Internal Affairs office and firing numerous deputies and detention officers who have broken laws or violated regulations. [Read more…]
Texas Judicial Oversight Commission Keeps Judge’s “Misdeeds” Secret
The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct is charged with investigating judges accused of wrongdoing and meting out sanctions. But a good portion of what they do and the cases they hear are never made public. The Commission claims they do not have to share the information, and without anyone telling them otherwise, their secret proceedings will continue. [Read more…]
