A state law went into effect last year requiring “Pain clinics” to register with the state and be inspected by the Texas Medical Board if half of their patients received prescriptions for controlled substances. Some clinics are getting around this new law by simply calling themselves something other than a pain clinic. [Read more…]
Prosecutor Investigated By Defense in Murder Case
Michael Morton was sent to prison for a murder he didn’t commit. He was charged with killing his wife and served 25 years before being exonerated and released. Morton’s defense attorneys have reason to believe the prosecutor in the case had knowledge of Morton’s innocence, knowledge he didn’t disclose. Now, the prosecutor, Ken Anderson, is under a microscope as the defense lawyers dig into court records and files in an effort to uncover the truth. [Read more…]
“No Refusal” DWI Blood-Draw Programs Commonplace
Last year, 801 people died in alcohol related traffic fatalities in the state of Texas. This number has climbed over the past several years. In 2009, Texas had the most alcohol related fatalities of any state in the country. These numbers have pushed lawmakers to take more aggressive steps in getting drunk drivers off the road, including mandatory blood draws. [Read more…]
Harris County Stops Prosecuting Crack Possession, Peeves Cops
If you are caught with less than one gram of crack-cocaine, it is a crime. But if you are caught in Harris County, you’ll likely be let off with nothing more than a stern warning and a dirty look from the police. This is because Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos has stopped prosecuting for such offenses, an action that has the police up in arms. [Read more…]
As Texas Prison Closed, More Bunks Were Being Added
Just a few months ago, we blogged about a Texas first: the closing of Sugar Land’s Central Unit prison. But while that closure was initially seen as something to celebrate—signaling a shift away from mass incarceration—Texas was quietly adding prison beds to existing facilities, virtually erasing any positive impact of the closed facility. [Read more…]
Counterfeit Bills Result in 80 Year Prison Sentence
This isn’t a “wacky crime news” type of blog, but every once in a while, an out-of-the-ordinary story can teach us a good lesson in how the justice system often works. Such is the case of a Fort Worth man who will be in prison for a very long time because of his evening out at a Mansfield movie theater. [Read more…]
30,000 Warrants Yet Un-entered in Harris County System
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is lacking staff (as are many agencies) and it’s this shortage that’s being blamed for a serious backlog of warrants. As of last week, the office had about 10,088 felony warrants and 19,748 misdemeanor warrants that had yet to be entered into the state database. Without such entry, law enforcement officers have no way of knowing someone is wanted in connection with a crime. [Read more…]
Texas Drug Traffickers Using Innocents to Mule Their Goods
“This has been going on as long as there has been smuggling,” says Houston attorney Norm Silverman. He’s talking about the use of unsuspecting, innocent people by drug traffickers to transport their goods, either across the Mexican border or throughout the state of Texas. “If you are a drug trafficking organization, there is no more effective means you can use than have a person be an unwitting courier” he said. “They won’t have any signs of nervousness because they simply don’t know.” [Read more…]
Texas Allows Some Sex Offenders Second Chance (Romeo and Juliet Law)
There is a segment of sex offenders who are required to register and subject to the same stigma as rapists but who believe they aren’t getting a fair shake. This group is made up of people who had a relationship with a younger partner and who were convicted of a sex offense for it. Now those offenders may have the opportunity to get their name dropped from the sex offender registry. [Read more…]
Walmart Shoplifting Results in Life Sentence
At face value, a life sentence for shoplifting from Walmart seems asinine. But it happened. And the facts of the case may make it seem slightly more serious than Walmart’s typical shopliftings but still an odd case and a highly questionable sentence. [Read more…]
