StandDown Texas Project: Criminal Law

Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

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

BREAKING - Supreme Court Stays Hank Skinner Execution

Posted on March 24, 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed the execution of Hank Skinner. He had been scheduled to be executed shortly after 6:00 pm, tonight, in Huntsville. Skinner is seeking DNA testing of evidence in his case, which his lawyers say will...

Georgetown Law Webcast Tonight - Bad Science & Todd Willingham

Posted on March 23, 2010
The Innocence Project has issued a news release, "With Forum Tonight in DC and Resolutions in Several States, Momentum Builds for Basing Arson Analysis on Solid Science. Panel of leaders will speak at Georgetown Law tonight, as legislators introduce resolutions...

More Editorials Call for DNA Testing in Hank Skinner Case

Posted on March 23, 2010
Today's Austin American-Statesman carries the editorial, "Death row inmate entitled to delay for DNA tests." If all goes as planned by the state of Texas, tomorrow will be the final sunrise Henry W. Skinner ever sees. Skinner, 47, is scheduled...

BPP Rejects Skinner Reprieve Request

Posted on March 23, 2010
Yesterday afternoon, the Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected a 60-day reprieve for Hank Skinner to allow time for DNA testing. Thatnks to the Texas Tribune, you can read the Board's letter in Adobe .pdf format. Brandi Grissom posts, "Pardons...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Monday

Posted on March 22, 2010
Today's a travel day. I'll fill in a more detailed post later today during a layover, but here are some the highlights of a great deal of coverage of the Hank Skinner case. Houston Chronicle editorial - It's best to...

The Latest in the Hank Skinner Case

Posted on March 19, 2010
"The Secret Pardon," is the title of Brandi Grissom's latest Texas Tribune post on the Hank Skinner case. It's another must-read from this Trib reporter. Every couple of minutes, attorney Rob Owen glances nervously at the calendar in his office....

Landmark Exoneration in NC Almost Never Happened

Posted on March 18, 2010
That's the title of an AP report on the recent exoneration by the North Carolina Innocence Commission. It's by Martha Waggoner and is via the Washington Post. Nearly two years ago, North Carolina's groundbreaking innocence panel received the evidence it...

Arizona Lab Offers Pro Bono DNA Testing in Hank Skinner Case

Posted on March 18, 2010
Brandi Grissom posts, "AZ Lab Offers Free Testing for Skinner," at the Texas Tribune today. Chromosal Laboratories, a DNA testing lab in Phoenix, Ariz., has told Gov. Rick Perry that it will test evidence in the Hank Skinner case for...

Thursday

Posted on March 18, 2010
It's a travel day. Post may be limited, but there are developments in the Hank Skinner case. Details in the next post.

Lethal Injection Roundup

Posted on March 17, 2010
Two Tuesday developments are in the news today. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals refused to lift a stay of execution of an Arkansas inmate who has challenged the state's lethal injection procedure. The Arkansas News Bureau...

Trying to Find the Board of Pardons and Paroles

Posted on March 17, 2010
Brandi Grissom posts, "You Want Me to What? Really?" at the Texas Tribune. Because it contains an update, I've copied the entire post, but visit the Trib to see the graphic: So, this is day two of trying to get...

CCA Rejects Hank Skinner Habeas Petition

Posted on March 17, 2010
The Court of Criminal Appeals Order is here. Rob Owen of the University Of Texas School of Law Capital Punishment Center issued the following statement: "Today, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to intervene in Mr. Skinner?s case (see...

The Latest on the Skinner Case

Posted on March 16, 2010
Allan Turner writes, "Lawyers make last bid for man convicted in Panhandle slayings," in today's Houston Chronicle. With their client's execution for a triple homicide set for next week, Henry Skinner's lawyers are making a last bid to have so-far...

After Stevens

Posted on March 15, 2010
That's the title of Jeffrey Toobin's excellent article in the current issue of the New Yorker. It's subtitled, "What will the Supreme Court be like without its liberal leader?" Toobin will be Terry Gross' first guest on NPR's Fresh Air,...

More on Judge Fine and the Harris County Case

Posted on March 15, 2010
"State's Death Penalty Statute at Issue in Upcoming Hearing," is the title of Mary Alice Robbins' report in the current issue of Texas Lawyer. A Houston judge who declared the state's death penalty statute unconstitutional has set an April 27...

News Coverage of the Skinner Reprieve Request

Posted on March 15, 2010
"Skinner Asks Perry for Reprieve," is the title of Brandi Grissom's Texas Tribune post. The letter from Skinner's lawyers to Governor Perry and other documents are at the link. Lawyers for death row inmate Hank Skinner sent Gov. Rick Perry...

Trusting Science in Life and Death

Posted on March 15, 2010
That's the title of an OpEd by State Senator Rodney Ellis, Barry Scheck, and Cory Session. It appeared in the Saturday edition of the Dallas Morning News. LINK Cory Session is the brother of Timothy Cole; Barry Scheck, Co-Director of...

Last Words

Posted on March 12, 2010
Eric Dexheimer has posted, "Does who?s watching change a condemned man?s last words?" at the Austin American-Statesman Focal Point blog. Here's an extended excerpt: If you knew your victim?s friends and relatives were watching your execution, would it change what...

Latest Developments in the Hank Skinner Case

Posted on March 12, 2010
Attorneys representing Hank Skinner have formally asked Governor Rick Perry to issue a 30-day reprieve of Skinner's March 24 execution date and to order DNA testing in the case. You can view the letter and the appendices, which contain supporting...

Houston's Death Penalty Hullabaloo

Posted on March 12, 2010
That's the title of Robert Perkinson's post at Huffington Post. LINK Perkinson is the author of Texas Tough: The Rise of a Prison Empire, which will be released next week. Harris County Texas is the death penalty capital of the...

Kentucky Lethal Injection Procedure Continues to Advance

Posted on March 11, 2010
The Louisville Courier-Journal carries the AP post, "Ky. lethal injection method on course for approval," written by Brett Barrouquere. Kentucky's method of executing condemned prisoners could be in place again by May after a legislative committee raised no objection to...

More on Georgia's Indigent Defense System

Posted on March 11, 2010
Greg Bluestein files, "Ga.'s system to defend the poor still reeling," for AP, via Google News. Georgia's public defender system is still trying to recover its financial footing five years after a courthouse gunman racked up a $3 million taxpayer-funded...

Oklahoma Legislators Ignore Supreme Court

Posted on March 11, 2010
The Tulsa Beacon reports, "New bill could give death penalty to repeat child molesters." State lawmakers voted to increase the penalties - including life in prison and death - facing repeat child molesters. House Bill 2965, by state Rep. Rex...

In Maryland

Posted on March 11, 2010
"Further changes sought to Md. death penalty law," is the title of Julie Bykowicz's report in today's Baltimore Sun. You can view the text of the proposal, SB 404. Five months after enacting tight restrictions on Maryland's seldom-used capital punishment...

New Hampshire Senate Rejects Expansion Legislation

Posted on March 11, 2010
"Death penalty bill dropped by Senate," is the title of Kevin Landrigan's report in today's Nashua Telegraph. The State Senate shipped off to political oblivion Wednesday the proposed expansion of the death penalty to cover home invasions in memory of...

Texas Execution

Posted on March 11, 2010
Texas is scheduled to carry out its fourth execution of 2010, tonight in Huntsville. It would be the 451st Texas execution since 1982. Texas has far and away the most active death chamber in America, accounting for more than 37%...

Texas carried out its fourth execution

Posted on March 11, 2010
Texas carried out its fourth execution of 2010, tonight in Huntsville. It was the 451st Texas execution since 1982. Texas has far and away the most active death chamber in America, accounting for more than 37% of the nation's post-Furman...

Indigent Defense Roundup

Posted on March 10, 2010
Yesterday's Washington Post carried the editorial, "Justice's welcome push to improve legal counsel for poor defendants." THEY ARE common stories by now: The court-appointed defense lawyer who falls asleep during a client's murder trial. The beleaguered big-city public defender who...

The Illinois Moratorium

Posted on March 10, 2010
"Death penalty moratorium still not put to test," is the title of Christy Gutowski's report in suburban Chicago's Daily Herald. The ranks of Illinois' condemned men is quietly swelling despite the unofficial moratorium. Triple killer Edward Tenney joins 15 other...

State Legislative Roundup

Posted on March 10, 2010
In Nebraska, today's Lincoln Journal Star reports, "Death penalty cost bill to be debated in Legislature," by JoAnne Young. The Legislature will get a chance to debate a bill this session that would require a study of death penalty costs....

Previous | Next

Related Law Bulletins

Texas Governor Takes Surprising Stand In Favor Of Immigrants
Texas Governor Rick Perry, normally an ultra-conservative, surpris...

District Judge Upholds Texas' Moment of Silence Law
In 2003, the Texas legislature amended a "moment of silence" law s...

Irving, Texas Losing Students Due To Immigration Crackdown?
The Dallas Morning News had an interesting story Sunday about the ...

Two New USCIS Training Centers To Open In North Texas
The Dallas Morning News reports today that two regional training c...

Comprehensive Explanation of Irving, Texas Immigration Situation
The Dallas Morning News has a very good series of articles today a...