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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

More Keller Commentary

Posted on January 21, 2010
Andrew Cohen writes, "The 'Killer' Keller Case: When Judges Go Bad," for the Atlantic's Correspondents blog. Having watched Spencer Tracy in Inherit The Wind Tuesday night, having therefore been sensitized again to the layers of injustice this country has so...

Indiana Death Penalty Expansion Not Expected

Posted on January 21, 2010
The Indianapolis Star reports,"Murder-related bill unlikely to advance," written by Robert Annis. A legislative proposal triggered by a murder in Boone County last year likely won't make it out of the state Senate because of budget concerns. Senate Bill 43...

A Legacy From Dallas' Past

Posted on January 21, 2010
"Federal appeals court orders new trial for black suspect," is the title of Steve McGonigle's report in today's Dallas Morning News. Dallas County's long history of racial discrimination in jury selection added a chapter from a new era this week....

The Latest in the Rodney Reed Case

Posted on January 21, 2010
Jordan Smith reports, "Rodney Reed Case Back in Court," for the latest issue of the Austin Chronicle. The legal procedural drama that is the Rodney Reed death penalty case is back in federal court. On Dec. 22, 2009, lawyers for...

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Nebraska Legislators Reject Cost Study

Posted on January 21, 2010
"How expensive is the death penalty?" is the title of Paul Hammel's report in today's Omaha World-Herald. State lawmakers easily defeated a proposal Wednesday that would have provided an answer to a much-debated question: How much does it cost Nebraska...

Kansas Abolition Debate Continues

Posted on January 21, 2010
"Executions debated," is the title of Barbara Hollingsworth's report in today Topeka Capital-Journal. Gov. Mark Parkinson, who drafted the state's death penalty law more than 15 years ago, said he believes the law is still good policy, but he is...

Texas Civil Rights Project on the Keller Findings

Posted on January 21, 2010
Jim Harrington, Director of the Texas Civil Rights Project has issued a statement on Judge Berchelmann?s Findings. Harrington was one of the Texas attorneys who originally filed a complaint against Judge Keller with the Commission on Judicial Conduct...

Additional News Coverage In RE: Keller

Posted on January 21, 2010
Yesterday's initial coverage is here; the Special Master's Findings, here. Houston Chronicle columnist Rick Casey writes, "Keller is lucky judge wasn't just like her." Sharon Keller, the controversial chief judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, has escaped yet...

Special Master Finds CCA Presiding Judge Sharon Keller Should Not Be Punished

Posted on January 20, 2010
That's the title of Mary Alice Robbins' report for Texas Lawyer. LINK In his long-awaited findings of fact, a San Antonio judge has concluded that Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller's conduct on the day the state...

More Supreme Court News

Posted on January 20, 2010
This post contains news of a ruling today, a ruling on jury selection procedures in Georgia, and an argument preview in a case involving AEDPA. The Court this morning ruled against an Alabama death row inmate in Wood v. Allen....

The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal

Posted on January 20, 2010
Today's Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "Ruling could be a small setback for Abu-Jamal." It's written by Joseph A. Slobodzian. The legal pendulum that for almost 30 years has kept convicted police killer Mumia Abu-Jamal between execution and life in prison swung...

Nebraska Legislator Advocates Abolition

Posted on January 20, 2010
"Senators to debate death penalty repeal," is the title of JoAnne Young's report in today's Lincoln Journal Star. Senators are expected to take up a debate today on repealing the death penalty, but without the fanfare that has accompanied other...

Is an Eye for an Eye Justified?

Posted on January 20, 2010
That's the title of an editorial in Kansas' Pittsburg Morning Sun. LINK It's written for the paper by Matthew Clark. Is an eye for an eye justified when the state is concerned? On Tuesday, the Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee began...

The Kansas Death Penalty Debate

Posted on January 20, 2010
Yesterday, the state's Senate Judiciary Committee began consideration of legislation to repeal the death penalty. Testimony will continue, for an hour a day, this week. "Kansas Senate again looks at abolishing state?s death penalty," is the title of David Klepper's...

More on Montana Lethal Injection Litigation

Posted on January 20, 2010
"Canadian on death row sues for end of execution chamber," by Randy Boswell of Canwest News Service is via the National Post. It appeared in the Monday edition. A U.S. lawsuit by Alberta-born double-murderer Ronald Smith -- the only Canadian...

Shaken Baby Syndrome on Trial

Posted on January 19, 2010
"Shaken baby syndrome itself is put on trial in Fairfax court," is the title of Tom Jackman's report in today's Washington Post. As a criminal trial in Fairfax County tries to determine who, or what, caused 4-month-old Noah Whitmer's brain...

The Death Penalty in Oklahoma

Posted on January 19, 2010
The Tulsa World reports, "Study: Death sentences reach record low." It's written by Michael Overall and appeared in the paper's Saturday edition. Continuing a long and precipitous decline in the number of death sentences, the trend has sparked hope among...

Notorious Connecticut Case Nears Trial Date

Posted on January 19, 2010
"Reliving Horror in a Test for the Death Penalty," by William Glaberson appears in today's New York Times. More than two years later, the details still have the power to horrify. In the middle of the night, two parolees break...

Race in the United States & the Death Penalty

Posted on January 19, 2010
"Shades of Prejudice," is the title of an OpEd in today's New York Times. It's written by Shankar Vedantam, a journalist and Nieman Fellow at Harvard. LAST week, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, found himself in trouble for once...

Birmingham News Urges Moratorium in Alabama

Posted on January 19, 2010
The Birmingham News carried the editorial, "Alabama lawmakers should finally pass a measure to call a temporary halt to executions," in Monday's edition. Unless state Sen. Hank Sanders has a change of heart, this regular session of the Legislature will...

Anti-Death Penalty Movement Wooing Conservatives

Posted on January 19, 2010
That's the title of an AP report, via Monday's Washington Post. It's written by Brent Barrouquere. LINK Roy Brown seems like a rarity - a conservative who's against the death penalty. But to Brown, a state senator and the 2008...

Kansas Senate Committee Begins Death Penalty Debate

Posted on January 19, 2010
The legislation is Senate Bill 208 in the Kansas Legislature. The Kansas City Star carries an AP report by John Milburn, "Death penalty reviewed this week by Kansas lawmakers." Legislators are planning to give the Kansas death penalty statute a...

The Autobiography of an Execution

Posted on January 19, 2010
That's the title of David Dow's latest book, being published next month by Twelve Publishers. Diane Jennings post, "David Dow's death penalty book a compelling read for opponents and supporters," at the Dallas Morning News Crime blog. Here's an extended...

Oklahoma Legislation

Posted on January 15, 2010
"Johnson files wrongful conviction bill in first step to repeal death penalty," is the AP report via KFSM-TV. A state senator has filed legislation to create the Oklahoma Commission on Wrongful Conviction. Sen. Constance Johnson of Oklahoma City said Thursday...

Also From Florida

Posted on January 15, 2010
The St. Petersburg Times reports, "Court vacates Polk killer's death sentences due to prosecutor's misconduct," by Colleen Jenkins. Citing a prosecutor's misconduct, the Florida Supreme Court took the unusual step Thursday of vacating the death sentences of a triple murderer...

Fewer Florida Juries Voting for Death - Why Is Unclear

Posted on January 15, 2010
That's the title of a report in today's Orlando Sentinel written by Sarah Lundy. It's subtitled, "Trend toward fewer executions evident elsewhere in nation as well." Juries in Florida recommended 14 men die by lethal injection last year after hearing...

Death Penalty at Issue in Australia - Alabama Extradition

Posted on January 14, 2010
Australia is one of many countries that will not extradite to the United States if the death penalty is a potential punishment. "Alabama A-G: death penalty 'still on table'," is the title of Marissa Calligeros' report for the Brisbane Times....

Kansas to Take Up Capital Punishment Legislation Tuesday

Posted on January 14, 2010
"Senate Judiciary Committee to review death penalty proposal," is the title of Matthew Clark's report for the Morning Sun of Pittsburg, Kansas. The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee will review a proposal to repeal Kansas? death penalty law next week...

The Developing Field of Post-Conviction DNA Review

Posted on January 14, 2010
Law.com reports, "3rd Circuit Revives Suit, Opening Door to DNA Evidence," written by Shannon P. Duffy for Pennsylvania's Legal Intelligencer. An Erie, Pa., man who was sentenced to 75 years in prison for three rapes he claims he did not...

Legislative Roundup - Alabama & Virginia

Posted on January 13, 2010
Today's Birmingham News notes the return of the state's legislature in, "Alabama Legislature fast-tracks road, no-bid contract bills," by David White. Plans that would ban no-bid state contracts, with exceptions for emergencies, and let voters approve a $1 billion road...

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