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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

The Colorado Debate

Posted on April 27, 2009
"Death penalty debate lingers," is Brandon Gee's report in the Steamboat Springs Pilot. Northwest Colorado?s top prosecutor and Rep. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, oppose a repeal of Colorado?s death penalty that passed the state House of Representatives in a...

The Maryland Legislation

Posted on April 27, 2009
"Bill Could Spare Some in Md. With Murder Trials Pending," is written by John Wagner and Henri E. Cauvin. It appeared in the Sunday edition of the Washington Post. Legislation that significantly raises the bar on evidence needed to seek...

Mental Retardation Issue at Supreme Court - Bobby v. Bies

Posted on April 27, 2009
"High court to hear death case," is Malia Rulon's report in today's Cincinnati Enquirer. A case that began with a child's brutal murder in the basement of an abandoned Price Hill building goes to the U.S. Supreme Court today. The...

'Dallas DNA' Premieres Tomorrow

Posted on April 27, 2009
Jennifer Emily writes, "'Dallas DNA' spotlights county's conviction integrity unit," for today's Dallas Morning News. Some Dallas County courtroom dramas are going prime time. A new television show, Dallas DNA, focuses on the work of local prosecutors to free the...

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To Date in the States

Posted on April 24, 2009
The 2009 state legislative season has been especially active for death penalty issues. As many legislature are winding down, I thought this might be a good time to provide a summary. To date, two states have given final approval to...

May It Please the Court

Posted on April 24, 2009
That's the title of Maira Kalman's latest work posted at her New York Times blog, And the Pursuit of Happiness. I would urge a visit for a delightful Friday afternoon diversion. LINK

Tim Curry, 1939-2009

Posted on April 24, 2009
"Longtime Tarrant district attorney Curry dies after lung cancer fight," is Aman Batheja report for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Tim Curry, Tarrant County?s top prosecutor and the longest-serving criminal district attorney in Texas, died shortly after midnight Friday at his...

Oklahoma Goveror Issues Reprieve to Consider Clemency

Posted on April 24, 2009
"Gilson execution delayed," is Meghan McCormick's report in today's Norman Transcript. Donald Lee Gilson, convicted in the 1995 murder of an 8-year-old rural Cleveland County boy, has had his execution postponed, officials said Thursday. Gov. Brad Henry granted Gilson, 48,...

New Prison Death Chamber Questioned

Posted on April 24, 2009
That's the title of an AP report from Nevada, via the Silicon Valley Mercury News. It's written by Brendan Riley LINK Lawmakers raised questions Thursday about plans to replace the Nevada State Prison's old death chamber?described by a former NSP...

Colorado

Posted on April 24, 2009
The Grand Junction Free Press columnist Jim Spehar writes, "'Pro-life' (but not all lives)." Colorado lawmakers have passed that troublesome state budget after much cussing and discussing. Now on to the more divisive stuff. Like the 33-32 vote in the...

New Hampshire

Posted on April 24, 2009
"Senate panel votes down death penalty repeal," is John Distaso's report for the Manchester Union Leader. In a 3-2, party-line vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday recommended the full Senate kill a repeal of the New Hampshire's death penalty law...

New Claims in Bastrop Murder Appeal

Posted on April 24, 2009
That's the title of Steven Kreytak's report in today's Austin American-Statesman. It's subtitled, "Reed's lawyers cite more sexual misconduct complaints in suggesting that former police officer Fennell killed fiancee." Newly released allegations of sexual misconduct against former Georgetown police Sgt...

Editorial Roundup

Posted on April 23, 2009
There are editorials today from Colorado and Kansas. Let's start with, "Eliminating death penalty in Colorado the right move," from the Boulder Daily Camera. It's signed by Erika Stutzman for the editorial board. Count us among those applauding the Colorado...

Nebraska

Posted on April 22, 2009
Nebraska legislators are still waiting for LB 36, which authorizes lethal injection as the state's method of execution, and LB 306, which would abolish the death penalty, to reach the floor. The Nebraska Legislature is due to adjourn on June...

News Coverage of the Colorado Vote

Posted on April 22, 2009
"Death penalty dealt blow," is John Ingold's report for the Denver Post. The article also contains a listing of all House members' vote. In the hushed state House chamber, all eyes Tuesday stared up at the vote board, which showed...

The Legal Workshop

Posted on April 22, 2009
Karen Sloan writes the web-only report, "Tired of mile-long law review articles festooned with footnotes? Here's a Web-based, user-friendly alternative," for National Law Journal. Are you interested in legal issues but shudder at the thought of wading through massive law...

Lawsuit Challenges Missouri Governor's Clemency Role

Posted on April 22, 2009
"Execution set for man convicted in 1994 killing of Good Samaritan," is Tony Rizzo's report in the Kansas City Star. The Missouri Supreme Court on Monday set a May 20 execution date for a Kansas City-area man who was convicted...

Federal Judge OKs Ohio Execution Method

Posted on April 22, 2009
That's the title of Alan Johnson's report in the Columbus Dispatch. It's subtitled, "Prisoner didn't prove it is painful." Ohio's lethal-injection system is flawed but not unconstitutional, a federal judge has ruled, clearing the way for at least one and...

More Coverage of Legal Ethicists 'Declaration' in Keller Case

Posted on April 22, 2009
"Ethics Experts Claim CCA Presiding Judge Sharon Keller Should Go," is Mary Alice Robbins' report for Texas Lawyer. A group of 24 judicial ethics experts from around the nation write in a declaration received today by the State Commission on...

Ethicists Weigh in on Judge Sharon Keller's Case

Posted on April 21, 2009
That's the title of Diane Jennings' latest post at the Dallas Morning News Crime blog. LINK Two dozen legal ethicists from across the country have called for Sharon Keller, presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to be...

Coming to the Supreme Court Next Term

Posted on April 21, 2009
"High court will jump back into prosecutorial immunity, speedy trial issues," is Marcia Coyle's report for the upcoming edition of National Law Journal. The U.S. Supreme Court next term will jump back into questions surrounding prosecutorial immunity and speedy trial...

HB 1274 Passes Colorado House

Posted on April 21, 2009
The bill was approved on third reading and final passage by a vote of 33 yes - 32 no. HB 1274 now goes to the Colorado Senate for consideration. The bill repeals the state's death penalty and dedicates funding to...

At the Supreme Court

Posted on April 21, 2009
"High Court Turns Down Challenge to Jury's Use of Bible," is Michael Graczyk's AP report, via Law.com. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned away a challenge from a Texas death row inmate who claimed his constitutional rights were violated...

Colorado

Posted on April 21, 2009
The Colorado House is scheduled to go into session at 9:00 am (MDT), and HB 1274 is on the House Calendar for third reading and final approval. It was originally scheduled for consideration yesterday, but held over due to prolonged...

AEDPA & Troy Davis

Posted on April 21, 2009
Atlanta Progressive News has, "Analysis: Joe Biden to Blame for Troy Davis' Fate?" It's written by Matthew Cardinale. With the US Court of Appeals panel's split ruling putting Troy Davis again, for the fourth time, on track to be executed...

More on Troy Davis

Posted on April 20, 2009
Today's Fulton County Daily Report has, "Georgia Death Row Inmate Loses 11th Circuit Appeal. It's written by Alyson Palmer. A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled against death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis by a vote of 2-1. Davis' claims...

Cell Phones in the Prisons

Posted on April 20, 2009
"Bills allowing prisons to jam cell-phone signals draw debate, by Tricia Bishop appears in the Sunday issue of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. When prosecutors revealed last month that a Baltimore man accused of using a contraband cell phone in jail...

OpEd Roundup

Posted on April 20, 2009
In North Carolina, the Greensboro News-Record carries the OpEd, "It's time to stop executing people," by Tom Campbell, a former state treasurer. The arguments for and against capital punishment have gone on long enough. Having once been a supporter of...

The Death Penalty in Pennsylvania

Posted on April 20, 2009
The Pittsburg Post-Gazette has two news articles on the state of capital punishment. First, "States finding death penalty's costs prohibitive," by Daniel Malloy. Costs of lengthy trials, repeated appeals and specialized housing add up, making it more difficult for states...

The KFC Case

Posted on April 20, 2009
AP's Michael Graczyk report, "Convicted killer in Texas KFC massacre denies role," via the Dallas Morning News. About the only point of agreement between prosecutors and a man serving life in prison for one of the most notorious mass murders...

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