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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

News Coverage of Friday's FSC Meeting

Posted on October 18, 2010
"Texas prosecutor denies showing bias in arson case," is the AP report, via Google News. A Texas prosecutor accused of bias for describing an executed man as a "guilty monster" defended his comments Friday, while his colleagues on a commission...

PBS Frontline to Spotlight Willingham Case

Posted on October 18, 2010
The season premiere of Frontline is tomorrow night,"Death by Fire." The documentary will broadcast Tuesday, October 19th at 9 pm (EDT) / 8 pm (CDT.) "Did Texas execute an innocent man?," is the press release. Several controversial death penalty cases...

Where the Death Penalty Is Imposed - A Remarkable Graphic

Posted on October 15, 2010
If you haven't been watching Second Class Justice, take a look. In the short time it has been up, there is first-class content. I particularly want to highlight the post, "90% of counties in the country have imposed no death...

More on the Sodium Thiopental Stock

Posted on October 15, 2010
"A Death Serum Mystery," is the title of Ben Crair's report for Daily Beast. Extended excerpts from this must-read: On Thursday, Donald Ray Wackerly II ate a stuffed-crust veggie pizza, a Dr Pepper, a coconut cream pie, and a chocolate...

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Arizona Obtains Lethal Injection Drug

Posted on October 15, 2010
Today's Arizona Republic reports, "Arizona death row inmate's lawyers want drug info from state," written by Michael Kiefer. Attorneys for Jeffrey Landrigan, who is scheduled for execution Oct. 26, have filed a second motion asking the courts to force Arizona...

A Lot of Todd Willingham News & Developments

Posted on October 15, 2010
As the Court of Inquiry was ending, the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals ordered a halt to the special hearing. On another front the Forensic Science Commission is set to take up the Willingham/arson forensics investigation again. "Family?s Effort to...

More Death Penalty Maps

Posted on October 15, 2010
This, from University of North Carolina Political Science prof Frank Baumgartner: I've compiled a geo-coded database of every execution since 1976? Slides 17-19 on this slide show give some overview of the data. He is co-author of The Decline of...

Paul House

Posted on October 15, 2010
"Former death row inmate Paul House seeking payout from state," is the AP report by Rose French, via the Knoxville News in Tennessee. Former Tennessee death row inmate Paul House served more than two decades in prison before his murder...

A Strong Dissent From the 6th Circuit

Posted on October 14, 2010
"Judge: Kentucky case shows execution system unreliable," is the staff and wire report in the Louisville Courier-Journal. Misdeeds and mistakes in a Kentucky death penalty case show the legal system is unreliable for deciding if an inmate should be executed,...

No Cost/Mitigation Argument Allowed in Connecticut Trial

Posted on October 14, 2010
"Conn. judge: Jury can't consider execution cost," is the title of John Christoffersen's AP report, via Google News. A burglar who killed a woman and her two children in a home invasion cannot bring up the high cost of executions...

Willingham Court of Inquiry Update

Posted on October 14, 2010
"Judge permits disputed Texas arson case to proceed," is Jeff Carlton's AP update, via the Victoria Advocate. A Texas judge planning to examine allegedly faulty arson evidence that led to an execution has declined to step aside from the case....

Folly of Whole Keller Saga Is Off the Charts

Posted on October 14, 2010
That's the title of an editorial in today's Austin American-Statesman. LINK It even features a chart. The sad story of the sad way in which Presiding Judge Sharon Keller of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals handled or, more accurately,...

Hearing Resumes in Willingham Court of Inquiry

Posted on October 14, 2010
"Hearing to resume over disputed Texas arson case," is the AP report via the Austin American-Statesman. A Texas judge planning to re-examine allegedly faulty arson evidence that led to an execution is expected to rule on whether he should step...

SCOTUS Blog on the Skinner Case

Posted on October 14, 2010
I have to single out SCOTUS Blog for its outstanding coverage of Skinner, "Special feature: Texas death row DNA case (Part 3)." All three parts are by Mary A. Fischer. It seems that in the pursuit of truth, like real...

News Coverage of the Skinner v. Switzer Oral Argument

Posted on October 14, 2010
The transcript of the oral argument is available in Adobe .pdf format. The SCOTUS Blog case file is here. Adam Liptak deftly writes about legal reasoning and logic and the case in, "High Court Weighs Death Row Inmate?s DNA Query,"...

Oklahoma's Scheduled Execution

Posted on October 14, 2010
"Wackerly execution won't be delayed in Oklahoma," is the title of Michael Baker's report in the Oklahoman. Attorneys reached an agreement Wednesday that clears the way for today's execution of an Oklahoma inmate who wanted his Buddhist spiritual adviser present...

Iron-Fisted Judge Gains From Irony

Posted on October 13, 2010
That's the title of Rick Casey's column in today's Houston Chronicle regarding the resolution of the Judicial Conduct Commission's case against Sharon Keller. LINK Need your daily irony supplement? How about this: A three-judge panel Monday overturned a sanction against...

Hank Skinner Case at Supreme Court

Posted on October 13, 2010
Oral arguments are being made in the case right now. The SCOTUS Blog case file is here. A transcript will be available later. Today's Dallas Morning News carries the editorial, "Test all DNA in Skinner case." The Texas Court of...

From Oklahoma

Posted on October 12, 2010
"Federal judge upholds Oklahoma's lethal injection method," is the title of Michael Baker's report in the Saturday edition of the Oklahoman. A federal judge ruled Friday to allow the execution next week of a death row inmate convicted of killing...

Texas Execution Stayed

Posted on October 12, 2010
Bill Mears posts, "High court delays execution of man said to be mentally deficient," at CNN. The Supreme Court has issued a temporary stay of execution for Texas death row inmate Gayland Bradford, who was convicted of the 1988 murder...

An Event in Washington, DC

Posted on October 12, 2010
"Fighting Crime in the U.S. and Internationally: Is the Death Penalty Necessary? A Unique Conversation Between U.S. and European Law Enforcement," takes place tomorrow, October 13, 2010, at 9:30 a.m., at the National Press Club. The event is sponsored by...

Injustice Texas Style

Posted on October 12, 2010
That's the title of Jonathan Alter's column in the current issue of Newsweek. It's subtitled, "Restoring Cameron Willingham?s reputation." Here's an extended excerpt: Willingham, the subject of a New Yorker piece last year, was executed in 2004. Afterward, Texas Gov...

Special Court of Review Dismisses Keller Warning, Charges

Posted on October 12, 2010
The Final Opinion is in Adobe .pdf format. "Reprimand tossed for 'We close at 5' Texas judge," is the AP report by Jim Vertuno. A special court of review on Monday dismissed a public reprimand of Texas' top criminal courts...

The Cost Factor in Connecticut

Posted on October 12, 2010
Today's CT Law Tribune reports, "Cheshire Defenders Attempt To Stretch Boundaries; Lawyers seek permission to argue death penalty is too costly." It's written by Thomas Scheffey. At first, it looked like defense and prosecution lawyers were both trying to break...

Special Court of Review Delays Keller Ruling

Posted on October 08, 2010
The AP reports, "Reprimand ruling delayed for 'We close at 5' judge," via the Dallas Morning News. A ruling has been delayed on whether a reprimand will be dismissed against a Texas judge who closed her court at 5 p.m.,...

News Coverage of Connick v. Thompson Oral Argument

Posted on October 08, 2010
"Justices Appear Ready to Hold New Orleans Prosecutors Liable for Misconduct," is the title of Tony Mauro's report for the National Law Journal, yesterday. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday appeared ready to give the green light to efforts by a...

Lethal Injection Drug Shortage a Factor in Nebraska

Posted on October 08, 2010
The North Platte Telegraph today reports, "Heineman: HHS needs more time." It's written by Mark Young. In other legislative news, Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning told the Telegraph last month that the state is prepared to move forward with executions...

Justice Breyer's New Book

Posted on October 08, 2010
Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View, is Justice Stephen Breyer's latest. Justice Breyer will be discussing the book October 19 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The Joseph Fox Bookshop -- a gem -- will handle book sales...

More on Georgia Indigent Defense - The Phan Case

Posted on October 08, 2010
"Judge to rule on Gwinnett death penalty case," is the title of Andria Simmons' report in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Khahn Dinh Phan was charged five years ago with murder in the deaths of a Lilburn man and his toddler son,...

New Hampshire State Supreme Court Sets Death Penalty Review Standard

Posted on October 07, 2010
The ruling in New Hampshire v. Michael Addison is available in Adobe .pdf format. The AP report is, "NH court sets standards for death sentence review," by Lynne Tuohy, via the Nashua Telegraph. The New Hampshire Supreme Court said it...

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