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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

Ohio Execution

Posted on March 10, 2011
"Ohio executes inmate using single drug," is Rob Stein's post at the Washington Post. Ohio executed an inmate Thursday with only one drug, previously used primarily to euthanize animals, marking the first time anyone in the United States had been...

What's Next for Texas Lethal Injection Procedure

Posted on March 10, 2011
"Execution Set for April, but State Out of Key Drug," is the title of Brandi Grissom's Texas Tribune report. Judges have set the dates for four more executions this year, and all of them scheduled to take place after the...

Illinois Coverage of Repeal

Posted on March 10, 2011
Both Chicago papers have extensive coverage. A number of other Illinois newspapers take a local focus. The primary Chicago Tribune report is, "Gov. Pat Quinn turned to Bible and writings of late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin for difficult death penalty decision,"...

Illinois Governor Signs Repeal; Commutes Existing Death Sentences - Updated

Posted on March 09, 2011
The Chicago Tribune reports, "Quinn signs death penalty ban, commutes 15 death row sentences to life," by Ray Long. Gov. Pat Quinn today signed into law a historic ban on the death penalty in Illinois and commuted the sentences of...

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Mex Mexico Reinstatement Measures Tabled

Posted on March 09, 2011
The New Mexico Independent reports, "Death penalty reinstatement dies in committee." It's written by Matthew Reichbach. Two different bids to bring back the death penalty in New Mexico were tabled in a House committee Tuesday night on party-line votes...

Illinois Signing Ceremony Webcast

Posted on March 09, 2011
The Media Availability webcast is about to go live at the Illinois Governor's website. Today's news coverage is at the link.

Ohio Changes Execution Procedure in Advance of Scheduled Execution

Posted on March 09, 2011
AP reports, "Ohio speeds atty access for condemned." It's written by Andrew Welsh-Huggins and is via Forbes. Ohio is changing its process for placing intravenous needles in the arms of condemned inmates to give them quicker access to attorneys in...

Additional Commentary on Skinner v. Switzer

Posted on March 09, 2011
Today's Austin American-Statesman carries the editorial, "Win for death penalty advocates." The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision Monday, provided a significant victory for death penalty supporters by ruling in favor of a condemned Texas man battling for post-conviction...

Illinois Governor Expected to Sign Repeal Bill at Noon

Posted on March 09, 2011
That's the word from legislators this morning. The private signing is set to be webcast at the Illinois Governor's website at 12:00 noon, today. "Quinn will likely sign death penalty bill at noon today - Watch it live right here"...

Illinois Tea Leaf Reading

Posted on March 08, 2011
The Chicago Now blog reports, "Governor Quinn's decision on Illinois' death penalty." It's posted by Brian C. Thomas. The clock continues ticking down to March 18th. That's the final day Governor Quinn can act on legislation passed by the lame...

Texas News Coverage of the Skinner Ruling

Posted on March 08, 2011
Brandi Grissom writes, "U.S. Supreme Court Keeps Hank Skinner Alive, Again," for the Texas Tribune. Now, Skinner must prove to the federal district court that he is entitled to DNA testing. That court will decide whether Texas courts have arbitrarily...

National News Coverage of the Skinner Ruling

Posted on March 08, 2011
"Justices Allow Inmates to Sue for DNA Testing," by Adam Liptak in the New York Times. The Supreme Court on Monday made it easier for inmates to sue for access to DNA evidence that could prove their innocence. The legal...

Editorial Commentary on Skinner v. Switzer

Posted on March 08, 2011
There is extensive coverage of yesterday's Supreme Court ruling in Skinner v. Switzer. I'll link to editorials in this post, followed by national news coverage and finally, Texas news coverage. "High court's ruling on DNA tests is a lifeline for...

The Connecticut Hearing

Posted on March 08, 2011
AP coverage of yesterday's Connecticut legislative hearing is, "Lawmakers hear death penalty arguments," by Susan Haigh. It's via the Wilton Villager. If Connecticut abolishes the death penalty for future convictions, it doesn't necessarily mean the 10 men currently on death...

Giving Life After Death Row

Posted on March 07, 2011
That's the title of an OpEd from the Sunday New York Times. It's written by Christian Longo, an Oregon death row inmate and founder of Gifts of Anatomical Value From Everyone. EIGHT years ago I was sentenced to death for...

Statement From Hank Skinner's Attorney

Posted on March 07, 2011
This is from Robert C. Owen, Clinical Professor of Law at The University of Texas School of Law. "We are very pleased with today's decision by the Supreme Court, holding that Mr. Skinner may invoke the protections of the federal...

More on the Skinner Ruling

Posted on March 07, 2011
"Supreme Court Allows State Prisoners to Seek DNA Evidence Through US Civil Rights Law," is Debra Cassens Weiss' post at ABA Journal. A Texas death-row inmate seeking a right to DNA evidence may pursue his claim under the federal civil...

Texas Supreme Court Clarifies Tim Cole Compensation Act

Posted on March 07, 2011
The Texas Supreme Court ruling in In RE: Billy James Smith is in Adobe .pdf format. The Court ruled Friday. "Court orders state to pay exonerated inmates $2.7 million," is the title of the Austin American-Statesman coverage by Chuck Lindell....

John Bradley's Stalled Nomination

Posted on March 07, 2011
Rick Casey's latest Houston Chronicle column is, "Senate may save science from politics." It may surprise some folks in the more liberal parts of the nation, but while Texas leads the nation in death penalty executions, it also took an...

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Hank Skinner

Posted on March 07, 2011
The ruling in Skinner v. Switzer is in Adobe .pdf format. Here's initial coverage from SCOTUS Blog: 10:08 Tom: Third and final opinion: No. 09-9000, Skinner v. Switzer -- the DNA case. 10:09 Tom: Per Ginsburg, reversing Fifth Circuit by...

In Connecticut

Posted on March 07, 2011
"Conn. lawmakers take up death penalty repeal bill,"is the updated AP report via Comcast's NECN. Connecticut lawmakers are once again considering whether to repeal the state's death penalty. The General Assembly's Judiciary Committee was holding a public hearing Monday on...

An Update From Illinois

Posted on March 07, 2011
"Obama weighs in on death penalty bill," by Dave McKinney appeared in the Saturday edition of the Chicago Sun-Times. President Obama has appeared to tip his hand on Illinois? bill to end the death penalty, which Gov. Quinn is expected...

The Cost Factor in California

Posted on March 04, 2011
Bloomberg reports, "California's `Cadillac' Death Row Complex Target in Budget Talks." It's written by Michael B. Marois and James Nash. California is set to begin construction of a new death row, already the biggest in the U.S., at a cost...

Eyes Focus on Illinois Governor

Posted on March 04, 2011
"Quinn expected to sign bill abolishing death penalty; status of current death row inmates debated," is the title of Kevin McDermott article in the Decatur Herald-Review. It also appears in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gov. Pat Quinn is widely expected...

Autobiograhpy of an Execution Wins BN Discovery Award

Posted on March 04, 2011
The Barnews & Noble press release is, "Barnes & Noble Announces the 2010 Discover Award Winners Kim Echlin and David R. Dow Are 2010 Winners," via Webwire. Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world?s largest bookseller, today announced that...

Dallas & San Antonio Editorials: Bradley Wrong Choice for FSC

Posted on March 04, 2011
Today's Dallas Morning News carries the editorial, "Bradley?s nomination not worth fighting for in Senate." State Senate confirmation of John Bradley as chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission is not going smoothly, which isn?t surprising, given his prickly, pugnacious,...

Catholic Bishops Join Call for Illinois Repeal

Posted on March 04, 2011
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a news release, "Bishops Urge Illinois Governor to Sign Bill Ending Death Penalty." Signing a bill to end the use of the death penalty would ?begin building a culture of...

Race, the Death Penalty, and Louisiana

Posted on March 03, 2011
"Paper sees bias in EBR death cases," is the title of Joe Gyan Jr.'s report for the Baton Rouge Advocate. It appeared in the February 20 edition on the front page. A new research paper alleges racial bias in death...

More From Illinois

Posted on March 03, 2011
"Ill. governor mulls bill to abolish death penalty," is the AP report written by Deanna Bellandi. It's via Yahoo News. While he has kept his deliberations close to the vest, some would be surprised if Quinn didn't take advantage of...

An Update on Lethal Injection Drugs

Posted on March 03, 2011
"Replacement execution drug ample, but has issues," is the title of Greg Bluestin's AP report. It's via the Midland Reporter-Telegram, and the Washington Post. On paper, the drug that states are increasingly counting on to replace a sedative used in....

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