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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 From Lisa Falkenberg on Charles Sebasta

Posted on March 03, 2011
Her latest Houston Chronicle column is, "Graves' prosecutor just won't go away." You might think the unscrupulous former prosecutor who sent Anthony Graves to prison for 18 years, 12 on death row, for murders he didn't commit would lick his...

Bradley Is the Wrong Man for Important Job

Posted on March 03, 2011
That's the title of the editorial in today's Austin American-Statesman. Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley's tenure as chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission didn't begin auspiciously and has been marked by missteps since then...

Illinois Editorial & Column Call for Governor to Sign Repeal Bill

Posted on March 02, 2011
Today's Chicago Sun-Times carries the editorial, "It takes courage to correct injustice." It?s not easy to do the right thing when it comes to an issue as emotional as the death penalty. Exhibit A is a statement circulated earlier this...

Beaumont Enterprise Examines Texas Death Penalty & Sentencing

Posted on March 02, 2011
The Enterprise report is, "Option of life means fewer get death," written by Sonja Garza. In 1998, it took only 12 minutes for a Jefferson County jury to decide Elroy Chester should die. Twelve minutes - one minute for each...

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Bradley Confirmation to Be Held Up

Posted on March 02, 2011
"Nomination slowed after Democrats balk," is the title of Mike Ward's report in the Austin American-Statesman. In a bid to defuse a partisan showdown, the name of Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley was temporarily stricken Tuesday from a list...

George Ryan

Posted on March 01, 2011
Today's Chicago Tribune carries, "In prison, Ryan defends his widespread pardons and clemencies." It's written by Annie Sweeney. At times he was testy and combative, unafraid to use a modest curse word to make a point. In lighter moments, he...

Texas Tribune Interviews Carroll Pickett

Posted on March 01, 2011
Brandi Grissom conducts, "Rev. Carroll Pickett: The TT Interview." There is video at the link. The Rev. Carroll Pickett holds the world record for witnessing the most state executions as a chaplain. He saw 95 men die by lethal injection...

Anthony Graves Files Suit for Declaration of Innocence

Posted on March 01, 2011
"Graves sues for his innocence," is the title of the Houston Chronicle report written by Harvey Rice and Joe Holley. Lawyers for Anthony Graves filed a lawsuit Monday asking a Travis County district court to declare him innocent of capital...

Senate Nominations Committee Recommends Bradley Confirmation

Posted on March 01, 2011
"Senate panel votes to keep chairman of Forensic Science Commission," is the Austin American-Statesman report by Chuck Lindell and Mike Ward. Dividing along party lines after a contentious hearing, a Senate committee voted Monday to recommend that John Bradley continue...

Death Penalty's Cruel Toll on the Victims

Posted on February 28, 2011
That's the title of a lengthy editorial from the Sunday edition of the Baltimore Sun. It's subtitled, "As the legislature takes up another attempt to repeal capital punishment, lawmakers should consider the inherent burden it places on those who have...

Anthony Graves' Quest for Compensation

Posted on February 28, 2011
"State comptroller very inconsistent on compensation," is the title of Lisa Falkenberg's Houston Chronicle column. It appeared in Thursday's edition. How the state comptroller could deny Anthony Graves' compensation, seemingly on a technicality, for the 18 years he spent wrongly...

FSC Chair Faces Confirmation Hearing

Posted on February 28, 2011
"Reject John Bradley," is the title of this morning's Houston Chronicle editorial. Today the Texas Senate Nominations Committee takes up the question of reappointing Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley as presiding officer of the nine-member Texas Forensic Science Commission...

Illinois Update

Posted on February 25, 2011
"Quinn: Archbishop Tutu lobbied for death penalty ban," is the title of Rick Pearson's report in the Chicago Tribune. Gov. Pat Quinn said Thursday that South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu was among scores of people to weigh in with him...

Did Kentucky Violate a Judge's Order in Obtaining LI Drug?

Posted on February 25, 2011
Today's Lexington Herald-Leader carries the AP report, "Lawyer seeks to stop Ky. from using execution drug." It's written by Brett Barrouquere. Kentucky appears to have violated a judge's order stopping all executions and preventing the state from taking any action...

Call for DoJ Investigation in Georgia Drug Acquisition

Posted on February 25, 2011
Today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, "State accused of violating federal law in acquiring lethal injection drug." It's written by Rhonda Cook. The Georgia Department of Corrections circumvented federal law in trying to quickly secure a scarce drug used in lethal injections,...

Sentencing in Delaware

Posted on February 25, 2011
The Wilmington News Journal reports, "Delaware jury's votes in capital cases don't always sway judges." It's by Sean O'Sullivan. While at least two times in the past 20 years Delaware judges have imposed a death penalty when a jury has...

The Lethal Injection Fight in Arizona

Posted on February 24, 2011
Today's Arizona Republic carries the report, "Arizona Death Row inmates' lawyers fight import of lethal-injection drug." It's by Michael Kiefer. Attorneys representing Death Row prisoners in Arizona and two other states have asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to reject...

Louisiana Judge Refuses to OK State's Lethal Injection Procedure

Posted on February 23, 2011
The Baton Rouge Advocate reports, "Judge won?t OK lethal injections." It's written by Joe Gyan Jr. A judge in Baton Rouge ruled Tuesday it would be premature to validate Louisiana?s lethal injection procedure for future executions because the lone U.S...

Kentucky Acquires Lethal Injection Drug; Source Disputed

Posted on February 23, 2011
"State acquires key drug used in executions," is the title of Bill Estep's report in today's Lexington Herald-Leader. The state has acquired enough of a key drug used in executions to put three condemned inmates to death. Kentucky and other...

Eyewitness ID Reform Measure Passes House Committee

Posted on February 23, 2011
"Eyewitness ID legislation aims to prevent conviction of the innocent in Texas," is the Dallas Morning News report written by Erin Mulvaney. A bill meant to streamline eyewitness identification procedures, approved Tuesday by a House committee, would bring the state...

TDS on the Execution of Tim Adams

Posted on February 23, 2011
Texas Defender Service has issued the following statement on the execution of Tim Adams: Mr. Adams?s case presented a unique and powerful opportunity for the Board of Pardons and Paroles and Governor Perry to show mercy. It is difficult to...

Ohio Prepares to Use Pentobarbital

Posted on February 23, 2011
Alan Johnson writes, "Use of new execution drug isn't what scares condemned man," for today's Colubus Dispatch. Condemned killer Johnnie Baston says he isn't worried about being the first person in the U.S. to be executed using a new drug....

More on the British Import

Posted on February 22, 2011
"British death drug 'failed to work'," is the UK Press Association report, via Google News. A third American prisoner died in agony after an anaesthetic supplied by a British company failed to work properly, it has been claimed. Dream Pharma,...

Hospira & Florida

Posted on February 22, 2011
"Company urged Florida not to use its drug in execution 'cocktail'," is the title of Anthony Colarossi's report for the Orlando Sentinel. For years, Illinois-based Hospira Inc. worried about its drugs being used across the country for lethal injections...

Tim Adams Case at Supreme Court

Posted on February 22, 2011
Today's Houston Chronicle reports, "Child-killer's lawyers turn to high court." It's written by Allan Turner. Here are extended excerpts: With their client just a day away from execution, lawyers for Houston child killer Timothy Wayne Adams said Monday they would...

Texas Execution

Posted on February 22, 2011
Texas carried out its second execution of the year, tonight, in Huntsville. It was the Texas 466th execution since 1982. Texas has far and away the busiest execution chamber in America, accounting for more than 37% of the post-Furman executions...

The Sixth Circuit Streak

Posted on February 22, 2011
"U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on 0-15 losing streak," is the title of Dan Horn's report for the Cincinnati Enquirer. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati is one of the most powerful courts in the nation,...

Nebraska's Lethal Injection Drugs

Posted on February 18, 2011
Today's Lincoln Journal Star reports, "Prison officials respond to lawmakers' request for information on lethal injection drug." It's written by Kevin O'Hanlon. The state Department of Correctional Services has responded to a letter from three state senators asking for details...

Texas Governor Goes to Bat for Exonerated Man

Posted on February 18, 2011
That's the title of the editorial in today's Austin American-Statesman. All Texans should be proud of Gov. Rick Perry's promise to do whatever he can to help steer our state away from piling injustice upon injustice in the sad case...

Board of Pardons & Paroles: No Mercy

Posted on February 18, 2011
The AP report this afternoon is, "Parole board rejects plea from man to die Tuesday," by Michael Graczyk. It's via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has unanimously rejected a clemency petition from a convicted...

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