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Criminal Law

Texas Death Penalty Blog

Death penalty cases and legislation in Texas and elsewhere.
By "Persian Cowboy"

Post Frequency: 3.3/day

Last Entry: July 21, 2016 at 22:00:00

In re: Troy Anthony Davis

Posted on April 22, 2009
Hello all,All of you that know me, know that I am committed to the fight to abolish the death penalty. Even more than that though, I am committed to fighting for those that have endured grave injustices.Troy Anthony Davis is my friend and I believe without a shadow of a doubt in my heart and soul that he is innocent...

Letter from Ethicists to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct Calling for Sharon Keller's Removal

Posted on April 22, 2009
Ethicists Call for Sharon Keller's Removal Ethicists Call for Sharon Keller's Removal Scott Cobb Filed April 20, 2009 with the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct by two dozen of the nation's leading judicial ethicists...

The Law of Parties Bill Approved by House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

Posted on April 22, 2009
The Law of Parties bill today passed the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence.HB 2267 in the Texas Legislature would prohibit the state from seeking the death penalty for people in Law of Parties cases, which is a law that allows non-killers to be sentenced to death for the actions of another person...

Nebraska Death Penalty Cartoon

Posted on April 22, 2009

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Abolition bill narrowly passes Colorado House

Posted on April 21, 2009
The bill passed third reading and final passage on a vote of 33 yes - 32 no. HB 1274 goes to the Colorado Senate for consideration. The bill repeals the states death penalty and dedicates funding to solve cold cases. (PDF)

Death row lawyers get paid while messing up

Posted on April 20, 2009
The following is Houston Chronicle's expose of Texas attorneys who continue to miss appeal dates, but still get rewarded with more cases. One wonders if judges select these attorneys from their list of the worst lawyers in town. This is probably the easiest way to get rid of the backlog of cases they have...

Protest the 200th Execution Under Texas Governor Rick Perry

Posted on April 20, 2009
On June 2, 2009, the 200th execution under Texas Governor Rick Perry is scheduled to take place. Since he became governor of Texas in December 2000, Perry has signed more execution orders than any other governor in U.S. history. Terry Hankins is scheduled to be the 200th person executed under Rick Perry...

Gov. Richardson, Activists Honored in Rome After New Mexico Repeals Death Penalty

Posted on April 20, 2009
Democracy Now, April 20, 2009Mexico became the second state in the country to repeal the death penalty last month. After years of struggle by campaigners, the repeal was approved by the New Mexico Senate in February and the House in March. Governor Richardson and the state?s leading campaigners were honored at a ceremony at the Colosseum in Rome last week and met with the Pope...

UT Austin Rally Against the Death Penalty

Posted on April 19, 2009
The following are some of the videos from the West Mall rally against the death penalty at the University of Texas at Austin. The rally was sponsored by UT Chapter of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty and Amnesty International.

Hearing Set for Sharon Keller Impeachment Resolution

Posted on April 19, 2009
We have heard that the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence will hold a public hearing on the proposal to impeach Judge Sharon Keller on Monday, April 27.This resolution, HR 480 by Lon Burnam, would create a select committee in the House to investigate further whether Sharon Keller should be impeached for her refusal to accept an appeal 20 minutes after 5 PM for a person on the day of his execution...

Troy Davis loses appeal by 2-1 vote

Posted on April 16, 2009
Daily ReportA federal appeals court late Thursday afternoon ruled against Troy Anthony Davis, whose claims of innocence have delayed his execution for killing a Savannah police officer in 1989. Judges Joel F. Dubina and Stanley Marcuswrote that Davis failed to meet the proceduralrequirements for filing a second habeas petition in federal court...

Live From Death Row Tonight

Posted on April 15, 2009
LIVE CALL IN FROM JOHN BOOTH-EL ? MARYLAND DEATH ROW PRISONER,AND FROM TIMOTHY MCKINNEY - TENNESSEE DEATH ROW PRISONER.UT Austin in UTC Room 3.122 at 7 pm. (On 21st just west of Speedway.)And featuring:Sandra Reed ? Mother of Texas death row prisoner Rodney ReedKenneth Foster, Sr...

Kinky Friedman for Governor?

Posted on April 14, 2009
Kinky Friedman announced that he is running for the Democratic nomination for governor of Texas in the 2010 primary election. One of the main issues in his campaign platform is the abolition of the death penalty. In 2005, while running for the governor of Texas as an independent candidate, he was approached by a group of TSADP members at a Border's bookstore in San Antonio asking him about his support of the death penalty...

City of Georgetown settles Jimmy Fennell civil case

Posted on April 13, 2009
Catie Beck of the News8Austin reports:The City of Georgetown last week settled the last pending case against former Georgetown police officer Jimmy Lewis Fennell Jr. Fennell was sentenced to 10 years for charges that he sexually assaulted a woman in police custody...

UT Law: Imprisoned by the Past ; The Enduring Role of Race in the American Death Penalty

Posted on April 12, 2009
Capital Punishment Center Presents: Imprisoned by the Past ; The Enduring Role of Race in the American Death Penalty Eidman Courtroom, UT Law School April 16, 2009 10:15 to 5:15 p.m. Symposium Program 10:15 Welcoming Remarks 10:30?12:00 Panel I - Race Discrimination in Capital Jury Selection Melynda Price, Visiting Scholar, Capital Punishment Center, University of Texas School of Law; Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky College of Law Joseph E...

Live From Death Row - UT Austin

Posted on April 12, 2009
AUSTIN TEXAS, APRIL 15, 2009 RALLY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY AT UT! 12 NOON ON THE WEST MALL! AND IN THE EVENING... At UT Austin in UTC Rm. 3.122 at 7 pm. (On 21st just west of Speedway.) LIVE CALL IN FROM JOHN BOOTH-EL ? MARYLAND DEATH ROW PRISONER, AND FROM TIMOTHY MCKINNEY - TENNESSEE DEATH ROW PRISONER...

Message from Hank Skinner, April 01, 2009

Posted on April 07, 2009
Hey y?all, I?m not sure whether this would be an actual New Hell Hole News or not. Mainly it?s just a reply to y?all?s comment on my New Hell Hole News #8 and 9. I was rather shocked and appalled by some of the things y?all have said. Let me set a few things straight...

GOP Chairman Call for Abolition

Posted on April 01, 2009
Washington, DC ? Embattled Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele lashed out at GOP infighting Tuesday and urged the party faithful - some of whom have criticized his erratic statements - to be more like him: "unconventional, unpredictable ? to do from time to time the unexpected...

Burnam Seeking a Hearing on Impeachment of Keller: Call Chair Todd Hunter to Urge Him to Hold a Hearing

Posted on March 31, 2009
Please call the Chair of the House Committee on the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and urge him to hold a hearing on Lon Burnam's resolution (HR 480) to create a committee to determine if Sharon Keller should be impeached...

New Complaints Filed Against Judge Sharon Keller

Posted on March 31, 2009
The Associated Press is reporting that new complaints has been filed against Judge Sharon Keller. Texans for Public Justice filed complaints with the Texas Ethics Commission and Travis County attorney's office. She will be automatically suspended if the Travis County Attorney charges her with a crime, or if she is impeached by the Texas House...

The Onion: DNA Evidence Frees Black Man

Posted on March 31, 2009
DNA Evidence Frees Black Man Convicted Of Bear Attack

Dutton's Moratorium Bill on agenda for Committee Hearing next Thursday, April 2

Posted on March 30, 2009
Rep Dutton's moratorium bill (HB 913) is on the agenda for next Thursday, April 2, in the Subcommittee on Capital Punishment. We need to make an effort for this bill. If at all possible, people should try to drop to the hearing and sign a form in favor of this bill, which would actually stop executions for two years and create a death penalty study commission...

Kids Against the Death Penalty Named 2009 Youth Abolitionists of the Year

Posted on March 29, 2009
Kids Against the Death Penalty has won the 2009 Youth Abolitionists of the Year award given by Students Against the Death Penalty and Texas Students Against the Death Penalty. The award was announced and presented to KADP at the Texas Capitol on March 24 by Hooman Hedayati, president of Students Against the Death Penalty and Jason Kyriakides, board member of Texas Students Against the Death Penalty...

New Hampshire House Passes Crime Victims Equality Act

Posted on March 27, 2009
Today the NH House became the first legislative body in the country pass a crime victims equality act to prohibit discrimination against family members of murder victims who oppose the death penalty. By a 213-114 margin HB 370, "An act relative to the treatment of victims of crime", was passed by a 213-114 margin...

Text of Sharon "Killer" Keller's Response to Charges of Misconduct and Incompetence

Posted on March 27, 2009
Scott Cobb has uploaded the text of Sharon "Killer" Keller's response to Charges of Misconduct and Incompetence online.Judge Keller Answer

Rick Casey: Let?s give Judge Keller a free lawyer

Posted on March 27, 2009
The following is a great column by Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle about Sharon Keller's request for the State of Texas to pay her legal fees.Sharon Keller, presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, says the State of Texas is violating her constitutional rights...

Repeal Bill Passes NH House

Posted on March 26, 2009
The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill to repeal the death penalty today. The vote was 193-174. The House also passed a bill to establish a death penalty study commission.

Lobby Day Against the Death Penalty at the Texas Capitol

Posted on March 23, 2009
Tuesday March 24, 2009Texas State Capitol11th and CongressAustin, Texas Register for Lobby Day! People from across Texas are coming to Austin on Tuesday, March 24, for a Death Penalty Reform Lobby Day to speak with legislators about the injustice of the Texas death penalty system...

US Senator Russ Feingold reintroduces bill to abolish federal death penalty

Posted on March 23, 2009
More on S.650 is here:http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bdD2dj:@@@L&summ2=m&|/bss/d111query.html|The text of S.650 will be at:http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.650:- - - - -http://feingold.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=310109Thursday, March 19, 2009FEINGOLD REINTRODUCES BILL TO ABOLISH FEDERAL DEATH PENALTYFeingold's Longtime Effort Comes as New Mexico Repeals Death PenaltyWashington, D...

Jeff Wood loses federal appeal

Posted on March 23, 2009
Jeff Wood has lost a recent federal appeal. The ruling is online. There are two bills pending in the Texas Legislature that would prevent prosectors from seeking the death penalty for people who do not kill but are convicted under the Law of Parties. Michael Graczyk of Austin American Statesman reports:A Texas death row inmate who came within hours of being executed last summer has lost an appeal in federal court, where his lawyers argued that he is too mentally ill to be put to death...

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