Author: Broden & Mickelsen, LLP
Under federal law, it is a crime for anyone with a domestic violence conviction to buy or own a gun. The system broke down with tragic consequences on Nov. 5 when Devin Patrick Kelley killed 26 worshipers and injured 20 more at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs in Texas. Kelley, 26, was convicted…
One in three people has a criminal record, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance forbids discrimination against people based on their records, but Texas has sought to set this aside. An article in The Nation noted how Texas wants to make the process of firing people with criminal records…
Sex crimes are among the most difficult and problematic offenses for prosecutors, victims and defendants alike. People charged with sex offenses typically suffer serious social stigma even before conviction. However, these offenses are often based on uncorroborated statements of young victims which are not always reliable. In one Texas city, the role of the police…
A series of proposed executions in Texas have been delayed or derailed over the last year due to legal appeals or other circumstances. The latest death row inmate to face an 11th hour reprieve was Houston serial killer, Anthony Shore, who was just hours away from execution when the process was halted. Officials stopped the…
Police stops in Texas have proved controversial in recent years. In a high profile case, Sandra Bland, an African American woman, took her life after a routine traffic stop with a state trooper led to an argument. The Sandra Bland case and other controversies led to a new law in Texas that will provide training…
Cybercrime is one of the fastest-growing areas of criminality in the United States and Texas. It’s an area of expertise for Dallas’ likely new top federal prosecutor who has spent her career battling cybercrime, the Dallas Morning News reported. Erin Nealy Cox is a former federal prosecutor in Dallas and a cybersecurity expert. She was…
Violent crime is increasing in Texas at a rate that outstrips the rest of the nation, according to recently released statistics. Violent crime in the Lone Star State is above the national average, although lower than a decade ago. Statistics released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in September found Texas outpaced the rest of…
The habitual exposure of children to violence in one Texas town has led the city council to make an assault in the presence of a child a criminal offense. The city council in Burleson near Fort Worth passed an ordinance with the support of Mayor Ken Shetter, reported The Ada News. Shetter is the president…
Texas is one of the strictest states in the country for drunk driving enforcement. If you are arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), it’s important to know your rights. A recent study in WalletHub ranked Texas as the 13th toughest state in the Union on the treatment of people who are charged with DWI. Although…
Severe heat at Texas prisons has been linked to deaths and lawsuits. Now Texas plans to move about 1,000 Texas prisoners to cooler cells. Last week, Texas submitted a plan under a court order to move 1,000 inmates who are sensitive to heat from the Pack Unit near Navasota to other state jails and prisons…