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Though new laws on abortion appear to be on course to take effect in Texas after opponents failed to win their case in a federal appeals court. A ruling in a federal appeals court on October 31, reinstated most of the state’s controversial abortion restrictions, just three days after a federal judge ruled them unconstitutional….
If you are involved in a criminal investigation you should never post details related to the matter on social media. The power of evidence online was recently illustrated when a man from Ohio, who confessed on YouTube to causing a fatal wrong-way crash after a night of drinking, was sentenced to 6½ years in prison….
Family members said they knew Julie Ann Rodriguez’s life was in danger. She was a potential witness in a homicide trial involving an ex-boyfriend. But reports suggested they did not think the worst would happen. Tragically, she was gunned down in the driveway of her home a week ago. Associated Press said police reports identified…
Reverend Carroll Pickett knows a lot about the death penalty in Texas – too much to get a good night’s sleep at times. Pickett is the former chaplain of the Huntsville state prison, the busiest execution chamber in the nation. Now he is speaking out about his experiences and his conviction that some inmates were…
Defense attorneys are constantly on the lookout for evidence of police and prosecutors discriminating against defendants on the grounds of race or gender. This was demonstrated at a recent trial of a man from Prosper when defense attorneys claimed Garrick White from McKinney was singled out because he is black. A jury determined that Garrick…
The criminal justice system in Texas is improving on the back of numerous recent exonerations, but the state’s record on its death penalty remains poor, according to a new report. Details of the report by the American Bar Association are contained in an article in the Texas Tribune. The ABA has sponsored detailed assessment projects…
Those who seek sex with children may be prosecuted at a federal level in the future if a bill introduced in Congress last week becomes law. In the wake of an FBI operation that rescued over 100 children from sex trafficking, Texas Rep. Ted Poe formally announced new legislation to help end what he termed…
A ruling in New Mexico that citizens who don’t speak English have the right to serve on juries has put the spotlight on other states with large Hispanic populations such as Texas. The New Mexico Supreme Court is cautioning trial courts and attorneys that citizens who don’t speak English in a heavily Hispanic state, have…
In a case that attracted considerable media interest, a 44-year-old former stripper was recently convicted of attempting to kill her fiancé with the help of her teen son and his friend. Vicky Renee Miller, 44, was found guilty of attempting to kill Paul Key in November 2011. She received the maximum sentence of 20 years…
A teenager who was arrested following the homicide of 6-year-old Alanna Gallagher, has also been accused of shooting a police officer who attempted to arrest him. The recent killing of Alanna Gallagher shocked the Texas community of Saginaw after her body was found wrapped in a tarpaulin on a street corner. Associated Press reported Tyler…