Report Finds Texas Bail Reforms Did Not Impact Reoffending Rates
Bail reforms have been enacted in Texas in recent years after inmates brought lawsuits that claimed they languished in jail for lengthy periods on misdemeanor charges. Although opponents of moves to release more inmates without requiring cash bail claimed reforms could result in more arrests for reoffending, a recent survey found these fears were unfounded....Read More
Violent Crime is Rising in Texas, New Figures Reveal
Violent crime is increasing in Texas, according to new figures released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, with many spikes in murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults occurring in large cities. The Texas Crime Report for 2019 was released this month. It highlights a 0.5% increase in violent offenses year-on-year. The report was compiled...Read More
Computer Algorithm Frees Texas Man but Exoneration Remains Elusive
Last year the authorities freed Lydell Grant from a Texas jail after DNA evidence was revisited by new computer software. However, Grant is still battling to clear his name of a murder conviction almost a year later. Grant was freed on bail after DNA in his case was examined by a software program, ABC News...Read More
Dallas County Considers Mental Health Alternatives to Heavy-Handed Policing
A summer of unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis has sparked discussions about police reforms and alternatives to incarceration such as mental health programs. Dallas is part of that discussion. Dallas County officials will ask commissioners to create a $3 million grant program next month to help...Read More
Advanced Form of DNA Testing Leads to an Arrest In a Cold Rape Case from the 1980s
Dallas police have arrested a 74-year-old man over a sexual assault case from the 1980s in the city based on an advanced form of DNA testing. David Thomas Hawkins was arrested in mid-August and charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault. The Dallas Morning News reported the Dallas County district attorney’s office said the...Read More
COVID-19 Scams are Rampant in Texas, Officials Warn
Scammers thrive in times of uncertainty and economic hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Recently, officials warned criminals are using the fear of the coronavirus to defraud Texans of money via texts, emails, phone calls, and face-to-face interactions. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick joined forces with Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan to warn...Read More
Next Steps If Your Appeal is Denied
Dallas, TX , July 25, 2020 Defendants who have been accused, convicted, and sentenced have the legal right to appeal the court’s decision, provided that the decision was not the result of a guilty plea. Appealing the decision of a court is an important legal concept that is essential to our form of justice. But...Read More
Texas Prisoners Serving Short Terms Die from Coronavirus
Texas prisons have an unenviable reputation for their harsh conditions. They became more deadly over the last few months as the coronavirus swept through the inmate population. More than 80 inmates have died in state prisons, many of them while serving short sentences for minor offenses. As Texas criminal defense attorneys, we do everything in...Read More
Fraud prosecution Against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxon Faces Further Delays
Prosecutions of white-collar crimes are often complicated, lengthy, and intricate. However, even by the standards of these offenses, the federal prosecution of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been a drawn-out affair. Paxton, a Republican, was indicted on felony security fraud charges in 2015. Five years later, the case has still not gone to trial...Read More
Texas Investigators Shut Down Alleged Sex Trafficking Website
Texas routinely leads the nation in sex trafficking crimes. The state’s massive size and its long border with Mexico make it the focus of major investigations into these offenses. This month, the North Texas Trafficking Task Force announced the arrest of a 46-year-old man on a count of promotion of prostitution and reckless disregard of...Read More