Year: 2020
The COVID-19 epidemic has resulted in relief payments to millions of people across the United States to alleviate the economic downturn associated with the pandemic. It has also sparked fraud investigations over the alleged misuse of relief funds. This month, federal investigators charged a 32-year-old Texas man with bank fraud, wire fraud, and making false…
Illegal street racing is a major problem in Dallas where scores of events were reported last month. Racers can end up with criminal records and even spectators can be hit with citations. The City of Dallas has approved measures to further crack down on the activity. Dallas Police reported the death of one person and…
The Innocence Files, a Netflix original documentary, has highlighted wrongful convictions across the United States including a case in Texas. Defense attorneys are acutely aware of the high number of people who are convicted based on flimsy or falsified evidence, junk science, or coerced confessions. Now the Netflix series is educating a wider audience about…
Psychological and IQ tests can play an important part in criminal trials. Juries, judges, and lawyers are not experts in psychology and these tests often prove persuasive. However, recent research suggests courts are failing to properly screen out this evidence, allowing ‘junk science’ to influence court proceedings. A study published in February in the journal…
Prisons and jails across the nation are releasing prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic. However, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has bucked the trend and is restricting the release of many inmates. Lawyers are challenging his policy. Abbot issued a statement that suspended elements of the state’s bail laws. He banned the release of people held in…
Lawsuits brought over dangerous conditions at jails and prisons in Texas are nothing new. However, the coronavirus epidemic threatens added dangers to inmates who claim they are being unnecessarily exposed to illness. Two older inmates at the notorious Pack Unit, the Wallace Pack prison, near Houston have sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. They…
It can be scary to be charged with aggravated assault in Texas. One of the first questions you might ask is how aggravated assault differs from a simple assault and what kind of enhanced penalties you might face if you’re convicted. Aggravated assault means a more serious form of assault. If someone is charged with…
Police and civic leaders have highlighted a rise in domestic violence in Dallas as a factor behind a spike in the city’s homicide rate in 2019. A new approach entails more warrants for domestic abusers and agencies working more closely together. The Dallas Morning News reported domestic-violence slayings made up at least 32 of the…
In recent years, home DNA test kits have become increasingly popular. With just a simple cheek swab, anyone can learn detailed information about their ethnicity, heritage, and even health information. People have also used DNA testing services to locate lost family members. But does all this information come with a price? According to reports, at…
COVID-19, the Coronavirus, has caused havoc and brought normal life to a standstill across the United States. It also led to the halt of the latest execution scheduled in Texas. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in the state, halted an execution slated for this week because of the coronavirus. The…