Category: News
The use of deadly force by police officers on Black suspects was a hot button topic in 2020. The issue will again come to the fore in 2021 when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals looks again at the case of the conviction of a former North Texas police officer who killed an unarmed Black…
The U.S. Government recently started executing inmates again. It reached a grim milestone this month with the news it has carried out more executions in a year than all states that have the death penalty – including Texas, a state that typically executes more people than any other. President Donald Trump resumed federal executions after…
Moves to strengthen Dallas’ no cruising laws to clamp down on prostitution and sex trafficking in recent weeks have provoked a lively debate. While supporters said an extension of the city’s ordinance would help police to tackle sex crimes, opponents claim they are a threat to civil liberties comparing them to maligned stop and frisk…
Illegal voting is taken very seriously in Texas and can land suspects in jail. A Fort Worth woman who claims she cast her ballot while she was ineligible is seeking to have her conviction overturned. Crystal Mason was sentenced to five years in prison for illegal voting. She cast a provisional ballot in the 2016…
If you have been accused of sexual assault against an adult or a child, it’s imperative to discuss your options and your case with a reputable Texas sexual assault defense lawyer with years of experience dealing with sexual criminal defense cases. It’s also important to equip yourself with as much information as possible. Your case is not…
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…
The highest court in the nation has again overruled the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in a death penalty case, siding with a Houston man on death row for a double killing. The court sent Terence Andrus’ case back to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for further review. In a 6-3 ruling, the court…
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…