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Evidence gathered by the police and other investigative agencies is usually the most important factor in any criminal trial. But what happens when police officers are untruthful in their accounts? As criminal defense attorneys, we are acutely aware that unreliable evidence from police officers is more common than many members of the public believe. Recently,…
A recent sentencing in Texas demonstrates the stiff penalties that can face those accused of distributing child pornography online. The Dallas Morning News reported on how a sex offender from Arlington was sentenced to 40 years in prison on November 15, 2013, after he admitted sharing child pornography online. Recently we noted how the FBI…
New technology changes rapidly and so do crimes associated with it. In a recent report MSN.com reported on how the FBI has added five alleged cybercriminals to its “most wanted” list. They include a former San Diego college student who developed a program called “Loverspy” or “Email PI.” The operation is said to have been…
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…