Category Archives: Death Row
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Case of First Impression on Texas’ New Junk Science Law
Two years ago, we were optimistic about the efforts being made by many to resolve a huge problem of injustice here: the problem of “junk science.” All too often in this state, and across the country, “junk science” is being used to wrongfully convict innocent people of crime. Some are even sentenced to death based,…
Eyewitness Testimony and Prosecutorial Misconduct Spotlighted Again as Texas Executed Another Innocent Man: the Wrongful Prosecution of Carlos DeLuna
In what universe does anyone really believe that eyewitness testimony is reliable? Really? We’ve written before about how criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors alike are well aware that witnesses are notoriously unreliable in giving accurate information about a crime. For example, read our earlier post discussing a Dallas Morning News expose where the Dallas County…
Whattha? Judge Charlie Baird Rebuked by Appeals Court in Willingham Case
You’ll remember Judge Charlie Baird – we’ve written about him before: Judge Baird was the man who took on the Tim Cole matter when others on the bench would not, and we tipped our hat to him for it (read “Judge Charlie Baird May Exonerate a Dead Man and Give Justice to Tim Cole”). Judge Baird…
Hank Skinner Execution Still Set 4 Today – France Is Asking for Delay. That’s Right. France.
There’s been lots of news coverage over the impending execution by the State of Texas of 47-year-old Hank Skinner, who has been sentenced to death for the murder of his girlfriend and her two adult sons back on New Year’s Eve 1993. Hank Skinner says he’s innocent. He’s asking for DNA testing to be done. …
Judge Watch: Court of Crim Appeals Says Not Unfair to Defendant Hood for Judge and DA to Have Affair During Trial
If you’re shaking your head in disbelief at this week’s ruling by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — well, join the crowd. When the news first hit that a trial court judge and the district attorney who prosecuted cases in her courtroom had had a long-standing sexual relationship, lots of folk were stunned. And lots…
DA Watch: Texas Death Row Inmate Toney Freed Last Night and May Not Face Re-Trial
Michael Toney walked out of jail a free man last week after being on Texas’ Death Row for a decade. Maybe you remember the case of Michael Toney…. Michael Toney Was Convicted for the Bombing Murder of 3 People – Nine Years Later, the DA Admits to Hiding Exculpatory Evidence Last October, we posted about how…
Death Row: Rodney Reed Loses Appeal Despite Evidence that Cop Was Real Killer
Death Row inmate Rodney Reed, 41, brought an appeal of his case before the highest court in our state for criminal matters, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, arguing that there is new evidence in his case. And, this evidence points to the victim’s boyfriend – who was a cop at the time – as…
DA Watch: “Dallas DNA” starring new reality TV star DA Craig Watkins debuts April 26
The Discovery Channel will offer you another reality-TV option later this month, just in case you don’t have enough reality-TV options to choose from already: on April 26, “Dallas DNA” makes its first appearance, telling the story of Johnnie Lindsay (see our post on 09/26/08). Investigation Discovery, a part of the Discovery Channel, is focusing…
