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U.S. Supreme Court hears Texas death row inmateās appeal for DNA test of evidence
Read full article: U.S. Supreme Court hears Texas death row inmateās appeal for DNA test of evidenceRuben Gutierrez wants to be able to sue prosecutors to compel them to test evidence that he says will prove he did not kill a Brownsville woman in 1998.
Feds target ācriminals and illegal immigrantsā in Houston-area development, Abbott says
Read full article: Feds target ācriminals and illegal immigrantsā in Houston-area development, Abbott saysThe Colony Ridge development has long been under scrutiny from conservative lawmakers, think tanks and influencers who cast it as a hotbed for undocumented immigrants and cartel crime.
Texas Senate votes in favor of proposals to deny bail to certain accused violent criminals
Read full article: Texas Senate votes in favor of proposals to deny bail to certain accused violent criminalsThe package was fast-tracked after Gov. Greg Abbott declared ābail reformā an emergency item. The bills now head to the House for consideration.
Robert Roberson files first new appeal since his execution was delayed
Read full article: Robert Roberson files first new appeal since his execution was delayedThe appeal includes new testimony from experts who say Robersonās daughter died of natural causes, and cites the courtās exoneration of a man in another shaken baby syndrome case out of Dallas County.
Certain criminal suspects would be denied bail under changes OK'd by Texas Senate panel
Read full article: Certain criminal suspects would be denied bail under changes OK'd by Texas Senate panelThe package of bills would tighten the state's bail laws to keep more people in jail ā including undocumented immigrants ā while their criminal cases are pending.
Texas foster home linked to boyās death had history of fight clubs and sexual misconduct, report says
Read full article: Texas foster home linked to boyās death had history of fight clubs and sexual misconduct, report saysThe death of an 11-year-old at a Greenville residential treatment center is among 16 deaths reported in the Texas foster care system in the last 15 months.
Inmates in this Texas program are leaving prison with jobs ā and lower chances of reincarceration
Read full article: Inmates in this Texas program are leaving prison with jobs ā and lower chances of reincarcerationFaced with more immediate funding needs, state officials havenāt asked for more money for rehabilitation programs, such as STRIVE, next budget cycle.
Texas executes man convicted of killing Arlington pastor in 2011
Read full article: Texas executes man convicted of killing Arlington pastor in 2011Steven Lawayne Nelson maintained that he unknowingly participated in the violent church robbery but didnāt harm anyone. His execution was the stateās first for 2025.
Two more state employees fired after accessing Texansā private information
Read full article: Two more state employees fired after accessing Texansā private informationSo far, nine HHSC employees have been fired for accessing without a ābusinessā purpose the private information of Texans seeking public assistance that includes Medicaid and food stamps.
Immigration crackdown in Texas: What you need to know about your rights
Read full article: Immigration crackdown in Texas: What you need to know about your rightsRecent enforcement operations across Texas have raised concerns among undocumented immigrants. Hereās what immigration attorneys want you to know about your rights and resources.
Texas legislators seek more protections for death penalty defendants in wake of Trump executive order
Read full article: Texas legislators seek more protections for death penalty defendants in wake of Trump executive orderTrumpās new directive that aims to increase death sentences clashes with some Texas lawmakersā efforts to add guardrails to capital punishment.
An immigrant faces deportation after a routine traffic stop in Texas, sparking more fear
Read full article: An immigrant faces deportation after a routine traffic stop in Texas, sparking more fearAdvocates worry that rapidly shifting federal and state immigration initiatives will prompt more city police to funnel migrants without criminal records to federal agents.
Texas Republicans in Congress propose bills to codify Trump executive orders
Read full article: Texas Republicans in Congress propose bills to codify Trump executive ordersEnding birthright citizenship, increasing oil drilling, and leaving WHO are just a few bills the stateās Republicans pushed in Congress this month.
Fewer Texans sentenced to death, executed amid āevolving standards of decencyā
Read full article: Fewer Texans sentenced to death, executed amid āevolving standards of decencyāTexas continues to lead other states on capital punishment. But the decline in new death sentences and executions reached a record low.
State employees suspected of stealing from low-income Texans' public assistance accounts
Read full article: State employees suspected of stealing from low-income Texans' public assistance accountsSeven human services employees were fired after a string of fraud and theft ā and the largest data breach in agency history.
Texas should close prisons and jails with staffing challenges, state oversight panel says
Read full article: Texas should close prisons and jails with staffing challenges, state oversight panel saysA report found up to 70% of guard positions were unfilled at some prisons. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has a 26% staff turnover rate.
Ken Paxton sues NCAA over transgender athletesā participation in womenās college sports
Read full article: Ken Paxton sues NCAA over transgender athletesā participation in womenās college sportsThe attorney general is accusing the organization of misleading fans by allowing transgender college athletes in womenās sports.
Texas House panel may never hear Robert Robersonās testimony after new legal move
Read full article: Texas House panel may never hear Robert Robersonās testimony after new legal moveAttorney General Ken Paxton sought to delay legal proceedings until Jan. 13 ā the day before the committee disbands ā even as lawmakers vowed to continue fighting to hear from Roberson.
Cartels turn to social media to lure Americans into human smuggling as Texas enforces stricter laws
Read full article: Cartels turn to social media to lure Americans into human smuggling as Texas enforces stricter lawsThousands of people have been arrested under Texasā human smuggling law. Now they face at least a decade in prison under sentencing guidelines that took effect this year.
Attorney General Ken Paxton files motion to block death row inmate Robert Roberson from testifying
Read full article: Attorney General Ken Paxton files motion to block death row inmate Robert Roberson from testifyingThe motion escalates a tense standoff between Paxton and a bipartisan Texas House committee, which had subpoenaed Roberson to testify at the Capitol on Friday.
Texas House panel subpoenas death row inmate Robert Roberson a second time
Read full article: Texas House panel subpoenas death row inmate Robert Roberson a second timeThe new subpoena comes after lawmakers say Ken Paxtonās office stalled a previous effort to get Robersonās legislative testimony about his conviction in āshaken babyā case.
āThe best time to prepareā: Migrant rights group warns undocumented Texans to plan for deportations
Read full article: āThe best time to prepareā: Migrant rights group warns undocumented Texans to plan for deportationsGroups are urging the stateās estimated 1.6 million undocumented migrants to prepare financially and make plans for their loved ones if theyāre detained.
Handshakes, murals and ministry: A reopened Texas prison focuses on rehabilitation
Read full article: Handshakes, murals and ministry: A reopened Texas prison focuses on rehabilitationThe Bartlett Unit in Williamson County will house 1,049 male inmates who will participate in educational programs aimed to help them secure a job after theyāve served their time.
Trial judge in Robert Robersonās death row case agrees to recusal
Read full article: Trial judge in Robert Robersonās death row case agrees to recusalSenior District Judge Deborah Oakes Evans recused herself after a challenge to her impartiality over longtime relationships with case prosecutors and judges.
Inside the only college class in Texas to help prepare inmates for life after prison
Read full article: Inside the only college class in Texas to help prepare inmates for life after prisonMore than 250 Texas prisoners are on the waitlist to join the Lee College reentry class. Programs like these prepare students to find jobs and help lower recidivism.
Texas can schedule Robert Robersonās execution ā but lawmakers still expect his testimony first
Read full article: Texas can schedule Robert Robersonās execution ā but lawmakers still expect his testimony firstRoberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in a āshaken babyā case that many say led to an innocent manās death sentence.
āActually innocentā: Judge recommends overturning death row inmate Melissa Lucioās conviction, sending case to Texas high court
Read full article: āActually innocentā: Judge recommends overturning death row inmate Melissa Lucioās conviction, sending case to Texas high courtThe Cameron County judge also found the state relied on false testimony during her capital murder trial, according to court documents.
A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers
Read full article: A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workersTexas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional.
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Robersonās execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Robersonās executionThe stateās highest civil court ruled that legislators canāt use subpoenas to block death row inmatesā executions, but suggested thereās still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel.
Paxtonās picks cement Republicansā hold on Texasā highest criminal court
Read full article: Paxtonās picks cement Republicansā hold on Texasā highest criminal courtThree new faces will join the bench, but the political balance of power will remain the same on the Court of Criminal Appeals.
In Texas, criminal charges and misdemeanor convictions donāt automatically take away peopleās voting rights
Read full article: In Texas, criminal charges and misdemeanor convictions donāt automatically take away peopleās voting rightsTexans serving time for misdemeanor offenses or who are in jail awaiting trial are eligible to vote but only two counties offer voting in jail.
There are warring depictions of Robert Robersonās murder case. Hereās what to know.
Read full article: There are warring depictions of Robert Robersonās murder case. Hereās what to know.Even before the Texas manās death sentence became a political lightning rod, law enforcement and medical experts had differing opinions on the evidence that convicted him.
Ken Paxton calls on Rep. Jeff Leach to resign over texts to judge in Robert Roberson case
Read full article: Ken Paxton calls on Rep. Jeff Leach to resign over texts to judge in Robert Roberson caseThe AG also said heād make a criminal referral against the lawmaker, who apologized for texting a Court of Criminal Appeals judge about a new trial for the death row inmate.
Hundreds illegally got Texas teacher licenses through cheating ring, Harris County prosecutors say
Read full article: Hundreds illegally got Texas teacher licenses through cheating ring, Harris County prosecutors sayFive people were charged in connection with the scheme. Investigators say aspiring teachers would pay for help cheating in the certification test.
State Rep. Jeff Leach asked Texas judge to consider a new Robert Roberson trial in apparent conduct violation
Read full article: State Rep. Jeff Leach asked Texas judge to consider a new Robert Roberson trial in apparent conduct violationLeach, one of the driving forces behind the effort to stop Robersonās execution, later apologized to the judge, who told the lawmaker there were still pending matters before the court.
In Dallas, ballot propositions could drastically change police and city government
Read full article: In Dallas, ballot propositions could drastically change police and city governmentProposed amendments to the city charter would require the city to hire more police, tie the city managerās pay to community reviews and let citizens sue the city more easily.
Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Robersonās case
Read full article: Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Robersonās caseAfter the attorney general insisted on the death row inmateās guilt in a graphic press release, four lawmakers issued a point-by-point rebuttal.
Robert Robersonās case spotlights Texasā GOP divide on criminal justice
Read full article: Robert Robersonās case spotlights Texasā GOP divide on criminal justiceTexasā junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House.
Former Eagle Pass detective sentenced to 10 years in prison for running migrant stash houses
Read full article: Former Eagle Pass detective sentenced to 10 years in prison for running migrant stash housesHazel Eileen Diaz received nearly $40,000 in cash and money transfers for letting human smugglers use her rental properties.
Robert Roberson juror says new evidence would have prevented his conviction in shaken baby case
Read full article: Robert Roberson juror says new evidence would have prevented his conviction in shaken baby caseThe death row inmate was expected to testify before a Texas House committee, but those plans were scrapped amid a dispute over whether he should appear in person or virtually.
As Robert Robersonās execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silence
Read full article: As Robert Robersonās execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silenceItās rare for governors to step in to halt executions. In the case of Robert Roberson, it ended up being state lawmakers who took extraordinary steps.
After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlight
Read full article: After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlightThree of the five judges who allowed Robert Robersonās execution to proceed will be leaving the court after Paxton-backed primary challenges.
A legal battle spared Robert Robersonās life, for now. Hereās what happens next.
Read full article: A legal battle spared Robert Robersonās life, for now. Hereās what happens next.The effort to spare Roberson sparked a conflict between the executive and legislative branches that must be resolved. When it is, the death row inmate will likely be back on the path to execution.
What is shaken baby syndrome, the controversial diagnosis for which Robert Roberson is set to die?
Read full article: What is shaken baby syndrome, the controversial diagnosis for which Robert Roberson is set to die?The American Academy of Pediatrics embraces the diagnosis, but courts have thrown out some cases, calling it ājunk science.ā
With little say over Robert Robersonās fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more time
Read full article: With little say over Robert Robersonās fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more timeWith Robersonās options dwindling, a House panel used its bully pulpit to prove his case and excoriate the failures of the stateās junk science law.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Robersonās execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Robersonās executionThe stateās highest civil court said it wants a lower court to resolve a separation-of-powers issue raised by a group of Texas lawmakers who subpoenaed the death row inmate the night before he was set to be put to death.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultantās criminal trial
Read full article: Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultantās criminal trialTodd Smith was indicted in 2022 on felony charges of theft and commercial bribery related to taking money in exchange for hemp licenses that are issued by Millerās office.
Uvalde city officials release missing footage from officers responding to 2022 Robb Elementary shooting
Read full article: Uvalde city officials release missing footage from officers responding to 2022 Robb Elementary shootingThe new videos largely affirm prior reporting and investigations that detailed law enforcementās failures to confront the gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers.
Texas executes Brazoria County man for stomping death of infant son
Read full article: Texas executes Brazoria County man for stomping death of infant sonTravis James Mullis was sentenced to death in 2011 for killing his 3-month-old son in Galveston. He was the fourth person executed in Texas this year.
Texas prisons and jails are recruiting more teenagers to shore up guard shortage
Read full article: Texas prisons and jails are recruiting more teenagers to shore up guard shortageTwo counties house training programs in local high schools as officials pitch corrections jobs as gateways to criminal justice careers.
Bipartisan Texas House majority urges clemency for man facing execution in shaken baby case
Read full article: Bipartisan Texas House majority urges clemency for man facing execution in shaken baby caseLawmakers cite new scientific evidence that they say proves Robert Roberson, who is set for execution on Oct. 17, did not kill his daughter.
Texasā prison guard shortfall makes it harder for inmates to get reprieve from extreme indoor heat, critics say
Read full article: Texasā prison guard shortfall makes it harder for inmates to get reprieve from extreme indoor heat, critics sayAbout 25% of Texasā correctional officer positions are unfilled. Inmates say the shortages make it harder for them to get respite during hot summer months.
Dallas juvenile detention center isolated kids and falsified documents, state investigation says
Read full article: Dallas juvenile detention center isolated kids and falsified documents, state investigation saysA Texas Juvenile Justice Department report says Dallas County officers kept kids in their sleeping quarters for days at a time and faked school attendance logs.
Former schools police chief says he was not at fault in Uvalde shooting, asks judge to toss charges
Read full article: Former schools police chief says he was not at fault in Uvalde shooting, asks judge to toss chargesPete Arredondoās lawyers tell the court that the shooter, not the police, was to blame for the school violence.
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateās top law enforcement officer
Read full article: Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateās top law enforcement officerThe longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.
Uvalde police failed to turn over some video from Robb Elementary shooting, department says
Read full article: Uvalde police failed to turn over some video from Robb Elementary shooting, department saysChief Homer Delgado said the department has turned over the footage to the district attorneyās office and ordered an investigation into how the error occurred.
When Texas jail standards push inmates to lockups in other states, oversight doesnāt follow
Read full article: When Texas jail standards push inmates to lockups in other states, oversight doesnāt followJaleen Andersonās mom is on a quest for details about her sonās death in a Louisiana prison that houses hundreds of Harris County inmates awaiting trial.
Texasā overcrowded and understaffed jails send people awaiting trial to other counties and states
Read full article: Texasā overcrowded and understaffed jails send people awaiting trial to other counties and statesLimits on who can be released without paying bail and difficulties hiring guards worsen the situation.
After Uvalde city officials end battle over shooting records, victimsā families say other agencies need to follow suit
Read full article: After Uvalde city officials end battle over shooting records, victimsā families say other agencies need to follow suitThe cityās release ends a legal battle with news outlets, but other government agencies are withholding materials.
DPS reinstates Texas Ranger fired for Uvalde shooting response
Read full article: DPS reinstates Texas Ranger fired for Uvalde shooting responseDepartment of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said he made the decision after the Uvalde district attorney found no criminal wrongdoing and asked that Ranger Chris Kindell be allowed to return to his job.
Justice Department finds Texas juvenile detention centers violated youth offendersā rights
Read full article: Justice Department finds Texas juvenile detention centers violated youth offendersā rightsThe DOJ found that officers overused pepper spray, kept youths in prolonged isolation and failed to protect them from sexual abuse.
This company promised to improve health care in jails. Dozens of its patients have died.
Read full article: This company promised to improve health care in jails. Dozens of its patients have died.Health care contractor Turn Key serves nearly 70 counties across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas and Montana.
Marijuana decriminalization measures in San Marcos, Austin get early court wins
Read full article: Marijuana decriminalization measures in San Marcos, Austin get early court winsThree other cities have passed similar measures but the Texas AG and others question whether they can be enforced because of conflicts with state law.
The Rio Grande Valleyās pet population is out of control. Will a proposed limit in one city help?
Read full article: The Rio Grande Valleyās pet population is out of control. Will a proposed limit in one city help?Local leaders began debating a household limit on the number of pets after two residents were arrested for having 93 dogs and a cat in their home.
When the science crumbles, Texas law says a conviction could, too. That rarely happens.
Read full article: When the science crumbles, Texas law says a conviction could, too. That rarely happens.Texasā 2013 law that allows for new trials in cases with flawed scientific evidence was pioneering. But the stateās highest criminal court has rejected most of those challenges.
El Paso County officials say itās time the state pays for Operation Lone Star arrests
Read full article: El Paso County officials say itās time the state pays for Operation Lone Star arrestsCounty officials issued a disaster declaration Tuesday, saying the stateās mass arrests at the border have cost the county millions of dollars and overwhelmed its criminal justice system.
Texas attorney general canāt question Catholic Charities director over migrant services, court says
Read full article: Texas attorney general canāt question Catholic Charities director over migrant services, court saysWednesdayās ruling is the second time a Texas judge has ruled against the attorney general for investigating shelters helping migrants.
Supreme Court to review death penalty appeal challenging Texasās DNA testing law
Read full article: Supreme Court to review death penalty appeal challenging Texasās DNA testing lawRuben Gutierrez was sentenced to death for the 1998 Brownsville murder of an elderly woman. His execution was stayed in July.
Texasā highest criminal court declines to stop execution of man accused in shaken baby case
Read full article: Texasā highest criminal court declines to stop execution of man accused in shaken baby caseLawyers for Robert Roberson say the science used to sentence him to death is questionable and that prior health issues could explain the death of his 2-year-old daughter in 2002.
Former police chief, officer, charged with child endangerment in Uvalde shooting response
Read full article: Former police chief, officer, charged with child endangerment in Uvalde shooting responseFormer schools police chief Pete Arredondo faces 10 criminal charges, while former school district officer Adrian Gonzales faces 29 counts.
Former Uvalde schools police chief indicted for role in Robb Elementary shooting response
Read full article: Former Uvalde schools police chief indicted for role in Robb Elementary shooting responsePete Arredondo, the former chief, and former officer Adrian Gonzales face felony charges of abandoning or endangering a child.
Court ruling suggests recent activity in federal investigation of Ken Paxton
Read full article: Court ruling suggests recent activity in federal investigation of Ken PaxtonRecords donāt name the attorney generalās office, but their details line up with the accusations former top deputies made against Paxton.
Travis County Attorney drops charges against 79 more UT-Austin protesters
Read full article: Travis County Attorney drops charges against 79 more UT-Austin protestersThe arrests were the result of the second police crackdown on pro-Palestine demonstrations at UT-Austin. The first protest, on April 24, resulted in 57 arrests, which were also dismissed.
U.S. Supreme Court allows gun restrictions for domestic violence suspects
Read full article: U.S. Supreme Court allows gun restrictions for domestic violence suspectsJustices ruled that the federal government did not violate a Texas manās Second Amendment rights when barring him from possessing firearms.
Dallas voters could get the chance to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana
Read full article: Dallas voters could get the chance to decriminalize small amounts of marijuanaOther cities have passed similar measures, but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued to block them from going into effect.
National Republicans target Henry Cuellarās South Texas seat after indictment
Read full article: National Republicans target Henry Cuellarās South Texas seat after indictmentThe move is a shift in strategy for Republicans who previously focused on other South Texas races even after federal authorities filed criminal charges against the Democrat.
Families of Uvalde shooting victims sue Texas DPS officers for waiting to confront gunman
Read full article: Families of Uvalde shooting victims sue Texas DPS officers for waiting to confront gunmanIn a separate settlement, the city of Uvalde will pay $2 million to the families, create a permanent memorial to the victims and provide enhanced training for police officers.
New $305 million Austin State Hospital unveiled as Texas revamps psychiatric system
Read full article: New $305 million Austin State Hospital unveiled as Texas revamps psychiatric systemThe facility has 240 single-person rooms, a basketball gym and outdoor courtyards. Itās part of a $2.5 billion overhaul of the stateās mental health hospital system.
After U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellarās indictment, why arenāt Republicans trying to flip his district?
Read full article: After U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellarās indictment, why arenāt Republicans trying to flip his district?Instead, Republicans are trying to tie Cuellarās allegations of bribery and corruption to Democrats in other competitive races in South Texas.
Houston woman is third guilty plea in Henry Cuellar bribery case
Read full article: Houston woman is third guilty plea in Henry Cuellar bribery caseIrada Akhoundova pleaded guilty to facilitating a $60,000 payment to Imelda Cuellar, the congressmanās wife, that she believed would benefit Azerbaijan and its state-run oil company.