Yesterday, I was laid off by @TexasTribune after nearly 9 years.
New leadership got rid of its longest-tenured reporters and said they’ll no longer cover the criminal justice beat.
No one on police, prisons, courts, the death penalty. In Texas.
Here’s some of what we’ll lose:
@TexasTribune 1) When Texas created a new criminal system for migrants on the fly, I tracked it at every step, reporting on the endless stream of law enforcement errors and illegal detentions.
#TXlege votes today to change bail laws and make it harder to get out of jail w/out cash.
🧵 Key points from final bill:
- Requires people to pay for release if accused of a violent crime — or any crime if they're on bail/probation for a felony charge.
lrl.texas.gov/scanned/87ccrs…
- Ban nonprofits from posting bond for those accused or ever previously convicted of a violent crime.
(This includes low-level assaults against police. Jail rights advocates say that targets those w/ mental illness who may harmlessly resist after being touched). #txlege
Jan 5, 2021 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
1/ In August, a Texas man was sent to stand trial while he had the coronavirus.
The man, the court and jurors didn't know of the infection until after deliberations.
The result: a monthlong delay in the car burglary case and a mistrial next door.
texastribune.org/2021/01/05/tex…2/ The pandemic moved many Texas court proceedings online, but criminal cases with potential jail time still require in-person jury trials.
From March until June, Texas held zero jury trials, starting a backlog of cases that will take years to overcome.
Breaking: Federal judge rules TX Republicans don't have standing to challenge Harris County drive-thru voting.
He's saying if he *had* ruled, he wouldn't have tossed the votes.
"I also don’t necessarily find the voting to be illegal as opposed to the voting place, if that … is illegal." - Judge Hanen on drive-thru voting.
Feb 6, 2019 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
TX Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht is now giving his state of the judiciary in the #txlege house.
He begins by talking about Harvey's effect on the courts.
He raises the high turnover of judges during the November election.
He said about 1/3 of appellate and county judges are new. 1/4 of trial judges are. #txlege
