StandDown Texas Project: Criminal Law

Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Criminal Law

StandDown Texas Project

Texas-centric examination of conditions, reform initiatives, and emerging issues related to best practices in the indigent criminal justice system with particular attention to issues involving capital punishment and the administration of the death penalty.
By StandDown Texas Project

Post Frequency: 49.3/day

Last Entry: April 01, 2011 at 14:21:29

Gov. O'Malley Addresses the Maryland Senate.

Posted on February 19, 2009
"Officials Split on Death Penalty Repeal," is John Wagner's report in the Washington Post."O'Malley calls for Senate vote on death penalty repeal," by Julie Bykowicz is in the Baltimore Sun.The Daily Record has, "Death penalty advocates, opponents appeal to legislators,"...

NAS Report Released

Posted on February 19, 2009
"Study Calls for Oversight of Forensics in Crime Labs," is the New York Times report by Solomon Moore.Crime laboratories around the country are grossly underfunded, lack a scientific foundation and are compromised by critical delays in analyzing physical evidence, according...

Investigating Judge Keller

Posted on February 19, 2009
That's the title of an editorial in today's New York Times. LINKSharon Keller, a Texas appellate court judge, made headlines in 2007 when she was reported to have ordered the court clerk?s office to close promptly at 5 p.m., preventing...

Judge Charged With Blocking Execution Appeal

Posted on February 19, 2009
That's the title of this breaking AP news report, via the Houston Chronicle. LINKA Texas judicial commission has filed proceedings that could remove from office a state judge accused of cutting off appeals for a condemned inmate the night of...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

State Commission on Judicial Conduct Issues Notice of Formal Proceedings

Posted on February 19, 2009
The Notice of Formal Proceedings given to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller is posted in the Breaking News Items in Adobe .pdf format. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct issued the document today.Earlier coverage begins with...

A Saint on Death Row

Posted on February 19, 2009
That's the title of Thomas Cahill's latest book. It's subtitled, The Story of Dominique Green, and it's slated to be published March 10. You can pre-order at Amazon.com, at this time. Cahill, a best-selling author, visited with Bill Moyers just...

Reinvigorate the Power

Posted on February 19, 2009
That's the title of commentary in the February 23rd issue of National Law Journal by Margaret Colgate Love and John Stanish. Love served as U.S. Pardon Attorney under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton; Stanish served in the position...

Cost Cutting Hits Courts

Posted on February 18, 2009
That's the title of Tresa Baldas' report for National Law Journal. LINKThe economy has snagged its latest victim: the judicial system.A growing number of courts across the United States are taking cost-cuttingmeasures that include postponed trials, full- and half-day shutdowns,...

Moratorium Proposal in Georgia

Posted on February 18, 2009
"Lawmaker calls for death penalty halt," is the AP report via WTVM.A Georgia Democrat is pushing a 2-year moratorium on death penalties to give lawmakers a chance to improve due process. State Sen. Vincent Fort's proposal comes amid concerns about...

Cost an Issue in Kansas

Posted on February 18, 2009
"McGinn proposes suspending death penalty," is the editorial in today's Topeka Capital-Journal.As the Kansas Legislature works to find ways to cut expenses in the face of a budget shortfall, Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick, has proposed an interesting solution ? suspending...

Correct a Terrible Mistake

Posted on February 18, 2009
That's the title of a Baltimore Sun OpEd by former Maryland Speaker of the House Casper Taylor. LINKIn 28 years in the Maryland House of Delegates, nine as speaker, I cast thousands of votes. I have few regrets. But there...

In Maryland

Posted on February 18, 2009
Today's Washington Post has, "Md. Death Penalty Is No Easy Target," by John Wagner.As he asks lawmakers today to support his bill to repeal Maryland's death penalty, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) will be heading down a road rife with political...

US States May Axe Executions to Cut Costs

Posted on February 18, 2009
That's the title of an AFP report this morning via Google News. LINKIn an unexpected twist to the economic crisis, several US states are weighing whether to abolish the death penalty as the execution process proves too great a drain...

Montana Senate Passes SB 236

Posted on February 17, 2009
The Montana Senate has just given final approval to Senate Bill 236 on third reading. The legislation abolishes the state's death penalty, replacing it with a sentence of life without parole. The vote was 27 yeas and 23 nays, as...

Montana Senate in Session - UPDATED

Posted on February 17, 2009
The Montana Senate is in session at this time, and the webcast is live. It appears that there are six bills on the agenda before the Senate considers Senate Bill 236 on third reading and final passage. The Senate is...

In Maryland

Posted on February 17, 2009
"Narrow majority of Md. senators oppose repeal of death penalty, survey reveals," is the Baltimore Sun report by Julie Bykowicz.Gov. Martin O'Malley's push to end the death penalty in Maryland would probably fall short if a legislative vote were held...

State PD Woes Go to the High Court

Posted on February 17, 2009
That's the title of Alyson Palmer's article for today's Fulton County Daily Report. LINKResponsibility for handling financial struggles of the state's public defender system shifted from the General Assembly to the Supreme Court of Georgia for 40 minutes on Monday...

Bill Richardson

Posted on February 17, 2009
"Richardson reconsidering stance on death penalty," is the title of Deborah Baker's AP report via the Santa Fe New Mexican.New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Monday he has softened his stance on the death penalty and may sign a repeal...

News Coverage of the Montana Vote

Posted on February 17, 2009
The Montana Senate is set to convene at 1:00 pm, MST, today (2:00 pm, CST; 3:00 pm, EST) and will consider Senate Bill 236 on third reading and final passage. You can view the vote on the live webcast. Assuming...

Lon Burnam Files Resolution to Impeach Sharon Keller

Posted on February 17, 2009
"Fort Worth lawmaker seeks impeachment of appeals court presiding judge," is Alex Branch's report in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.State Rep. Lon Burnam filed a resolution Monday calling for the impeachment of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals? presiding judge, who...

Montana Senate in Session - UPDATED

Posted on February 16, 2009
The Montana Senate is on session and the webcast is live. I'll be updating this post as Senator Dave Wanzenried brings Senate Bill 236 to the floor.The bill is coming to the floor. 2:41 pm (CST)No Amendments. 2:42 pm (CST)Sen....

A Shadow Cast in Florida

Posted on February 16, 2009
Last Wednesday, as noted here, Florida proceeded with the controversial execution of Wayne Tomkins, in spite of a request from the Innocence Project of Florida to conduct DNA testing. IPF has just issued a news release, "Innocence Project of Florida....

More News From the States

Posted on February 16, 2009
There is also news from Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri, today."Use death penalty funds to solve cold cases, group says, " is Amy Hamilton's report in the Saturday edition of the Daily Sentinel from Grand Junction, Colorado. If it takes repealing...

Finring Squads Are More Humane, Experts Say

Posted on February 16, 2009
That's the title of Margot Sanger-Katz' article in the Keene Sentinel. The New Hampshire Legislatature is examining a handful of death penalty related bills LINK Here's an extended excerpt:Rep. Delmar Burridge knows his death penalty bill isn?t going anywhere this...

The Appeals Debate in Utah

Posted on February 16, 2009
Today's Salt Lake Tribune carries the editorial, "Off with their heads: Shurleff offers travesty of justice." The state and federal constitutions provide for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The three have separate...

Today in Montana

Posted on February 16, 2009
The Montana Senate is schedule to consider Senate Bill 236 on second reading today. Senator Dave Wanzenried, of Missoula, is the author. The bill would abolish the state's death penalty in favor of a sentence of life without parole. The...

Montana Senate Passes SB 236 on Second Reding

Posted on February 16, 2009
The vote was 27 yeas, 23 nays to abolish the state's death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life without parole.I understand from Sen. Wanzenried that the Montana Senate will return to Senate Bill 236 tomorrow for third...

Death Penalty Ban Alive

Posted on February 13, 2009
That's the title of an editorial in the Thursday edition of Montana's Helena Independent Record. LINKAfter years of failed efforts to do away with Montana?s death penalty, it was good to see this year?s version pass out of committee for...

Commutation in Ohio

Posted on February 13, 2009
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland commuted the death sentence of Jeffrey Hill yesterday, acting on a unanimous recommendation of the state's parole board. The governor's statement is here. An excerpt:On February 6, 2009, the Ohio Parole Board unanimously recommended that Mr...

Q & A with Montana Senator Dave Wanzenried

Posted on February 13, 2009
Senator Dave Wanzenried, of Missoula, is preparing for Monday's debate on Senate Bill 236. He took some time today for this Q & A: Q: Have you been surprised at the progress of your bill this session following several years...

Previous | Next

Related Law Bulletins

Texas Governor Takes Surprising Stand In Favor Of Immigrants
Texas Governor Rick Perry, normally an ultra-conservative, surpris...

District Judge Upholds Texas' Moment of Silence Law
In 2003, the Texas legislature amended a "moment of silence" law s...

Irving, Texas Losing Students Due To Immigration Crackdown?
The Dallas Morning News had an interesting story Sunday about the ...

Two New USCIS Training Centers To Open In North Texas
The Dallas Morning News reports today that two regional training c...

Comprehensive Explanation of Irving, Texas Immigration Situation
The Dallas Morning News has a very good series of articles today a...