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Texas Death Penalty Blog

Death penalty cases and legislation in Texas and elsewhere.
By "Persian Cowboy"

Post Frequency: 3.3/day

Last Entry: July 21, 2016 at 22:00:00

Texas Can Help End the Death Penalty

Posted on March 23, 2009
Hello,I'm writing to you today because of an issue that is very important to me, and may be to you as well. I learned this morning that Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wis) will be introducing a bill in the Senate subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights to abolish the death penalty in the United States ...

Live blogging the New Mexico Death Penalty Bill

Posted on March 13, 2009
The Santa Fe Reporter will be live blogging when the repeal of the death penalty bill hits the New Mexico Senate floor tomorrow. They've got everything set up there, where you can participate in the discussion and listen to the live feed.

New Mexico's death penalty repeal bill passed their Senate by a vote of 24 to 18!

Posted on March 13, 2009
The bill has only one more step to become law! It now goes on to Gov. Bill Richardson, who we hope will sign it. We'll inform you as soon as we know if Governor Richardson signs and we have one more state without the death penalty! The New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty has supported this bill with a common-sense and compassionate combination of concern for victims' families and fiscal responsibility:Qoute by Equal Justice USA

New Hell Hole News#8, FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Posted on March 11, 2009
Note: The following are taken from the diaries of death-row inmate Hank Skinner and do not represent views of the Texas Death Penalty blog or SADP. We have posted them because of several requests from our readers about the daily life on death-row.Welcome to yet another edition of the damnedest stuff you ought not have to be reading except for the idiots who keep on forcing me to write it...

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Second Sharon Keller Incident Reported to Commission on Judicial Conduct

Posted on March 11, 2009
According to the Dallas Morning News, Judge Sharon Keller might have been involved in another misconduct, this time over the case of Larry Swearingen who has a strong claims of innocence.By STEVE McGONIGLE / The Dallas Morning NewsJust weeks before the presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals was charged with "willful and persistent conduct" that discredited the judiciary, she was involved in a second incident in which lawyers for a condemned man were initially blocked from filing a last-minute appeal...

Screening of After Innocence - UT Austin

Posted on March 11, 2009
Friday March 13, NoonAfter InnocenceThe Social Work Council presents the film After Innocence. With the emergence of DNA evidence, the justice system is seeing a wave of reversed criminal convictions. But what happens to those who are set free, sometimes decades after being imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit? Jessica Sanders takes a close look at some of these people in this gripping documentary that's both a harsh criticism of the current judicial system and a touching look at those profoundly affected by it...

Pastor: Stop executions

Posted on March 10, 2009
In offering Monday's prayer in the House, the Rev. Michael Piazza of Dallas used the podium to back a moratorium on the death penalty. Just briefly.Before starting his prayer, Piazza, pastor of the Cathedral of Hope church, noted that more than 1,000 members of his congregation had signed a petition seeking a moratorium and asked lawmakers to consider such a move...

The Procession for the Future visits Austin

Posted on March 09, 2009
Austin Schedule:The Procession for the Future visits AustinMarch 12-14Saturday?s parade starts at NOON and terminatesat Capital with music & speakers from 2-4 pmThursday, March 12Arts for Social Change Workshop 7-9 pm at Parlin Hall 201Drumming for Demonstrations Workshop 9-10 pm (PAR 201)Friday, March 13Creative Tactics Training 3-5 pm at Calhoun Hall 100Creative Tactics, Drumming for Demonstrations, and DIY Silk ScreaningWorkshops, 6-9 pm at Rhizome Collective at 300 Allen St...

Capital Punishment: An Indictment by a Death-Row Survivor

Posted on March 06, 2009
Arcade Publishing has published a book titled Capital Punishment: An Indictment by a Death-Row Survivor by Billy Wayne Sinclair and Jodie Sinclair, with a foreword by Sister Helen Prejean, who calls the book ?a searing condemnation and a powerful guide to the futility and arrogance of the death penalty carried out in the name of justice...

Adventures in Wonderland Starring Sharon Keller as the Red Queen

Posted on March 03, 2009

Maryland's Death Penalty in its Final Throes

Posted on February 28, 2009

Yogurt Shop Hearing Postponed, Again!

Posted on February 26, 2009
With so many postponed hearings, it looks like that there will not be a new trial anytime soon. Steven Kreytak of the Austin American-Statesman reports: State District Judge Mike Lynch scheduled the hearing last month after lawyers for Robert Springsteen IV asked him to reduce Springsteen?s bail because of recently discovered DNA evidence that defense lawyers say exonerates the men...

TDPAM Reports on the Willie Pondexter Press Conference

Posted on February 26, 2009
Dear Friends, The Abolition Movement had a surprisingly successful press conference today for Willie Pondexter. If you're in Houston, check out channels 11(CBS), 39 (CW), and 47 (Telemundo). Also the Houston Chronicle came. KTRH 740 AM (Clear Channel) just called and did an interview and said it would air Friday morning...

Press Conference on Willie Pondexter, Scheduled to be Executed on March 3

Posted on February 25, 2009
February 25,Contacts: Gloria Rubac 713-503-2633 Njeri Shakur 713-237-0713Press Conference on Willie Pondexter, Scheduled to be Executed on March 3;Why Pondexter Deserves Clemency, Why Texas Should Halt This ExecutionFriends and advocates of Willie Pondexter will hold a press conference at 11:00 AM at S...

Advocates to Hold Press Conference Tuesday, Feb 24, on Ending Death Penalty Sentences Under Texas' Law of Parties

Posted on February 23, 2009
Media Advisory For immediate release: February 22, 2009Advocates to Hold Press Conference Tuesday, Feb 24, on Ending Death Penalty Sentences Under Texas' Law of Parties A press conference will be held at the Texas Capitol in the House Speaker's Committee Room (2W...

The American Justice System: Perpetuating Racial Injustice in a Time of Change

Posted on February 23, 2009
In 2009, the US saw it's first Black president move into a White House built by slaves. Obama's victory is a massive blow to racism and should be celebrated. But at the same time, questions must be asked about the institutional racism still entrenched in our society and perfectly exemplified in the justice system...

Weekend Editorials on Sharon Keller

Posted on February 23, 2009
The Austin American-Statesman's editorial says that Sharon Keller should not resign and should stand trial, because "at trial, the sordid events of Sept. 25 would be aired before Texas and the world. Keller's cold-blooded and process-centered approach to justice would be on vivid display...

Notice of Formal Proceedings Against Sharon Keller

Posted on February 20, 2009
In 2007 Texas Moratorium Network was one of several groups that filed a judicial complaint against Sharon Keller. Our complaint was co-signed by almost 1900 people. In 2007, we also talked to several legislators who also subsequently signed on to a complaint or filed their own complaints against Keller: Reps Dutton, Olivo, Coleman, Farrar and Burnam...

Texas judge faces public hearing for conduct over 2007 death-penalty appeal

Posted on February 20, 2009
That's Diane Jennings latest article at the Dallas Morning News. You can read the notice of formal proceedings here. The top judge of Texas' highest criminal court was told Thursday that she'll have to publicly defend her 2007 decision to close the court at 5 p...

New York Times Editorial: Investigating Judge Keller

Posted on February 19, 2009
February 19, 2009New York TimesEDITORIALInvestigating Judge KellerSharon 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 a death-row inmate from filing an emergency appeal...

Press Release: Lawmaker Seeks Impeachment of State Judge

Posted on February 17, 2009
For Immediate Release Lawmaker Seeks Impeachment of State Judge (Austin, TX) ? A Fort Worth area Rep. Lon Burnam filed a resolution to begin the impeachment process against Judge Sharron Keller, the Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals...

Text of the Sharon Keller Impeachment Resolution

Posted on February 16, 2009
81R8266 JSA-F By: Burnam H.R. No. 480 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the Texas Legislature has exclusive power to present articles of impeachment against a state officer under Section 1, Article XV, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 665, Government Code; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature adopt the following procedures to consider the impeachment of Judge Sharon Keller, Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, for gross neglect of duty and conducting her official duties with willful disregard for human life: SECTION 1...

Rep. Lon Burnam Files Sharon Keller Impeachment Resolution

Posted on February 16, 2009
Rep. Lon Burnam has filed a resolution calling for the impeachment of Judge Sharon Keller who closed the court house at 5 PM and refused to accept a later appeal from lawyers of Michael Richard who was executed in the same night. Associated Press reports: The resolution filed Monday by Rep...

Montana Senate votes to repeal the death penalty

Posted on February 16, 2009
This afternoon Montana Senate passed a bill to repeal the death penalty by a vote of 27-23.Congratulations to the Montana Abolition Coalition. Senate Bill 236 replaces Montana's death penalty with a sentence of life without parole. The bill will have a vote on third reading and final passage in the coming days...

House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

Posted on February 13, 2009
The following are this session's House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee members, which includes 8 Democrats (including the chairman) and 3 Republicans.Chair Pete Gallego - D (Voted yes for a moratorium in 2001)Vice Chair Wayne Christian - RRobert Miklos - DJoseph Moody - DPaula Pierson - DAllen Fletcher - RTerri Hodge - DCarol Kent - DDebbie Riddle - RAllen Vaught - DHubert Vo - D

St. Valentine: I Wish I'd Spent Valentine's Day Eating A Prix Fixe Dinner, But I Was Too Busy Getting Beheaded

Posted on February 13, 2009
By St. Valentine February 10, 2009 | Issue 45?07 Is it Valentine's Day already? My word! How the time does fly. I might have missed the day entirely had I not caught a glimpse of all the young couples walking hand in hand this evening, filling the tables of every fancy French restaurant in town...

Quotes From New Mexico Repeal Members

Posted on February 12, 2009
Viki Elkey, Executive Director of the New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty has compiled these quotes from yesterday's debate:This evening, HB 285 to abolish the death penalty in New Mexico and replace it with life without parole passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 40-28...

New Mexico House Votes to Abolish the Death Penalty

Posted on February 12, 2009
The following is Abe Bonowitz's report on the New Mexico abolition vote.The NM Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty's Lobby Day was Monday (Feb. 9) at the Roundhouse (NM's Capitol Building). More than 225 people from around the state came to Santa Fe for a press conference at noon, followed by visits with their Legislators...

Gov. Ted Strickland Granted Clemency to Jeff Hill

Posted on February 12, 2009
Ohio governor. Ted Strickland granted clemency to Jeff Hill this afternoon. The press release and statement by the Governor's Office is posted below. Statement Regarding Clemency Application of Jeffrey D. Hill Columbus , Ohio ? Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement regarding the pending clemency application of Jeffrey D...

Live Blogging: New Mexico House Debate

Posted on February 11, 2009
The New Mexico House of Representatives should be debating the death penalty within the next hour or so. Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Bernalillo, introduced HB 285 this session to abolish the death penalty. It?s ninth on the calendar for today?s floor session, currently in progress...

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