In a January 28, 2020 post titled “Is Arkansas Governor Responsible for Execution of Innocent Man,” we pointed to the fact that Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has a bloodthirsty penchant for the death penalty, sent four men to their…
Author: John Floyd
2021
Category: Criminal Justice Reform | Police Brutality | Police Misconduct
The Texas Legislature convened on January 12, 2021.
In a January 19, 2021 post, we pointed out that Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) had authored House Bill 88, known as the George Floyd Act. The Texas GFA Act would severely curtail…
2021
Category: Criminal Law | Police Misconduct | Qualified Immunity
The death of George Floyd took place in Minnesota, but it sent shockwaves across the country. In many places, its effects will redefine police roles in the community and consequences for crimes on duty.
In Texas, a bill called…
2021
Category: Prosecutorial Misconduct
Former Harris County prosecutor Kelly Siegler worked in the District Attorney’s Office between 1987 and 2008. During that two-decade prosecutorial career, Siegler prosecuted more than 200 cases before juries—68 of them were murder cases, and 20 of the murder…
2021
Category: Bitcoin | Cryptocurrency | Fraud
Crypto currency is a hot investment now, but like most popular trends, you must be vigilant about fraud in such investment strategies..
A case in Austin highlights how easily deception can happen in these new investment markets. The case…
2021
Category: Guns | Negligent Gun Storage
Gun accidents are always tragic, particularly when children are involved. Parents in West Houston recently discovered just how devastating these accidents can be – the hard way.
Police reported that a 3-year-old child recently accidentally shot and killed his…
2021
Category: Criminal Law | Juvenile Criminal Law | SCOTUS
According to the Sentencing Project, there are more than 206,000 people serving life sentences in the United States—6,000 of whom are women. More than 53,000 of those life sentences are without the possibility of parole. In addition to these life…
2021
Category: Corruption | Domestic Terrorism | Hate Crime
On March 17, 2021, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a report warning that “domestic violent extremism groups” pose an “elevated threat” to the national security of this country.
Of particular growing concern: white supremacist organizations fueled…
2021
Category: Fraud | Wire Fraud
Wire fraud has several forms as a federal crime, from internet to telemarketing schemes. With so many opportunities available in our electronic world, wire fraud has become a real problematic issue for law enforcement – and that is why the…
2021
Category: Appeals | Criminal Justice Reform | Discovery 39.14 | Prosecutorial Misconduct
Pretrial discovery in criminal cases in Texas is governed by Article 39.14 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. The Texas Legislature enacted the discovery statute in 1965. The essential purpose of the rule was to enforce the strict duty…