Ineffective Counsel Blamed in Death Row Inmate's Case

John Balentine was convicted of a triple murder of teenagers in Amarillo

"...Although his lawyer says he was denied effective assistance of defense counsel at his capital trial in 1999,..."

Aug. 17, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Eighth Inmate of the Year Set to Die

Eighth inmate of the year set to die

"...two men to the crime, as did a number of witnesses who testified that Campbell, 18 at the time..."

May 9, 2014 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Reed Appeals 'Conviction of an Innocent Man'

A federal appeal attacks the state's 'airtight" case against death-row inmate Rodney Reed.

"...Defender Service, alleging prosecutorial misconduct, inept investigative work, and ineffective assistance of counsel, asked that a federal judge vacate..."

Feb. 28, 2003 News Feature by Jordan Smith

A Parliament of Experts

Did 'expert testimony' convict an innocent woman of murder?

"...Jan. 30, 2003, was supposed to be a day off for Victoria Gutierrez. Instead, the then-19-year-old Mexican immigrant was..."

Feb. 4, 2011 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Convicted Killer Cites Inept Counsel

Arturo Diaz makes bid for new trial to avoid Sept. 26 execution date

"...during a botched robbery attempt in the living room of a two-bedroom apartment in McAllen, where Nichols lived when..."

Sept. 20, 2013 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Death Watch: The Constitutionality of Intent

What if the people you killed were not who you hoped to kill?

"...April 25. The 31-year-old from Fort Worth was convicted of capital murder for the 2008 deaths of 5-year-old Queshawn..."

April 20, 2018 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Pot Possession a Passport to Deportation?

Supreme Court considers when a legal U.S. resident can face deportation

"...Can a legal resident of the U.S. be deported for simple pot possession? And..."

April 1, 2010 News Post by Jordan Smith

Supremes Rule for Defendants

Opinions acknowledge bad lawyering in plea deals

"...The U.S. Supreme Court in a pair of opinions today has recognized the importance of plea bargains..."

March 21, 2012 News Post by Jordan Smith

Supremes Agree Texas Inmate Should Have Appeal Heard

Extends 2012 ruling on ineffective assistance of counsel

"...A 5-4 majority of the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Texas..."

May 29, 2013 News Post by Jordan Smith

Death Watch: Crutsinger Seeks Last-Ditch SCOTUS Appeal

Following the Aug. 21 execution of Larry Swearingen, Crutsinger could be the fifth Texan killed this year

"...prior accounts, Billy Crutsinger confessed to the double homicide of Pearl Magouirk and her daughter Pat Syren shortly after..."

Aug. 30, 2019 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Death Watch: CCA Dismisses Buck Appeal

Ignores question of racial bias in defendant's trial

"...A divided Court of Criminal Appeals this morning declined an appeal from condemned..."

Nov. 20, 2013 News Post by Jordan Smith

UPDATED: Death Watch: Most Notorious

Serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells scheduled for execution

"...federal district judge in Houston has stayed the execution of serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells and that of another..."

April 2, 2014 News Post by Jordan Smith

Death Watch: Texas Court Declines to Consider Final Appeal

McCarthy would be 500th inmate and 5th woman to be executed

"...The Court of Criminal Appeals on Monday declined to consider an appeal..."

June 26, 2013 News Post by Jordan Smith

Man Who Functions at Third-Grade Level Sentenced to Die

Carl Blue was accused of dousing his ex-girlfriend in gasoline and setting her on fire; she died of her injuries

"...1994, Carl Blue stood outside the College Station apartment of his former girlfriend, Carmen Richards-Sanders, holding a cup of..."

Feb. 15, 2013 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Ronnie Threadgill Files Last Appeal to Supremes

Ronnie Threadgill Attempts a Last Second Appeal to Supremes

"...McDonald and his two friends had just come out of a club in Navarro County and gotten into his..."

April 12, 2013 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Death Row Inmate Hoping for Supreme Intervention

Original defense attorney called no witnesses and presented no mitigating evidence

"...The Court of Criminal Appeals last week denied a stay of execution..."

Sept. 14, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Death Watch: Was Dexter Johnson Condemned by His Own Attorney?

Inmate's new co-counsel seeks to terminate longtime attorney for bad lawyering

"...from brain damage and schizophrenia, has filed a flurry of court motions since his death date was set in..."

April 26, 2019 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Death Watch: The Wrong Man?

Rodney Reed execution stayed

"...The state of Texas had planned to execute Rodney Reed next Thursday,..."

Feb. 27, 2015 News Feature by Chase Hoffberger

Death Watch: 501 and 502

After a short break, Texas resumes executions

"...place, but things went sideways. When retired law enforcement officer Victor Billings, there with his wife Linda, tried to..."

July 12, 2013 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Death Row Inmate Seeks Stay

Appeal charges Hernandez received ineffective assistance by counsel

"...Jesse Hernandez, sentenced to die for the 2001 murder of an 11-month-old boy in Dallas. Hernandez would be the..."

March 30, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Panel Emphasizes Need for Prosecutorial Oversight

Michael Morton's case is one of dozens in which misconduct has been alleged

"...to new data compiled by the Innocence Proj­ect. (Allegations of prosecutor misconduct were raised in another 124 cases, but..."

April 6, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Death Watch: Segundo Awaits 5th Circuit

Death row inmate scheduled for execution Oct. 10

"...11, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, though his recently appointed counsel is still working on his case...."

Oct. 5, 2018 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Judge Chantal Eldridge Under Fire in Rape Case

D.A. seeks judge's recusal in sexual assault case awaiting sentencing

"...earlier this year. Now, the Travis County District Attorney's Office, under fire for its own handling of these cases,..."

Aug. 23, 2019 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Court Seeks More Info in Choking Case

Attorneys asking court to throw out Jimenez conviction

"...The Court of Criminal Appeals has asked lawyers for Rosa Jimenez and..."

Nov. 11, 2011 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Death Watch

Just because you have a right to a lawyer, doesn't mean that they have to be any good

"...by the San Antonio policeman who would soon learn of his warrants, 20-year-old Manuel Fernando Garza escaped Officer John..."

April 10, 2015 News Feature by Chase Hoffberger

Death Watch

The Texas death chamber gets back into gear

"...death chamber will gear up to take the first of five lives before the end of 2013 with the..."

Sept. 13, 2013 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Next Execution: Halloween

"...alcohol and crack cocaine and was under the influence of a cocktail of both the night he killed his..."

Oct. 26, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Two More in Line for Death Penalty

These two men were both 19 when they were sentenced to death

"...him in the head back in 1998. Kincaid was off-duty and driving his personal vehicle when Haynes drove by;..."

Oct. 19, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Condemned Banks Looks to Supreme Court

Delma Banks death row appeal reads like a laundry list of everything wrong with Texas capital punishment.

"...the 300th death row inmate executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment in 1976. But a review of Banks'..."

March 7, 2003 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Defunding the Paxton Case

Court guts pay for special prosecutors trying AG for fraud

"...away completely. On Wednesday, Nov. 21, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the $300/hour payment to the..."

Nov. 30, 2018 News Feature by Mary Tuma

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