In this edition:
Scheduled executions: Support clemency for Jamaal Howard
Case updates: Melissa Lucio and Robert Roberson continue to pursue justice
In case you missed it: Formerly incarcerated women secure victory in fight for air conditioning in Texas prisons
TCADP 2027 Annual Conference: Nominate an individual or organization for an annual award (and save the date!)
TCADP Lobby Corps: Apply now to help advance TCADP’s legislative agenda
Upcoming events: International Wrongful Conviction Day; World Day Against the Death Penalty; PEACE workshop in Houston; next TCADP Book Group meeting; and important deadlines for voting in the 2026 Midterm Elections in Texas
Breaking news from Tennessee
A nightmare unfolded in Tennessee yesterday, September 30, 2026. The State was set to execute Christa Pike at 10:00 AM CT, but a federal appeals court issued a temporary stay about an hour before. The State asked the Supreme Court of the United States to intervene, and hours later, around 6:00 PM CT, the Justices lifted the stay, allowing the execution to proceed.
Things went horribly wrong. Pike did not die after receiving two doses of a lethal drug, leading officials to call off the execution after 40 minutes. She was taken to a hospital but her condition is unknown at this time. It is the second botched execution in Tennessee this year. Governor Bill Lee said in a statement that he was ordering “a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred”, and he has stopped the execution scheduled in Tennessee in December.
Pike was convicted of murdering a classmate, Colleen Slemmer, in 1995. She was 18 at the time of the crime. We will share any new developments on social media.
Quote of the month
“To the brothers on Texas Death Row, that grew up with me, that poured into me and showed what it means to be a man, because I came in young, and didn’t understand what manhood was. I didn’t come from a culture in a healthy sense. To you brothers, I can’t name everybody, you know who you are, I greatly appreciate you. I spoke to you about my son, I trust you enough with my son and continue to guide him and teach him what true manhood looks like.”
– Ker’Sean Ramey, September 23, 2026
For the third time in recent weeks, the State of Texas is scheduled to execute a Black man who was under the age of 21 at the time of the crime. Jamaal Howard faces execution on October 7, 2026, for killing clerk Vickie Swartout while robbing a gas station in 2000 in Silsbee, Texas (Hardin County). He was 20 at the time and has spent more than half of his life on death row.
Howard has filed a writ of habeas corpus with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in which he argues that his death sentence violates the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments because he is an intellectually disabled person.
He also has asked the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and Governor Greg Abbott to commute his death sentence based on these key issues:
- Evidence of his intellectual disability
- His longstanding severe mental illness, which started to manifest when he was a teenager and included auditory hallucinations at the time of the crime
Neither of these impairments excuse his actions, but they do substantially diminish his culpability and call into question the appropriateness of his death sentence.
Please urge the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and Governor Greg Abbott this week to grant clemency to Jamaal Howard. You’ll find contact information and a sample letter here.
Texas also has scheduled two executions in November. We will share information about these cases when it is available.
To date in 2026, 29 people have been executed nationwide, including six in Texas. Florida accounts for 16 of these executions and has another one scheduled in October.
Case updates
Too many questions remain for Melissa Lucio
In the wake of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ (CCA) devastating denial of relief to Melissa Lucio on September 24, 2026, an Editorial Board in the Rio Grande Valley (where Lucio was wrongfully convicted) notes the tremendous support her case has received and writes that the “… ruling isn’t likely to answer the many questions in the case, or change the minds of most people who believe Melissa Lucio’s guilt hasn’t been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Lucio, one of seven women on death row in Texas, was convicted in Cameron County in 2008 for causing the death of her two-year-old daughter, Mariah. She came within two days of being executed in April 2022 despite significant evidence that Mariah’s death was a tragic accident resulting from a head injury she suffered in a fall—not a homicide.
In November 2024, the judge who presided over Lucio’s trial found that she “is actually innocent; she did not kill her daughter.” The judge also agreed with the Cameron County District Attorney that a previous prosecution team suppressed evidence supporting Lucio’s defense at trial that her daughter died after an accidental fall. A slim majority of judges on the state’s highest criminal court refused to accept the judge’s recommendation to overturn the conviction and death sentence, however. Lucio’s attorneys will now turn to the federal courts for relief.
Robert Roberson continues to wait for justice as more “shaken baby syndrome” cases around the country are overturned
One year ago, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) granted a stay of execution to Robert Roberson. Roberson is an innocent father with Autism who has spent more than 20 years on death row in Texas for a crime that never occurred: the tragic death of his chronically ill daughter, Nikki, from illness, medical error, and an accidental fall out of bed.
In October of 2025, the CCA sent Roberson’s case back to the trial court to determine whether he should receive relief based on the court’s ruling in another case involving the same “Shaken Baby Syndrome” (SBS) diagnosis. Since then, courts in multiple jurisdictions have overturned SBS convictions and juries have refused to convict based on advancements in scientific knowledge, while the New Jersey Supreme Court declared SBS testimony inadmissible in criminal trials because it is too unreliable. Roberson’s attorneys have filed notices with the courts announcing these developments, as the quest for a new trial continues. Read this synopsis of recent developments from the Dallas Morning News.
[Photos of Melissa Lucio and Robert Roberson provided by the Innocence Project.]
Formerly incarcerated women lead fight for air conditioning in Texas prisons
A group of formerly incarcerated women and their allies have won a significant federal court victory challenging extreme heat conditions in Texas prisons. The Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance, along with Texas Prisons Community Advocates and Texas Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants, sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice over dangerous conditions in un-air-conditioned prison units.
In a 150-page order issued on September 22, 2026, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled that extreme heat in Texas prisons violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. At the start of summer 2026, approximately 88,697 incarcerated people were housed in units without air conditioning. The court ordered TDCJ to install air conditioning in all Texas prisons by December 31, 2029.
The lawsuit was informed in part by years of letters from incarcerated people describing the physical and emotional toll of extreme heat. Lioness, whose membership includes hundreds of currently incarcerated people, documented these accounts and incorporated their experiences into the legal fight. TDCJ plans to appeal the ruling, meaning the litigation is not yet over. The victory highlights the power of formerly incarcerated people to organize, advocate for those still inside, and challenge conditions within the criminal legal system.
TCADP is accepting nominations for our annual Courage, Appreciation, and Media Awards. With these awards, we recognize outstanding individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions towards ending the death penalty in Texas.
All award recipients will be honored during the TCADP 2027 Annual Conference, which will take place in Austin, Texas on Saturday, February 20, 2027. Stay tuned for announcements about this informative and inspirational day of advocacy!
The deadline for submitting award nominations is October 16, 2026. View a list of past award recipients.
TCADP Lobby Corps
TCADP is recruiting a new class of Lobby Corps members! This dedicated group of volunteers works with our staff and board members to advance TCADP’s legislative agenda and build relationships with elected officials. We seek to add 5 to 7 new members to our Lobby Corps ranks. Members must be able to visit the State Capitol in Austin in person during the 90th Texas Legislative Session, which will run from January 12 to May 31, 2027.
Applications will be accepted until November 5, 2026. Select candidates will then be invited to participate in an interview on Zoom in mid-November. Apply now for this unique opportunity to advocate for change with lawmakers!
Upcoming events
2026 Midterm Elections
The 2026 Midterm Elections will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Texans: Please note the important deadlines below. Check your registration and access a sample ballot from the Texas Tribune.
October 5: Last day to register to vote
October 19: First day of early voting in person
October 23: Last day for an early voting clerk to receive an application for a ballot by mail
October 30: Last day of early voting in person
November 3: General Election Day
Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction: The Case of Charles Don Flores
Tonight, October 1, 2026, in Austin, the Social Work Program at St. Edward’s University and TCADP will host Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction: The Case of Charles Don Flores. Flores has spent more than 25 years on death row for a crime he steadfastly maintains he did not commit. His conviction was tainted by hypnotically influenced eyewitness testimony — testimony that is now prohibited by state law. During this forum, attendees will learn about Charles, Charles’s case, and some of the common elements of wrongful convictions.
Join us from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the Carter Auditorium in JBWS on the St. Edward’s campus. Come for dinner at 6:00; the panel will take place from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. This event is free and open to the St. Edward’s community and the public. More details and parking information here.
International Wrongful Conviction Day
Join House of Renewed Hope and the UT Arlington Criminal Justice Department for a day of programming in honor of International Wrongful Conviction Day on Friday, October 2, 2026. Texas Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty Director Nan Tolson will participate in a panel at 12:45 PM called Building Stronger Defenses. The program will take place at the Maverick Activity Center on UT Arlington’s campus (500 W Nedderman Drive). Full schedule available here. This event is free and open to the public.
World Day Against the Death Penalty
Since 2003, the global community has recognized October 10 as World Day Against the Death Penalty. The following events are taking place in Austin and Dallas on Saturday, October 10, 2026:
– Kids Against the Death Penalty and others will host the 27th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty. The event will take place on the South Steps of the Texas State Capitol (1110 Congress Ave) in Austin from 2:00 to 4:00 PM and will feature speakers, information tables, and a walk to the Governor’s Mansion.
– Human Rights Dallas will hold a vigil from 12:00 to 2:00 pm on Mockingbird Bridge at Central Expwy (75) in Dallas. Other sponsors include Faith Commons, Oak Lawn UMC, the League of Women Voters-Dallas, and the SMU Human Rights Program.
2nd Annual P.E.A.C.E. Workshop
Join Cognitive Justice for the 2nd Annual P.E.A.C.E. Workshop — Promoting Empowerment. Advancing Community Engagement., October 13–15, 2026, across three Harris County locations. This free, three-day convening brings together community leaders, credible messengers, government, public safety, juvenile justice, faith, healthcare, education, and residents to strengthen the Community Safety Ecosystem.
Guided by this year’s theme, Partners. Policy. Prevention., participants will connect, learn, share strategies, and build partnerships that advance community-led approaches to safer communities. Free to the public. RSVP required. Limited seating. Register here.
TCADP Book Group
The TCADP Book Group meets every six to eight weeks on Zoom and reads a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and memoirs. The next book selection is The Ballad of Frankie Silver, a novel by Sharyn McCrumb. We will discuss this on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 7:00 PM CT on Zoom. Register here to receive book group announcements and meeting links.