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execution Texas

State of Texas Executes Jerry Martin; Final Texas Execution of 2013

Last night, the State of Texas carried out its last execution of the year, putting Jerry Martin to death for the 2007 murder of Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison guard Susan Canfield during a prison escape from the Wynne Unit in Huntsville.

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Duane Buck Harris County

Over Two Dozen Evangelical Leaders Support New Sentencing Hearing for Duane Buck

More than two dozen Evangelical Christian leaders in Texas and across the country are calling on Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson to allow a new, fair sentencing hearing for Duane Buck and to refrain from setting a new execution date, in the wake of Wednesday’s decision by a splintered Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to dismiss Mr. Buck’s appeal..

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Duane Buck Harris County racial bias Texas. Court of Criminal Appeals

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Dismisses Duane Buck Petition

Today, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Duane Buck’s appeal for a new, fair sentencing hearing free from racial bias. With today’s decision, Texas has once again reneged on […]

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Brazos County death penalty incompetency Marcus Druery severe mental illness Stay of execution

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Orders Competency Hearing for Marcus Druery

On October 30, 2013, in a unanimous decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) ruled that death row inmate Marcus Druery is entitled to a hearing to determine his […]

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death penalty Gallup poll public opinion

Gallup Poll Measures Lowest Support for Death Penalty Since 1972

Results from the latest Gallup Poll show that national support for the death penalty has dropped to its lowest level in more than 40 years.  According to the poll, “Sixty […]

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forensic science Texas Monthly Texas. Court of Criminal Appeals

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Overturns Conviction of Manuel Velez

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has overturned the conviction of Manuel Velez, who was sentenced to death in Cameron County in 2008 for the murder of one-year-old Angel Gabriel […]

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lethal injection Stay of execution U.S. Supreme Court

Attorneys for Michael Yowell Ask Supreme Court to Stay Execution

Despite serious questions about the compounded drugs obtained by Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to stop tonight’s scheduled execution of Michael Yowell. The State of Texas proceeded with the execution, and Yowell was pronounced dead at 7:11 PM.

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lethal injection Stay of execution Texas

Pharmacy Asks Texas to Return Drugs Intended for Use in Execution

Last month, officials with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) announced that although their current supply of pentobarbital had expired, they had no plans to change the lethal injection […]