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Texas death penalty

TCADP May 2016 Alert: End of death penalty “past due”

In this edition of our monthly e-newsletter, you’ll find updates on several Texas death penalty cases, as well as the results of the Kinder Institute’s latest Houston Area Survey, which finds that 73% of Houstonians support alternatives to the death penalty.

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Duane Buck racial bias

Case of Duane Buck puts race and the Texas death penalty in the national spotlight

The case of Duane Buck has cast a national spotlight on race and the Texas death penalty for the past month, for good reason: his death sentence is the unconstitutional product of racial discrimination. He was condemned to death after his own trial attorneys inexplicably introduced testimony from a psychologist who stated that Mr. Buck was more likely to be dangerous in the future because he is Black. His case, Buck v. Stephens, is now on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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death penalty innocence Texas

Max Soffar dies on Texas death row after 35 years in prison; strong claim of innocence

Max Soffar, who spent 35 years on Texas’ death row – died of complications from liver cancer on Sunday, April 24, 2016.  He was diagnosed in the fall of 2014, […]

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incompetency Marcus Druery severe mental illness

Marcus Druery deemed incompetent for execution

A Brazos County judge recently deemed that Marcus Druery is incompetent to be executed due to evidence of his severe mental illness, which prevents him from understanding why he is being punished. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted Druery a stay just days before his scheduled execution on August 1, 2012 and later ordered a competency hearing.

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execution Texas

State of Texas executes Pablo Vasquez

The State of Texas executed Pablo Vasquez on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. He was convicted of killing 12-year-old David Cardenas in 1998 in Donna, Texas (Hidalgo County). Vasquez was 20 […]

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execution Texas

State of Texas scheduled to execute Pablo Vasquez

Tonight, the State of Texas is scheduled to execute Pablo Vasquez . He was convicted of killing 12-year-old David Cardenas in 1998 in Donna, Texas (Hidalgo County). Vasquez was 20 […]

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Amplify Austin execution Sister Helen Prejean Texas death penalty

TCADP April 2016 Alert: Springing into Action

In this edition of our monthly e-newsletter, you’ll find information about upcoming events featuring Sister Helen Prejean at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. You’ll also find links to recent stories about racial bias in the jury selection process and the regrets of a juror in a capital murder trial in Texas that sentenced a man to death.

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Stay of execution

Federal appeals court stays the execution of John Battaglia

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a stay of execution to John Battaglia, who was scheduled to be put to death tonight for the 2001 murders of […]