Dispatch from the inside: A prisoner in solitary watches as guards use Tasers on a naked, mentally-ill woman in a shower, and reflects on their increasingly brutal use in the #Texas correctional system. texasobserver.org/an-inside-lo…

#prison #CriminalJustice #news #politics #USpol #HumanRights #MentalHealth

An Inside Look at Taser Use in Texas Prison

The sound of electricity sizzling and crackling broke the silence. To me, it looked like the electric chair was officially back in the prisons.

^{Xandan Gulley (The Texas Observer)}

So these are obviously ridiculous, but also my inner crime scientist *really* wishes I could run a proper randomised evaluation on these things because... I suspect they do a decent job reducing shoplifting?

#crime #criminaljustice #academia

North Sea collision ship captain appears in court

#SafetyAtSea #ShippingIndustry #CriminalJustice #Londoncourt #VladimirMotin

bbc.com/news/articles/c20d44dv…

North Sea collision ship captain appears in court

Vladimir Motin, 59, is remanded in custody to appear in court in London on 14 April.

^{Emma Petrie (BBC News)}

'I deserve death,' an Alabama murderer told a judge. Now he's getting his wish

#CriminalJustice #CapitalPunishment #EndOfLifeWish #PrisonLife #DeathSentence

independent.co.uk/news/world/a…

Alabama murder James Osgood to be executed after telling judge ‘I deserve death’

‘I’m tired. I want to complete my sentence,’ James Osgood said

^{Kim Chandler (The Independent)}

Virginia governor commutes sentence for officer who killed unarmed man suspected of shoplifting

#GlennYoungkin #CriminalJustice #UnarmedMan #PoliceOfficer #Policing

wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/1…

Virginia governor commutes sentence for officer who killed unarmed man suspected of shoplifting

Glenn Youngkin, Republican governor of Virginia, commuted the sentence of a former police officer who fatally shot an unarmed man accused of stealing a pair of sunglasses in 2023.

^{World Socialist Web Site}

“This is the Trump administration desperate to meet the goals that it’s set to carry out its mass deportation agenda. But he’s having trouble reaching those numbers, because he doesn’t have the manpower and the infrastructure to actually rip away people who have years and years of life in our communities and are deeply entwined.” texasobserver.org/local-state-…

#police #CriminalJustice #Texas #Immigration #ICE #Trump #news #politics #USpol #HumanRights

Local and State Police Are Joining Trump's 'Deportation Force'

Texas law enforcement agencies and others around the nation are reviving a long-dead "task force" program that led to racial profiling in the past.

^{Francesca D’Annunzio (The Texas Observer)}

“In solitary confinement, many prisoners suffer from mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar, and psychosis that are exacerbated by prolonged isolation. Those suffering from schizophrenia and other mental diseases are target practice for the Tasers on a daily basis.” texasobserver.org/an-inside-lo…

#prison #HumanRights #CriminalJustice #Texas #politics #USpol #MentalHealth #news

An Inside Look at Taser Use in Texas Prison

The sound of electricity sizzling and crackling broke the silence. To me, it looked like the electric chair was officially back in the prisons.

^{Xandan Gulley (The Texas Observer)}

Claim: "Why would the Democrats stop being corrupt? There are no consequences when they get caught."

Facts: Sen. Bob Menendez was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 11 years in prison when Biden was president. I guess Trump apologists are saying that with Trump as president there are no consequences when Democrats get caught. Trump even prevented the imprisonment of corrupt Democrat Eric Adams. #politics #criminaljustice

New today: A prisoner watches as guards use Tasers on a naked, mentally-ill woman in a shower, and reflects on their increasing use inside #Texas prison walls..
texasobserver.org/an-inside-lo…

#HumanRights #politics #USpol #news #CriminalJustice

An Inside Look at Taser Use in Texas Prison

The sound of electricity sizzling and crackling broke the silence. To me, it looked like the electric chair was officially back in the prisons.

^{Xandan Gulley (The Texas Observer)}

My lecturer is talking about Sydney's heroin drought in the 90s, and I'm very loudly pointing out the coincidence of it occurring around the same time as the Wood Royal Commission into NSW Police Service..

hmm.. 🤔

#uni #academia #criminaljustice #crime

Death penalty update: On March 11, the Court of Criminal Appeals stayed David Wood’s execution. The court has not yet announced whether it will send the case back to the trial court to review the evidence of Wood’s innocence.
texasobserver.org/david-wood-e…

#DeathPenalty #politics #USpol #CriminalJustice #Texas #prison #HumanRights

David Wood, Set for Execution, Says He Was Never the 'Desert Killer'

Wood’s attorneys have requested that more than 100 additional pieces of evidence be tested for DNA, but the state has opposed the request for over a decade. 

^{Michelle Pitcher (The Texas Observer)}

Brittany Holberg, inmate on Texas death row for 27 years, has her conviction tossed by federal appeals court

cbsnews.com/news/texas-death-r…

#news #law #criminaljustice #deathpenalty #texas #unitedstates

Brittany Holberg, inmate on Texas death row for 27 years, has her conviction tossed by federal appeals court

A federal appeals court tossed Brittany Holberg's death sentence after it found that prosecutors failed to reveal that their primary trial witness was a paid informant.

^{CBS News}

Essex Boys killer Michael Steele's release blocked

#CriminalJustice #MichaelSteele #CrimeNews #ParoleReleaseBlocked #JusticeSecretaryShabanaMahmood

bbc.com/news/articles/cy05p7x5…

Essex Boys murderer Michael Steele's release is blocked

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood wants the Parole Board to reconsider the release of the convicted triple killer.

^{Shivani Chaudhari (BBC News)}

Federal judge halts Louisiana's first nitrogen gas execution, state says it will appeal

#DeathPenalty #ExecutionStayed #Louisiana #CriminalJustice #CapitalPunishment

independent.co.uk/news/world/a…

Federal judge halts Louisiana’s first nitrogen gas execution, state says it will appeal

A federal judge halted Louisiana’s first death row execution using nitrogen gas, which was scheduled to take place next week

^{Sara Cline (The Independent)}

Our top story: “One thing that is abundantly clear is that #border enforcement, and in particular the construction of detention facilities ... is big business. It’s a huge business. It’s incredibly lucrative for a very small number of people who have every incentive to make this system as big and as bloated as possible.” texasobserver.org/abbott-opera…

#GregAbbott #TXlege #politics #USpol #Immigration #HumanRights #CriminalJustice #news #corruption

Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private Contractors

There is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.

^{Justin Miller (The Texas Observer)}

Prosecutors with the Galveston County District Attorney's Office have not yet made a decision on whether to seek the death penalty against Channel Yonko, a Houston woman charged with capital murder in the death of her infant daughter.

houstonpublicmedia.org/article…

#Court #Crime #CriminalJustice #Galveston #Local #News #CapitalMurder #CourtCases #GalvestonCounty #GalvestonCountyCourts #GalvestonCountyDistrictAttorneySOffice #JackRoady

Galveston prosecutors weigh death penalty for woman accused in infant daughter’s murder

A probable cause affidavit asserts that the infant, 17-month-old Hannah Yonko, could be seen on video falling to the ground from the third-floor balcony of the Beachfront Palms Hotel in Galveston on Oct. 23.

^{Sarah Grunau (Houston Public Media)}

“Somehow this little town, Los Fresnos—it’s become a part of this huge conversation that I don’t think anyone really expected. Maybe this is a chance for people to really look at what’s happening.”

Earlier: In Cameron County where 8.5 percent of the population is undocumented, controversial raids at this popular eatery have rocked an already divided community. texasobserver.org/ice-raids-ab…

#politics #USpol #border #SouthTexas #Immigration #ICE #Trump #Texas #news #CriminalJustice

ICE Raids on Beloved Bakery Reverberate Through Rio Grande Valley

Homeland Security Investigations arrests at Abby's Bakery shake up a small town in politically shifting Cameron County.

^{Gaige Davila (The Texas Observer)}

He Was Convicted Based on Allegedly Fabricated Bite Mark Analysis. Louisiana Wants to Execute Him Anyway.
—

Nine prisoners have walked free after evidence presented by members of a forensics team turned out to be wrong — yet one man still awaits execution based on their testimony.
propublica.org/article/louisia…

#News #Louisiana #Law #Crime #CriminalJustice

Jimmie Duncan, Convicted on Allegedly Fabricated Bite Mark Analysis, May Be Executed by Louisiana Anyway

Nine prisoners have walked free after evidence presented by members of a forensics team turned out to be wrong, yet one man still awaits execution based on their testimony.

^ProPublica

The Way of the Gun

#America #ExecutionMethods #CriminalJustice #DeathPenalty #FiringSquad

theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

The Way of the Gun

Death by firing squad has come back to America.

^{Elizabeth Bruenig (The Atlantic)}

The Scientific Controversy That's Tearing Families Apart

#ShakyScience #ChildAbuseInvestigation #ScientificDebate #NeurologicalInjury #CriminalJustice

theatlantic.com/podcasts/archi…

The Scientific Controversy Tearing Families Apart

The Neuroscientist, the Nanny, and the Shaky Science of Shaken Baby Syndrome

^{Jerusalem Demsas (The Atlantic)}

He Was Convicted Based on Allegedly Fabricated Bite Mark Analysis. Louisiana Wants to Execute Him Anyway.

propublica.org/article/louisia…

#CriminalJustice

Jimmie Duncan, Convicted on Allegedly Fabricated Bite Mark Analysis, May Be Executed by Louisiana Anyway

Nine prisoners have walked free after evidence presented by members of a forensics team turned out to be wrong, yet one man still awaits execution based on their testimony.

^ProPublica

@codeofamor PS We just noticed the "Vipassanta" in your bio. Do you know the film The Dhamma Brothers? We worked with the filmmakers and we have a feeling you might appreciate it.

journeysinfilm.org/product/the…

#Vipassana #Meditation #CriminalJustice #CriminalJusticeReform #AntiRacism #RacialEquity @education @film

Sentencing body defends changes after 'two-tier' row

#TwoTierSystem #BiasInJustice #CriminalJustice #SentencingGuidance #SentencingReform

bbc.com/news/articles/cx2gn9zq…

Sentencing Council defends changes after 'two-tier' row

New guidance on sentencing offenders from ethnic monitories and other backgrounds is set to start in April.

^{Dominic Casciani (BBC News)}

“They were accusing me of every unsolved crime on the planet.”

Despite numerous oversights and concerns with his case highlighted by his attorneys, David Wood is scheduled to be executed on Thursday. texasobserver.org/david-wood-e…

#DeathPenalty #CriminalJustice #politics #USpol #news #Texas #prison #HumanRights

David Wood, Set for Execution, Says He Was Never the 'Desert Killer'

Wood’s attorneys have requested that more than 100 additional pieces of evidence be tested for DNA, but the state has opposed the request for over a decade. 

^{Michelle Pitcher (The Texas Observer)}