A Possible Reprieve for the Mentally Ill on Death Row
Scott Panetti was deemed incompetent for execution. What does this mean for other prisoners?
Michelle Pitcher
Michelle Pitcher is a staff writer at the Texas Observer covering criminal justice, housing, and education. She received her master’s in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley and was part of the team at The Marshall Project that won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Her reporting has been featured on NPR, FiveThirtyEight, The Dallas Morning News, and more. Michelle was born and raised in Dallas and is now based in Austin.
Articles by Michelle Pitcher
Domestic Violence Murders in Texas Are Going Up
A new report from the Texas Council on Family Violence analyzed hundreds of deaths in the Lone Star State.
Ghosts from Texas’ Past
Dispatch from a haunted—and historically fraught—building in Austin
Advocates Request Clemency for Jewish Man on Death Row
Jedidiah Murphy is set to be executed on World Day Against the Death Penalty.
‘It Will Take the Breath Out of You’: Prisoners Describe Extreme Nighttime Heat in Texas Units
TDCJ will allocate $85 million to provide more air conditioning. In the meantime, people are sweltering in their beds.
A Courtroom Drama About Feeding Unhoused Houstonians
The Observer follows Food Not Bombs volunteers fighting against Bayou City’s anti-food sharing ordinance.
Austin Theater Teacher Sued by Ex-Students Dies
Diane “Betsy” Cornwell had been accused of emotional abuse and sexual misconduct.
Fighting for Breaks on Multiple Fronts
Workers and activists implore Governor Greg Abbott to consider the dire need for protections in the record-breaking heat.
The Trauma Waiting in the Wings
Former students speak out against longtime Austin ISD theater teacher accused of stepping over the line physically and emotionally.
Life with Parole
Probation and parole systems remain understaffed and buggy in Texas.