Tag Archives: Marijuana
In Austin, ‘Discretionary’ Arrests for Petty Crimes Skew Blacker, Browner Than City Population
Austin Police Department officers used their discretion to arrest black defendants at a rate more than double that of either whites or Latinos last year.
In Texas, the consequences of getting caught with pot are a crapshoot. While the state has some of the most draconian and nonsensical marijuana laws on the book...Read More
San Antonio, Dallas Primaries Could Usher in Prosecutors Who Promise a More Equal Criminal Justice System
Reformers have targeted Texas primary races where candidates promise bail reform and jail diversion.
South Texas can create a curious kind of conservative-leaning Democrat, but bizarre behavior by Nicholas “Nico” LaHood during his first term as Bexar County...Read More
Meet Nueces County’s New DA, a Self-Professed ‘Mexican Biker Lawyer Covered in Tattoos’
Mark Gonzalez is listed as a gang member in police databases, has "not guilty" tattooed on his chest and is hoping to bring reform to Corpus Christi.
Early this year, border agents ran a name-check and wound up briefly detaining Mark Gonzalez as he traveled home to Corpus Christi after a vacation in Mexico. T...Read More
Texas Cities Embrace a Softer Approach to Pot Possession as State Reforms Stall
“How harshly you’re treated for possessing cannabis in Texas now varies city by city, county by county.”
Remember David Simpson? He was a peculiar kind of conservative lawmaker, about as fundamentalist Christian as they come, while also passionately articulating th...Read More
Compassionate (Ab)use: Family Battles Texas over Medical Marijuana
The Zartlers have gone through a veritable pharmacy of prescription drugs, but they say medical marijuana is the only thing that stops Kara from hitting herself.
Mark Zartler measures how well his 17-year-old daughter, Kara, is doing by what he calls a “hit test” — counting the number of times she hits herself on a...Read More
The Interview: Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg
For the first time in nearly four decades, Harris County’s district attorney is a Democrat, and she has high aspirations.
Upon taking office in January, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg cleaned house, replacing dozens of prosecutors hired by her predecessor. Ogg made good on...Read More
After ‘Unheard-Of’ Momentum, Medical Marijuana Bill Declared Dead by Authors
After gaining the support of most House members last week, a bill legalizing medical marijuana was declared dead Tuesday night by its authors — a Republican a...Read More
Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Advances Past Committee with GOP Support
Advocates applauded Monday's vote, pointing to the more than 61,000 Texans who were arrested for possession of marijuana in 2015.
Advocates applauded Monday's vote, pointing to the more than 61,000 Texans who were arrested for possession of marijuana in 2015....Read More
Puff, Puff, Pass? GOP Lawmakers Silent on Marijuana Decriminalization
As HB 81 nears a committee vote, the marijuana decriminalization measure has hardly encountered any resistance.
As HB 81 nears a committee vote, the marijuana decriminalization measure has hardly encountered any resistance....Read More