‘Suicide by Cop’: How a Poorly Defined Term Shifts Accountability for Lost Lives
Austin officers killed an unarmed 17-year-old at a park last month in what the chief swiftly deemed "suicide by police." Some call the concept a type of "junk science."
police
Remembering a Social Justice Lawyer Extraordinaire
Attorney Jeff Blackburn, a crusader for the innocent, fought injustices across Texas in his improbable, utterly original, and often profane life.
Texas Cities Prioritize Police over People
Fort Worth spends six times more on criminal justice than community services.
After Uvalde, Texas Could Finally Fix Notorious Flaw in Public Information Act
An El Paso Democrat wants to close the “dead suspect loophole” that’s helped gut Texas’ once-distinguished open records law.
The Uvalde Parents Won’t Back Down
Alongside diligent media members, and despite local divisions, these families aren’t letting Texas move on from the Robb Elementary School tragedy.
How Peter Stout Turned Around Houston’s Crime Lab
Once dubbed the worst in the country, Houston Forensic Science Center is setting a new standard for criminal investigations.
Uvalde Marches for Transparency and Gun Reform
Some 500 protesters withstood the brutal heat to demand justice for those lost in the May 24 school massacre.
How Much Power Do Police Oversight Offices Really Have?
In 2018, Austin created the Office of Police Oversight to try to increase police accountability. But has it really worked?
Dallas Serial Killer Verdict Shows Justice Is Scarce for Elderly Victims
A judge declared a mistrial this week in the murder trial of Billy Chemirmir, leaving the families of more than 20 victims waiting for answers.
Austin Voters Reject Proposal to Super-Fund Police in Victory for Progressives
Fear and propaganda weren’t enough to save an expensive proposal to swell the police department in Texas’ bluest city.