Entries tagged with “Texas Court of Criminal Appeals”
Religion
,Nov 12, 2024
New Trial Granted for Texas Death-Sentenced Prisoner Because of Trial Judge’s Antisemitic Bias
On November 6, 2024, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (TCCA) voted 6 – 3 to grant death-sentenced prisoner Randy Halprin a new trial. The TCCA decided that the original trial judge, Vickers Cunningham, “was actually biased against him at the time of trial because Halprin is Jewish.” The Court wrote in its ruling that the “uncontradicted evidence,” including testimony from friends and family of Judge Cunningham regarding his use of derogatory and racial slurs both generally and specifically…
Policy Issues
Prosecutorial Accountability
,Feb 22, 2024
Texas Prisoner Faces Execution Despite Doubts About His Guilt and Refusal of Courts to Assess New Evidence
Ivan Cantu is scheduled to be executed on February 28, 2024, although Texas courts have refused to consider new evidence in his case that may prove he was wrongfully convicted. Mr. Cantu was sentenced to death in Collin County for the murder of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancée in November 2000. Texas scheduled an execution date for Mr. Cantu in April 2023, but a last-minute appeal describing new evidence of false witness testimony provided grounds for a stay of execution. However, the…