Texas and the Racist Machinery of Death
In his new book, journalist Maurice Chammah explores the rise and fall of capital punishment in Texas and what it means for the country.
Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith is a state and national award-winning investigative journalist based in Kansas City, Missouri. She has covered the criminal legal system for more than 25 years and, during that time, has developed a reputation as a resourceful and dogged reporter with a talent for analyzing complex social and legal issues. She spent more than 20 years reporting in Texas where she was regarded as one of the best investigative reporters in the state. Her investigative work in wrongful conviction cases has helped to exonerate six people. A longtime staff writer for the Austin Chronicle, her work has also appeared in The Nation, the Crime Report, and the Texas Observer, among other places.
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The End of Roe
Biden Takes First Step Toward Restoring Reproductive Health Program Gutted by Trump
The president signaled that Trump’s domestic gag rule should be lifted, but changes to Title X won’t be immediate.
The End of Roe
Texas Encourages Court to Endorse Risky, Medically Unnecessary Abortion Procedure
In fighting to ban the safest and most common method of later-term abortion, Texas advocates for experimenting on women.
Will Bringing Science Back to the White House Reinvigorate Forensics Reform?
Eric Lander, Biden’s pick for top science adviser, co-authored a damning report on the faulty forensic practices behind hundreds of wrongful convictions.
The Coronavirus Crisis
How the Pandemic Exposed the Failures of Capital Punishment
Will Trump’s execution spree, court shutdowns, and the toll of Covid-19 hasten the demise of the death penalty?
The Florida Supreme Court Is Radically Reshaping Death Penalty Law
The newly conservative court has overturned decades of precedent that provided a check on unconstitutional death sentences.
Russian Hackers Have Been Inside Austin City Network for Months
Russia appears to have used Austin’s network as infrastructure to stage additional cyberattacks.
How the Criminal Justice System Fails People With Mental Illness
“I found your baby,” Michelle Durden recalls the police officer saying after her son went missing. “He’s alive. And he’s in jail.”
The End of Roe
The Fight for Reproductive Justice in a Post-Ginsburg World
The Trump administration has already offered the eight-member court an opportunity to restrict abortion access amid the pandemic.
Protests for Black Lives
Austin’s Vote to “Reimagine” Policing Prompts Threats From State Officials
After the city council approved millions of dollars in budget cuts, Texas leaders proposed capping tax revenue for cities that defund police.