From @michellepitcher.bsky.social, in our magazine: Silence is not sacred at Alienated Majesty Books in Austin, where literary knowledge and loud live music go hand in hand.

The Court of Criminal Appeals has stayed Robert Roberson’s execution, sending his case back to a lower court for reconsideration. He was scheduled to be executed in less than a week.

Robert Roberson's attorney Gretchen Sween will not petition for clemency ahead of his scheduled Oct. 16 execution. "A quest for clemency would not right the wrong...It would only divert precious time and resources from the fundamental mission: obtaining a new trial for Robert at long last."

New @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Efforts to limit police transparency by shielding some complaints from public view have failed multiple times during the 2025 legislative season—most recently in the form of House Bill 15, which died this week.

“This is the most massive secrecy grab in Texas since the adoption of the Public Information Act.” New today from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: A move to "standardize" police personnel files could have devastating consequences for transparency.

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Jorge Renaud, became a social justice advocate after spending years incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system. In his new poetry collection, out in May from Plancha Press, he trades in his megaphone for a pen.

Reporters and TV crews are starting to trickle in to the Anderson County Court House for a 10 a.m. hearing on whether to set a new execution date for Robert Roberson. #RobertRoberson

INBOX: Last summer, Ruben Gutierrez got within 20 minutes of execution before the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in. For years, he's been asking for pieces of evidence to be DNA tested. Today, #SCOTUS ruled that he has the right to challenge the Texas law that's standing in his way.

Robert Roberson's attorney Gretchen Sween on the TX AG's request for a new execution date: "The AG’s unjustified rush to seek an execution date while that new evidence of innocence is before the court is outrageous."

The Texas AG has asked a judge to set (another) execution date in the case of Robert Roberson...

@texasobserver.org piece and audio by @michellepitcher.bsky.social here: www.texasobserver.org/new-leads-in...

Our top story: Clinton Young spent nearly two decades condemned to die. His peaceful, productive time out on bond poses questions about how Texas decides who lives long enough to get another chance.

Texas' death penalty doesn't allow for second chances—most of the time. Clinton Young got a rare one and tried to make the most of it: www.texasobserver.org/life-after-d...

From @michellepitcher.bsky.social in our magazine: A jury declared that Clinton Young was too dangerous to be allowed to live. His time out on bond raises serious questions about who gets a "second chance" at living and rehabilitation.

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Texas jails are so overcrowded—partly because they’re often a county’s largest mental health facility—that some counties ship people awaiting trials to distant jails, sometimes out of state. Bills pending at the Lege could make overcrowding even worse.

The May/June 2025 issue of Texas Observer magazine will be out starting May 1, featuring stories from @candicebernd.bsky.social, @michellepitcher.bsky.social, Brant Deboer and more. Become a member to support our work, and get the best of our reporting in our magazine.

In books, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Law professor, former prosecutor, and death penalty expert Corinna Barrett Lain brings us into the death chamber to bear disturbing witness to the reality of lethal injection. A look behind the curtain at our state's grim legacy in criminal justice ...

NEW: Someone asked the state to release temperature logs taken at its prisons. Some of the logs didn't exist or were defaced by staff. So the logs were fabricated. Those are the findings of an internal agency investigation. I got a copy. www.kut.org/crime-justic... #txlege #TDCJ

Next month: Join Texas Observer's @liseolsen.bsky.social in conversation with @michellepitcher.bsky.social, to celebrate the release of Lise's new book The Scientist and the Serial Killer. FREE event! April 9, 7pm at BookPeople, #Austin, Texas RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/bookpeople...

more on jailhouse snitches from Maurice Chammah www.themarshallproject.org/2025/02/25/t... and more on the shaky forensic evidence from @michellepitcher.bsky.social www.texasobserver.org/david-wood-e...

UPDATE: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has stayed David Wood's execution after his attorneys raised claims that he's actually innocent. He was scheduled to be executed Thursday.

Over a decade ago, a test showed that another man's DNA, not David Wood's was found on one of the victims of El Paso's 'Desert Killer'—but the State of Texas has opposed requests for more evidence to be tested since then. Wood is set to be executed next week. www.texasobserver.org/david-wood-e...

“I’ve been trying for 30 years to tell people I didn’t do this.” New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: For over a decade, the state has rebuffed attempts by David Wood's attorneys to have additional evidence tested for DNA. His execution is set for March 13.

Join @liseolsen.bsky.social on April 9th discussing THE SCIENTIST AND THE SERIAL KILLER, the true story of how one dedicated forensic scientist restored the long-lost identities of the teenaged victims of the “Candy Man.” More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/bookpeople... @michellepitcher.bsky.social

From our magazine: Holly M Karibo's new book traces Texas' historic role in the origins of the war on drugs and shifting attitudes towards addiction. @michellepitcher.bsky.social reviewed it for us ...

Update: Texas executed Richard Tabler by lethal injection yesterday. In his final statement, he reportedly apologized to the families of the victims while strapped to the gurney. www.texasobserver.org/death-penalt...

Coming Up: Join Texas Observer's @liseolsen.bsky.social in conversation with @michellepitcher.bsky.social, to celebrate the release of Lise Olsen's new book The Scientist and the Serial Killer. FREE event! April 9, 7pm @bookpeople.bsky.social RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/bookpeople...

Bluesky: The pickup of support here for @texasobserver.org has been wild. We have more than 70% of our X follower count already. Maybe y'all already know, or maybe not, but we are a nonprofit, and we depend on (cheap!) memberships (get the magazine!). LINK: texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/join/

Under President Joe Biden, the federal government embraced aspects of harm reduction. Some states have as well. But policies favored by many Texas officials reflect the singular goal of making it as difficult as possible to use drugs.

Rep. Joe Moody confirms that Robert Roberson won't be testifying today, following the AG's intervention last night. He's now reading directly from emails sent to and from TDCJ and the AG's office. He says the agencies ghosted him when he tried to reach a compromise on logistics.

Attorney General Ken Paxton files motion to block death row inmate Robert Roberson from testifying. www.texastribune.org/2024/12/19/r...

Robert Roberson's attorney says she hasn't heard from the prison or AG's office about whether they'll comply with the subpoena for tomorrow's testimony, but expects they will. She said Robert is "eager to be helpful" although he doesn't "entirely understand the nature of this proceeding." #txleg

The TX House of Representatives has subpoenaed Robert Roberson to testify Friday at the Capitol. It's been exactly two months since he was scheduled to be executed, only to be spared last-minute by unprecedented intervention from state lawmakers. Background: www.texasobserver.org/death-row-sh...

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: "I Am Ready, Warden" packs more raw emotion and uncomfortable truths into 36 minutes than others do with twice that time. It shows the people affected most by capital punishment in striking close-up, giving voice to their complicated thoughts and views.