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Update: Execution put on hold

By Paul Kennedy on April 30, 2019

Today a federal district judge granted Dexter Johnson’s request for a stay of execution – but not because of claims of brain damage and intellectual disability. The court stayed the execution so that federal public defender Jeremy Schepers can continue his investigation into whether or not Mr. Johnson’s appellate attorney, Patrick McCann was ineffective. For the time being, Mr. McCann and Mr. Shepers are both representing Mr. Johnson. The court will decide later whether to…

The Defense Rests

Execution Watch: 5/2/2019

By Paul Kennedy on April 30, 2019

On Thursday night Texas will murder again…DEXTER JOHNSON, condemned for the slaying of a couple in 2006 during a carjacking committed in Houston with four accomplices. Mr. Johnson has fought his conviction during his time on death row, filing appeals based on ineffective assistance of counsel, racial bias, intellectual disability, brain damage and his long history of schizophrenia and psychotic breaks.On April 29, 2019, the Court of Criminal Appeals denied Mr. Johnson’s request for a…

The Defense Rests

In the name of god, I discriminate against you

By Paul Kennedy on April 12, 2019

If you listen to Republicans such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Senate Bill 17 provides relief for those occupational holders who have sincere religious beliefs. Of course, getting past the fact that back in the day Mr. Patrick, when he was the sports director at KHOU in Houston, once painted himself blue on television, is a little bit difficult. For the rest of us, Senate Bill 17 would allow license holders to discriminate against…

The Defense Rests

A look into junk science

By Paul Kennedy on April 10, 2019

On the way home from the office the other night I caught the current episode of the Murderish podcast – “Lime Street Fire.” The episode concerns an arson investigation in Jacksonville. Jami Rice also covered the Cameron Todd Willingham case earlier this year. The episode is important because it looks at the evolution of arson investigation. As anyone who has looked into arson cases knows, most of the knowledge an arson investigator has is what…

The Defense Rests

Execution Watch: 3/28/2019

By Paul Kennedy on March 27, 2019

On Thursday night the Texas killing machine fires up again…PATRICK MURPHY, convicted under the Texas law of parties, which allows prosecutors to charge a person linked with a murder as if they, too, had pulled the trigger. He was in a group of convicts that in 2000 made the biggest prison escape in Texas history. They broke into a Dallas-area store on Christmas Eve to steal guns. An Irving police officer was shot to death…

The Defense Rests

Execution Watch: 2/28/2019

By Paul Kennedy on February 27, 2019

Tomorrow night the State of Texas will murder once again…BILLY COBLE, 70. One of the oldest people on death row, he was sentenced to death for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife’s parents and brother in Axtell. The brother was a Waco police officer. On appear, Mr. Coble asserted that his trial was tainted by perjured testimony, an unfair venue and junk science.The death sentence was thrown out in 2007 because the Fifth Circuit …

The Defense Rests

Addendum to a botched drug raid

By Paul Kennedy on February 9, 2019

Here is a link to the actual warrant for the botched drug raid. The article states that the warrant had been uplifted to Scribd, but when you check the link you will find that the warrant has been removed from the site. I guess there is a limit to Art Acevedo’s transparency when the shit hits the fan. According to the Houston Chronicle, the police seized 18 grams of marijuana and 1.5 grams of cocaine…

The Defense Rests

Anatomy of a botched drug raid

By Paul Kennedy on February 8, 2019

Last month five officers from the Houston Police Department were injured – four were shot – in a drug raid gone incredibly wrong. At the time we were barraged with statements from HPD that the police raided the house, shot the dogs and killed the residents, Donald Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, because a confidential informant told them the couple had heroin and guns in the house. Joe Gamaldi, the head of the local police union,…

The Defense Rests

Execution Watch: 1/30/2019

By Paul Kennedy on January 30, 2019

Tonight the Texas killing machine is back in action…ROBERT JENNINGS. Sentenced to death for the 1988 shooting of a Houston Police vice officer at an adult bookstore, Mr. Jennings was on parole at the time of the killing. Witnesses said the vice officer was arresting a bookstore clerk for showing movies without a license. Just then, Mr. Jennings walked in with the intention of robbing the place, saw the officer and opened fire. Mr. Jennings’…

The Defense Rests

The state of MLK Day 2019

By Paul Kennedy on January 21, 2019

On this MLK Day, perhaps it’s time we took a step back and re-examine some issues. First, to all the Republicans and other conservatives that love taking phrases from King’s speeches and writings out of context to promote their own political philosophy — stop it! When Mike Pence gets up and quotes MLK and then goes into a tirade as to why a wall on the southern border is needed, he is being more than…

Paul B. Kennedy

Paul B. Kennedy Blogs

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Update: Execution put on hold

Execution Watch: 5/2/2019

In the name of god, I discriminate against you

A look into junk science

Execution Watch: 3/28/2019

Execution Watch: 2/28/2019

Addendum to a botched drug raid

Anatomy of a botched drug raid

Execution Watch: 1/30/2019

The state of MLK Day 2019

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