AltWeeklies Wire
Where Running a Light and Killing Someone Does Not Automatically Mean You're in Troublenew
Steve Morrison probably never knew what hit him that April afternoon in 2008. After the swimming-pool company owner eased off the brakes of his green Saturn and headed south down Hillcroft across Westpark, a Nissan Frontier driven by a 28-year-old Salvadoran immigrant slammed into him.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
02-09-2010 |
Crime & Justice
One Man's Jail Misery in Harris County, Texasnew
Monte Killian has many of the health problems that people have who wind up in jail -- cavities in his teeth, blood clots in his leg, Hepatitis C and a full-blown case of AIDS. And without proper treatment, he continues to get sicker in the Harris County Jail.
Houston Press |
Randall Patterson |
11-24-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Superthief: Joshua Paul Calhoun Likes to Take Things ... BIG Thingsnew
Calhoun was already known to law enforcement in rural counties all over East Texas for stealing trucks, horse trailers, tractors and cattle, but the local cops never could keep Calhoun behind bars for long. But now, after stealing a plane in March, he's in federal custody.
Houston Press |
Paul Knight |
09-29-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Was Roland Carnaby a Con Man or a Super Spook?new
Either way, he wasn't supposed to meet his death on a Houston highway in a high-speed chase with the cops.
Houston Press |
Chris Vogel |
09-22-2009 |
Crime & Justice
How Identity Thieves Get Away Free and Clearnew
Police and prosecutors can't seem to catch up to the growing number of identity theft crimes each year. The Houston Police Department alone receives about 1,400 identity theft complaints each month, and usually, those result in about 25 arrests. Not 25 percent. Twenty-five arrests. Meanwhile, the victims are often forgotten, left to deal with cleaning up the mess on their own.
Houston Press |
Paul Knight |
06-30-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Episcopal Church of Texas Turned a Blind Eye to a Priest Who Was Molesting Studentsnew

Although the Episcopal Diocese of Texas states that Jim Tucker abused boys at St. Stephen's school in Austin, and possibly St. James in Houston, he has never been charged criminally.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
05-26-2009 |
Crime & Justice
In Texas, Restitution for Victims is Nothing but a State-Sanctioned Scamnew
More than 90 percent of Texas parolees walk away without paying off what the state ordered them to.
Houston Press |
Chris Vogel |
12-09-2008 |
Crime & Justice
How Many Innocent People Has Harris County, Texas, Sent to Prison?new

Texas has experienced 34 DNA exonerations -- more than any other state -- and "these compounding exonerations," as State Senator Rodney Ellis says, "are clear and convincing evidence that our criminal justice system is broken."
Houston Press |
Randall Patterson |
10-15-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Gangsters Thriving in Bacliff, Texasnew

The unincorporated town is up to its elbows in youth gangs, poverty and crime.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
09-16-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Gone to Hell: Mental Illness and Harris County Jailnew
Even though Alexander Hatcher is bipolar and schizophrenic, he wasn't given his meds for his first three months in jail. He got in fights with the guards. Now he's sentenced to prison for a long, long time.
Houston Press |
Paul Knight |
08-26-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Former Death-Row Inmate Sent Back to Prisonnew
Martin Draughon returns to the clink after becoming a test case for alleged flaws in GPS monitoring devices.
Houston Press |
Paul Knight |
04-01-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: GPS, crime & justice
Rotten to the Corps: A Question of Justice at Texas A&Mnew
Thanks to the university and a district attorney, two cadets escape punishment for beating in a student's face.
Houston Press |
Paul Knight |
01-29-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice
The DA So Tough on Crime, a Suspect Goes Freenew
Chuck Rosenthal doesn't make deals. And that's why Jesus Salazar is living the free life in Venezuela while a teenage girl lies dead, stabbed 26 times.
Houston Press |
Chris Vogel |
01-08-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice
Sleepovers With Uncle Jeffnew
A cardiologist traded on his status as a doctor to fondle young girls.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
10-23-2007 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice
Woman Found Dead 17 Years Ago Remains Unidentifiednew
In the years since the remains were discovered in Texas, true-crime buffs were chattering online, spending their free time researching missing and unidentified persons -- and amateur sleuths across the country were drawn to this unidentified Texas girl, to her sapphire ring.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
09-19-2007 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice