What We're Reading
News that caught our attention or cited the Texas Justice Initiative from across the Lone Star State and beyond.
Fatal Police Shootings Of Unarmed Black People Reveal Troubling Patterns
Published on January 25, 2021Cheryl Thompson reports that NPR dug into police and court records to investigate the deaths of 135 Black Americans who were unarmed when they were shot and killed by law enforcement since 2015. "At least 75% of the officers were white," Thompson reports. "The latest one happened this month in Killeen, Texas, when Patrick Warren Sr., 52, was fatally shot by an officer responding to a mental health call."
S4 Bonus: Not a Gotcha or Anti-Policing Sentiment (Analysis)
Published on December 28, 2020A bonus episode of KXAN's podcast series Catalyst features an in-depth conversation between the series' reporters Josh Hinkle, David Barer and TJI Executive Director Eva Ruth Moravec about TJI and our data collection work. The episode capped off the Catalyst's latest season, which highlights the in-custody death of Herman Titus.
Inmates facing big virus risks not near top of vaccine lists
Published on December 16, 2020Reporting by Colleen Sleven and Patty Nieberg shows that incarcerated individuals are far from the front of the line for the COVID-19 vaccine, despite being hard-hit. Texas and four other states comprise the highest number of coronavirus cases in prisons, they write, yet none of those states' plans to the CDC in October included prioritizing incarcerated people.
Excited Delirium: The controversial syndrome that can be used to protect police from misconduct charges
Published on December 13, 202060 Minutes' John Dickerson reported on "excited delirium," which was cited in the deaths of George Floyd and Elijah McClain, and how law enforcement have used it in justifying injecting individuals with ketamine.
No Way Out: COVID-19 behind bars in Texas
Published on December 13, 2020A multimedia investigative project by WFAA and The Marshall Project depicts various aspects of COVID-19 in Texas prisons, including its affect on employees and incarcerated people. The reporting "showed that the spread of COVID-19 behind bars was also due to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's lackluster response, potentially exacerbating outbreaks and putting surrounding communities at risk."