StandDown Texas Project


The Project identifies and advocates best practices in the indigent criminal justice system. The blog pays particular attention to issues involving capital punishment and the administration of the death penalty.

Author: Project director Steve Hall was chief of staff to the attorney general of Texas from 1983-1991; he was an administrator of the Texas Resource Center from 1993-1995. He has worked for the U.S. Congress and several Texas legislators. Hall is a former journalist.

Blawg Related Categories: Criminal Justice • Death Penalty • Public Defenders • Sentencing/Post Conviction • States • Texas

Recent Posts from StandDown Texas Project


  • The Pen Pal Business

    "Death-Row Pen Pals," is the title of Deidre Depke's Daily Beast report. A Texas inmate, executed Wednesday, sought companionship via the Internet before his death. Inside the death-row pen-pal business—and how felons bid for friends.…

  • Another Call for Juvenile Sentencing Reform

    Toaday's Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania carries the editorial, "Chance for change: Life sentence removes hope for juvenile reform." The question before the U.S. Supreme Court is: Do we believe juveniles sentenced to life in prison…

  • The Case of Cory Maye in Mississippi

    "Why you should care about Cory Maye and Cameron Todd Willingham," is the title of Matt Zeitlin's column in North by Northwestern. It’s hard to imagine a more depressing story than that of Cory Maye.…

  • Max Soffar

    His has been a long and twisted tale, with a career on Texas death row. Soffar has always maintained his innocence. He was originally convicted in 1981of killing three people during a bowling alley robbery.…

  • Federal Court Seeks Info in Ohio Injection Case

    That's the title of an AP report this morning via the Dayton Daily News. LINK A federal appeals court is pushing a condemned killer to say why his lawsuit opposing lethal injection in Ohio shouldn't…

  • Texas Execution

    Following Rick Perry's rejection of clemency for Robert Thompson, recommended by the Board of Pardons and Paroles, Texas conducted its 23nd execution of 2009, last night in Huntsville. It was the 446th Texas execution since…

  • Perry Rejects Commutation - UPDATED

    Governor Rick Perry has rejected a recommendation to commute the death sentence of Robert Thompson. Thompson is scheduled to be executed shortly after 6:00 pm, tonight. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted yesterday,…

  • Keith Hampton

    Jordan Smith writes, "Hampton Runs for Republican-Dominated Court," in the current issue of the Austin Chronicle. Entering the political fray for the first time as a candidate, Austin criminal defense attorney Keith Hampton on Nov.…

  • What the Law Commands

    That's the title of a post by Linda Greenhouse at the New York Times Opinionator blog. LINK As with anything the retired Times' Supreme Court correspondent writes, it's a must-read. I'm going to focus on…

  • Still Waiting on Word From Governor Perry

    Robert Thompson's execution date is just over an hour away. Thompson, his attorneys, and reporters are waiting on Governor Rick Perry to accept or reject the Board of Pardons and Paroles that Thompson's death sentence…