News from the South - Texas News Feed
Texas may exempt police from deadly conduct charges
“Texas lawmakers want to exempt police from deadly conduct charges” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
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When Austin police responded to a 911 call in a downtown high rise in 2019, they confronted Mauris DeSilva a few feet away from the elevator, in a mental health crisis holding a knife.
Christopher Taylor, an on-duty officer, shot and killed DeSilva that night. DeSilva’s father has said his son was not a threat to the police, only to himself. Prosecutors agreed.
Taylor last year was sentenced to two years in a prison for deadly conduct, a charge only a handful of officers have been convicted of in recent history. Lawyers for Taylor after the sentencing have called the prosecution an abuse of power.
Texas lawmakers are now working to make that kind of sentence impossible. House Bill 2436 would exempt law enforcement officers from being charged with deadly conduct for actions taken in the line of duty. The lower chamber is expected to vote on the bill Monday. The Senate approved a nearly identical bill, Senate Bill 1637, earlier this month.
The bill aims to strengthen protections for law enforcement officers. But critics say the bill gives officers unfettered authority to act recklessly and use an unjustifiable amount of force while on duty.
It’s one of several pieces of legislation this session that aim to increase protections for police officers five years after Texans took to the streets to protest police violence. The legislation aligns with the priorities of Gov. Greg Abbott and other GOP leaders who have been firm in maintaining local police budgets and have pushed Texas political candidates to sign pledges to “back the blue.”
Texas created the deadly conduct charge to help prosecutors around the state combat the rise of gang violence such as drive-by shootings in Texas. In recent years, a handful of police officers around the state like Taylor have been on trial for deadly conduct. Officers in Dallas were indicted on deadly conduct charges over how they launched rubber bullets against demonstrators in 2020. An ongoing case in Austin, where officer Daniel Sanchez shot Rajan Moonesinghe in his home while responding to a 911 call, hinges on the statute.
“It wasn’t intended for that at all,” Rep. Cole Hefner, the Mount Pleasant Republican who authored the bill, said in a committee hearing this month. “We want to protect [police officers] in doing the official duties of their job from these prosecutors that may be a little bit politically motivated sometimes.”
Republican lawmakers have clashed with local left-leaning prosecutors in recent years over their interpretations of the law and how they have used their discretion over which cases to pursue.
Jerry Staton was an Austin police officer for 25 years and now trains police officers in how and when to use firearms. Law enforcement officers regularly have to point and fire guns as part of the job. Staton said that means that officers are at risk of violating the deadly conduct statute everytime they go out and do their job.
Staton sat through much of Taylor’s trial, during which a grand jury went through 30 hours of deliberations before sentencing.
“I was in awe that this particular charge could be brought to a police officer … who did exactly what he was trained to do in a situation that he had very little flexibility in how to deal with it,” said Staton in committee testimony. “This has got to be fixed.”
Earlier versions of the House and Senate bills were written to be applied retroactively to cases like Taylor’s but that provision has since been removed.
Critics of HB 2436 argue an exemption like this shields police officers from accountability for recklessly discharging firearms. They worry the bill removes a mechanism for holding law enforcement accountable for misconduct or excessive use of force.
“Allowing police to shoot at people without justification will make our community and our law enforcement officers less safe,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza.
“Bad actors and mistakes do happen in every profession and our police officers, our police force, is not an exception to that,” said Yasmine Smith, a vice president of justice and advocacy for the nonprofit Austin Area Urban League. “We must hold those bad actors accountable.”
Multiple critics raised concerns the legislation may have unintended consequences: Prosecutors may end up pursuing more severe charges against police officers, which come with harsher penalties.
The range of punishment is five to 99 years for murder, and two to 20 years for aggravated assault, compared to two to 10 years for deadly conduct. Taylor, the Austin officer, was initially indicted for murder over DeSilva’s death but that charge was later downgraded to deadly misconduct.
“If a police officer gets charged with murder now because he or she is a police officer, they don’t get the benefit of that very lesser offense because of this statute,” said John Creuzot, the Dallas County district attorney and a former judge. “That doesn’t make sense.”
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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/28/texas-police-deadly-conduct-exempt/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
The post Texas may exempt police from deadly conduct charges appeared first on feeds.texastribune.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This article from The Texas Tribune reports on a proposed Texas law that would exempt law enforcement officers from being charged with deadly conduct for actions taken in the line of duty. While the article presents information from both supporters and critics of the bill, the framing and inclusion of details, such as the reference to GOP leaders’ “back the blue” pledges and the concerns raised by the Travis and Dallas County District Attorneys, suggest a slight leaning towards skepticism of the bill and a focus on police accountability, which aligns with a center-left perspective.
News from the South - Texas News Feed
Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud on Austin, faith, mentorship and this NFL season
SUMMARY: Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, a promising NFL talent and Ohio State alumnus, visited Austin’s C4 Nutrabolt headquarters to film a C4 Energy video. His partnership with C4 began in college, and he values the brand’s community involvement. Stroud, who spends time in Austin due to his agent and charity events, appreciates the city’s nature and local spots like The Guest House and lakes. A man of faith, he credits spirituality and mentorship for his growth, encouraging young athletes to embrace failure and be authentic. Focused on personal improvement heading into the new season, Stroud feels grateful for his Houston home and C4 partnership.
The post Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud on Austin, faith, mentorship and this NFL season appeared first on www.kxan.com
News from the South - Texas News Feed
NY AG steps into legal fight over abortion pills, shield law
“NY attorney general will intervene in Texas abortion pill access lawsuit” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday said she will intervene in a legal fight over Texas’ ban on abortion pills, escalating a national showdown between states that have restricted abortion access and others that are defending practitioners who offer services to out-of-state women.
Her decision came over a month after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued a New York county clerk for refusing to file a six-figure judgment against a doctor accused of prescribing abortion drugs to a Texas woman. This continues a legal battle over shield laws that experts say will likely reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I am stepping in to defend the integrity of our laws and our courts against this blatant overreach,” James said in a news release. “Texas has no authority in New York, and no power to impose its cruel abortion ban here.”
In a statement to The Texas Tribune, Paxton called the New York attorney general “a lawless abortionist” and said that he will defeat her in court.
The legal fight first started in December 2024 when Paxton sued Dr. Margaret Carpenter, accusing her of mailing abortion pills from New York to a woman in Collin County in violation of Texas law. Carpenter is the co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, which helps abortion providers in states with so-called shield laws.
Shield law protections, which exist in over 20 states, seek to legally protect health care professionals and others who provide abortion-related services to those who live in states with abortion bans.
In February, a Collin County judge ordered the New York doctor to stop providing abortion pills to Texans and to pay more than $113,000 in penalties and fees.
Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck refused to file the judgment in March and cited his state’s shield law, which was passed in 2023 following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
Bruck again rejected a second Texas attempt to enforce the judgment in July.
Paxton then sued the clerk later that month in Ulster County. His office also argued in a court document that New York’s shield law violates the U.S. Constitution’s full faith and credit clause, which requires states to respect other states’ “public acts, records, and judicial proceedings.”
“No matter where [Carpenter] hides, our pro-life laws will be enforced, and justice will be served,” Paxton said Monday. “The Constitution expressly requires states to recognize the judicial enactments of other states’ courts, and New York, unsurprisingly, is choosing to ignore that constitutional requirement.”
James said she will submit a legal filing later this month to argue that New York has the legal right to safeguard its residents and courts against “out-of-state overreach.” She said Monday that she has formally notified the case’s judge of that decision.
“Our shield law exists to protect New Yorkers from out-of-state extremists, and New York will always stand strong as a safe haven for health care and freedom of choice,” she said in the news release.
Besides this legal fight with New York, Paxton has joined over a dozen other attorneys general from Republican-led states in July in calling on Congress to take action against abortion shield laws. They similarly argued that such laws infringe on the Constitution’s full faith and credit clause and the extradition clause.
The Texas Legislature also just advanced a bill allowing private residents to sue anyone who manufactures or distributes abortion drugs to or from the state. Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to take action on the legislation passed during the second special session.
Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas’ most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November.
TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/08/exas-new-york-abortion-pill-access-lawsuit-shield-law/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
The post NY AG steps into legal fight over abortion pills, shield law appeared first on feeds.texastribune.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This article is framed with a neutral to center-left leaning perspective. It reports on a contentious legal battle over abortion pill access, highlighting actions taken by Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James and Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. The article gives considerable attention to New York’s shield law protections and frames Texas’ abortion restrictions as “cruel” and an “overreach,” reflecting language often used in progressive discourse supporting abortion rights. However, it also fairly includes perspectives and legal actions from conservative actors, maintaining an overall factual tone typical of center-left news outlets focused on issues of reproductive rights and state-level legal conflicts.
News from the South - Texas News Feed
Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga shine at MTV VMAs with wins and performances
SUMMARY: At the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, Ariana Grande won Video of the Year and Best Pop Video, thanking “therapists and gay people” in her speech. Lady Gaga, the top nominee, won Artist of the Year and performed at Madison Square Garden, emphasizing the deep meaning of artistry. Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award with a medley of hits, while a tribute celebrated the late Ozzy Osbourne with performances by rock legends. Busta Rhymes earned the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin received the first Latin Icon Award. Hosted by LL Cool J, the show featured performances by Doja Cat, Post Malone, Taylor Swift, and more, broadcast on CBS for the first time.
The post Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga shine at MTV VMAs with wins and performances appeared first on www.kxan.com
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