Defendants, Lawyers and Justice Suffer as Pandemic Shuts Down Trials

For 16 years, Bill Price has successfully defended the city’s prostitutes, drug dealers, drunk drivers and the occasional client accused of murder. But against COVID-19 and a dormant criminal justice system, even the gold medal weightlifter-turned-litigator is powerless. “This virus has crippled the courts,” says the veteran defense attorney. “There…

Abbott Announces Expanded Openings, Excludes Bars

Texans have been good, so it’s time for more openings, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday, but don’t count on raising a glass with friends to celebrate. The governor said businesses in the state’s 19 hospital regions where COVID-19 cases compose less than 15% of hospital admissions will be allowed to…

Can Civilianization Save Dallas?

Murders in Dallas are up and the Dallas Police Department has fallen short in trying to decrease the overall violent crime rate. While the mayor and the rest of the City Council argue about where to make appropriate cuts to improve public safety, there is one point of agreement: DPD…

Police Chief U. Reneé Hall’s Resignation Divides Opinion

Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall abruptly announced yesterday that she will leave her post at the end of the year. As she gets ready to close out her tenure with the department, city leaders and residents reflect on Hall’s track record and contemplate what they want out of their…

Journalists Speak Out on Treatment During Police Brutality Protests

As protesters crossed the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge toward a wall of cops on June 1, they chanted “Hands up, don’t shoot!” Members of the media were among the protesters. Photographers’ camera shutters snapped, writers scribbled in their notebooks and some streamed the event live on their phones. Then, the…