Nice piece by @michellepitcher.bsky.social covering the challenges to an investigation of ICE's killing Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. It was odd that city officials misinterpreted the defense federal agents have, reasonably performing their duties, with a www.texasobserver.org/houston-ice-...

Houston Is Testing Whether Trump’s ICE Is Above Texas Law

After the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, local authorities have struggled to stake their claim on an investigation into a killing within the most populous Texas city’s limits.

texasobserver.org

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Local officials' attempts to investigate the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo have been stonewalled at every turn. They've even consulted with Minneapolis for tips on forcing ICE to face justice.

Houston Is Testing Whether Trump’s ICE Is Above Texas Law

After the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, local authorities have struggled to stake their claim on an investigation into a killing within the most populous Texas city’s limits.

texasobserver.org

In books, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Paul Skalnik was a bigamist and a con artist who passed bad checks and role-played as a successful businessman, and yet a man's life hung in the balance based on his doubtful testimony in a death penalty trial.

Review: A Jailhouse Snitch and the System that Made Him

Pamela Colloff’s debut book is a propulsive study of a fatally flawed tactic beloved by prosecutors in Texas and beyond.

texasobserver.org

I've watched for over a year while @josephinelee.bsky.social has toiled over this story. It's a feat of reporting and an incredible read: In Texas Schools, a Crisis of Arrests of Kids as Young as 10 www.texasobserver.org/texas-school... - via @TexasObserver

In Texas Schools, a Crisis of Arrests of Kids as Young as 10

A groundbreaking data analysis shows how districts across the state are arresting and citing children for common misbehavior, leaving lasting trauma as the Legislature rejects bills to raise the age o...

texasobserver.org

New, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social in our magazine: In the long-awaited debut from a legend of Texas magazine journalism, Pamela Colloff reveals how the actions of one conman had life-or-death consequences and illuminate the flaws in our justice system.

Review: A Jailhouse Snitch and the System that Made Him

Pamela Colloff’s debut book is a propulsive study of a fatally flawed tactic beloved by prosecutors in Texas and beyond.

texasobserver.org

Ruining another casual conversation by saying that generative AI is incredibly unreliable even for that one little thing you like to use it for

Y'all check out the great work of @michellepitcher.bsky.social and @wesferguson.bsky.social, The Unforgotten: Riding Shotgun, which is currently #6 in top series on Apple (!) podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

ICYMI: I reported and hosted Season 5 of The Unforgotten: Riding Shotgun. We dove into the curious death penalty case against Charles Flores, who was convicted after a key witness was hypnotized by police. Check it out anywhere you get your podcasts. (Apple chose us as a featured show this week!)

A federal court has temporarily blocked Edward Busby’s execution Thursday, but the state is pushing back. If his execution goes forward, he’ll be the 600th person executed in Texas since 1982.

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Lawyers used rap lyrics to encourage an all-white jury to sentence James Broadnax to death. He's still facing death this month even though another man confessed to the crime.rap/

A Looming Execution Raises Questions of Race, Responsibility, and Rap

James Broadnax is set to be executed April 30. But someone else has admitted to the crime.

texasobserver.org

Episode 4 of Unforgotten: Riding Shotgun, with @michellepitcher.bsky.social, is out today wherever you find podcasts! Read our preview of this true crime saga of hypnosis, the death penalty, and possible wrongful conviction:

'Riding Shotgun': New Observer True Crime Podcast Explores Death Row Case of Charles Flores

With Free Range Productions, Michelle Pitcher digs deep into a conviction involving a dubious hypnosis technique.

texasobserver.org

The Observer is one of 5 outlets joining in the second year of ProPublica's local Texas Investigative Initiative: www.propublica.org/atpropublica...

ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Launch Second Year of Texas Investigative Initiative

propublica.org

If TX continues to install A/C at its current pace, it would take ~70 years for all inmates to have climate control, Judge Robert Pitman wrote in an order throwing out TDCJ's motion for summary judgment last week. 90,000 inmates don’t. Plaintiffs are asking cells be kept b/w 65-85 degrees #txlege

Bayliss Wagner@baylisswagner.bsky.social · 4mo ago

NEW: Most Texas prisoners live in cells w/o A/C. A trial starting today could change that. The plaintiffs cite heat-related inmate deaths & staff illnesses as proof of cruel & unusual punishment. Texas argues it's moving as fast as it can to install A/C. #txlege www.expressnews.com/politics/art...

From @michellepitcher.bsky.social and Free Range Productions ... "The Unforgotten: Riding Shotgun," a true crime podcast about potential wrongful convictions, hypnosis, and the death penalty. Featured preview:

'Riding Shotgun': New Observer True Crime Podcast Explores Death Row Case of Charles Flores

With Free Range Productions, Michelle Pitcher digs deep into a conviction involving a dubious hypnosis technique.

texasobserver.org

“They have no DNA. They have no fingerprints. They have no ballistics. They have no fibers—they have nothing that you would think of as objective evidence connecting Charles to this crime scene.”

Michelle Pitcher@michellepitcher.bsky.social · 5mo ago

We partnered with The Unforgotten to do a podcast! If you're interested in potential wrongful convictions, hypnosis, or the death penalty—or if you just want to go on a wild ride during your commute—check out ‘Riding Shotgun’ wherever you listen to podcasts. www.texasobserver.org/riding-shotg...

We partnered with The Unforgotten to do a podcast! If you're interested in potential wrongful convictions, hypnosis, or the death penalty—or if you just want to go on a wild ride during your commute—check out ‘Riding Shotgun’ wherever you listen to podcasts. www.texasobserver.org/riding-shotg...

'Riding Shotgun': New Observer True Crime Podcast Explores Death Row Case of Charles Flores

With Free Range Productions, Michelle Pitcher digs deep into a conviction involving a dubious hypnosis technique.

texasobserver.org

Behold, the Observer enters the 21st century -- with @michellepitcher.bsky.social and @wesferguson.bsky.social. A podcast! www.texasobserver.org/riding-shotg...

'Riding Shotgun': New Observer True Crime Podcast Explores Death Row Case of Charles Flores

With Free Range Productions, Michelle Pitcher digs deep into a conviction involving a dubious hypnosis technique.

texasobserver.org

In exciting news, Texas Observer Staff Writer @michellepitcher.bsky.social has co-won the Texas Institute of Letters’ short nonfiction award and Investigations Editor @liseolsen.bsky.social has won for best nonfiction book! Congratulations! See the winners here:

WINNERS OF 2026 LITERARY AWARDS

Below you’ll find the official press release announcing the award and honor winners for this year’s fourteen literary award categories. Press Release-2026 contest winnersDownload

texasinstituteofletters.org

INBOX: Texas wants to decide if Andre Thomas is mentally competent to be executed. A doctor says he's not even well enough to go to the hearing. I wrote in 2023 about Thomas, one of "the most mentally ill prisoners serving a death sentence in Texas history." www.texasobserver.org/andre-thomas...

Pitcher extensively covered complaints against this judge- now presumed DA elect. Many members of the #Dallas bar expressed concern- including about the time this judge had a staffer impersonate her on Zoom. @texasobserver.org www.texasobserver.org/who-judges-t... @michellepitcher.bsky.social

Inside a Bizarre Case of (Alleged) Judicial Impersonation in Dallas

In Texas, an opaque system undermines accountability for judges.

texasobserver.org

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Last week, former Dallas County District Judge Amber Givens was fighting her sanctions for judicial misconduct before the Texas Supreme Court. Today, she’s the presumptive Democratic nominee and likely next district attorney for one of Texas’ biggest counties.

Sanctioned Judge Upsets Incumbent in Dallas District Attorney Race

Amber Givens beat out two-term DA John Creuzot in Tuesday’s primary, sending shockwaves through the local political and courthouse scene.

texasobserver.org

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Without a clear frontrunner or heir apparent, the race is wide open. That leaves a big impending hole at the top of a prosecutor’s office that handles about 60,000 criminal cases a year.

A Motley Crew of Dems Vie to Become New Bexar County DA

Eight candidates are running to be the Democratic nominee in the open race for the district attorney’s office. None are frontrunners.

texasobserver.org

The first officer to be tried over the botched police response to the 2022 elementary school shooting in Uvalde was acquitted yesterday. The whole trial has raised the question: How helpful are school police? www.texasobserver.org/uvalde-trial... - via @TexasObserver

Uvalde Trial Raises Question of Whether Police Stop School Shootings

Since Columbine, expectations for cops have been clear. But reality often hasn’t measured up.

texasobserver.org

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Since 1999, the year of the Columbine shooting in Colorado, the federal government has devoted an estimated $1 billion to putting sworn police officers in schools. But the efficacy of these officers remains unproven, especially in the case of mass shootings.

Uvalde Trial Raises Question of Whether Police Stop School Shootings

Since Columbine, expectations for cops have been clear. But reality often hasn’t measured up.

texasobserver.org

Drug deaths are rising in Texas prisons and state jails, and synthetic cannabinoids like K2 have become the primary killer. Jackie Wiley went into a state jail on a drug charge. He never made it out. www.texasobserver.org/state-jails-...

In Texas State Jails, a Rising Death Toll and a Broken Promise

Once billed as rehabilitative alternatives to prisons, these facilities are the sites of fatal overdoses—like that which ended the life of a Texan named Jackie Wiley.

texasobserver.org

From @michellepitcher.bsky.social in our magazine: Between January 2020 and July 2025, at least 189 Texas prisoners died of drug-related causes—and each year through 2024 was deadlier than the last. In 110 cases, synthetic cannabinoids were likely involved.

In Texas State Jails, a Rising Death Toll and a Broken Promise

Once billed as rehabilitative alternatives to prisons, these facilities are the sites of fatal overdoses—like that which ended the life of a Texan named Jackie Wiley.

texasobserver.org

#BestOf2025, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: “The State of Texas makes every inmate seem like the most evil, horrible [person]. We demonize them, and we don’t see the trauma of people like Pam Perillo.”

Pam Perillo’s Sisterhood of the Condemned

She's a death row survivor, but she doesn't think she's really any different from her friends who are still set to die.

texasobserver.org

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Pam Perillo doesn’t celebrate the fact that she walked free after expecting to be executed. She has no explanation for why she was spared, except that “God must still have a lot of work to do.”

Pam Perillo’s Sisterhood of the Condemned

She's a death row survivor, but she doesn't think she's really any different from her friends who are still set to die.

texasobserver.org

From @michellepitcher.bsky.social, in our magazine: Silence is not sacred at Alienated Majesty Books in Austin, where literary knowledge and loud live music go hand in hand.

A Night at the Screamo Bookstore

An Austin literary shop has branched out into loud concerts, cementing a place in the city’s DIY music scene.

texasobserver.org

The Court of Criminal Appeals has stayed Robert Roberson’s execution, sending his case back to a lower court for reconsideration. He was scheduled to be executed in less than a week.