Appeals court stays Texasโ first scheduled 2021 execution
AUSTIN, Texas โ A Texas appeals court has delayed what would have been the first execution scheduled in the state this year. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday granted the stay for Blaine Milam, 31, to review intellectual disability claims. Prosecutors say Milam savagely beat, bit, strangled, and sexually mutilated the girl over a period of 30 hours. In its ruling, the appeals court ordered Milam's claims of intellectual disability be reviewed by his trial court. The U.S, Supreme Court in 2002 barred the execution of intellectually disabled people, but it has given states some discretion to decide how to determine such disabilities.
US defense chief visits North Africa, World War II cemetery
Tunisian Defense Minister Brahim Bartagi, right, talks with U.S Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in Tunis Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived Wednesday in Tunisia, before heading to Algeria and Morocco. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)
TribCast: Texas and the DNC, the fight over police funding and election mailing woes
Protesters march in downtown Austin on July 27, 2020. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune(Audio unavailable. Click here to listen on texastribune.org.) On this week's Tribcast, Alexa talks to Matthew, Alex and Ross about Texans' role at the Democratic National Convention, a new front in the local control fight and what concerns about the U.S Postal Service mean for Texas.