Texas Is Issuing Fewer Death Sentences and Executing Fewer Inmates, Report Says

AUSTIN -- Texas executions and death sentences are occurring at the lowest rate in decades, according to a report from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.Only three people in the state were sentenced to death in 2016, and seven others were executed. The numbers are still high compared to other states’ death penalty records for the year, but for Texas, they signal that the practice continues to decrease."Over the last few years we've seen declining use of the death penalty in Texas, both in terms of death sentences and executions," said Kristin Houlé, the coalition's director. "I do think both opinion and practices have changed in recent years."  Continue reading...