Texas Lawyer Coverage of Integrity Unit Meeting

Mary Alice Robbins writes, "Spot Checks of DNA Labs on the Table at TCJIU Meeting," for Texas Lawyer.

With the state Legislature's next regular session beginning in less than five months, lawmakers on the recently formed Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit have urged other TCJIU members to reach consensus on reforms and start the ball rolling on bills.

If reforms in the criminal justice system need state money, the unit must start working on the funding needs now, state Rep. Jim McReynolds, D-Lufkin, and a TCJIU member, told the group during its inaugural meeting Aug. 5.

"We can't wait until January," McReynolds said.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis, a Houston Democrat who chairs the New York City-based Innocence Project's board of directors and is a member of the TCJIU, said the unit should ask Gov. Rick Perry to attach an "emergency tag" to reform legislation it proposes.

"If we need to get bills passed, the governor ought to give them priority," Ellis said.

Citing growing concerns about the state's criminal justice system, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals established the 13-member unit in June. Its first meeting was held in the CCA's courtroom. In addition to state legislators, the TCJIU's membership includes judges, prosecutors, criminal-defense attorneys, a representative of Perry's office and others.

CCA Judge Barbara Hervey, the unit's chairwoman, made it clear that education will be one of the group's goals. "First and foremost, we need to educate everyone in the Texas criminal justice system with an eye toward improvements and to get everyone on the same page," Hervey said.

One of Hervey's goals is to improve the reliability of DNA laboratories. To accomplish that, Hervey wants to create a traveling DNA lab to conduct spot inspections at labs around the state. According to Hervey, the mobile lab could work much like a local health department, which makes unannounced visits to restaurants to inspect their premises.

Robbins notes that the group will next meet September 25.  Earlier coverage, and another view of the meeting, is here, via Grits.