Texas Matters
Listen Now
On the Air
KPAC
KSTX
KTXI

<< Return to Texas Matters

Texas Matters - January 27, 2012

Audio Player Requires Flash and JavaScript

Segment 1

Audio Player Requires Flash and JavaScript

In October of 2000, Ernie Lopez was babysitting for a neighbor in Amarillo. Six-month-old Isis Vas went into medical distress. Lopez called 911. and the baby was rushed to the hospital. Hours later, Isis died.

The doctors saw bruises on the child and child abuse was suspected. Lopez was arrested and convicted of sexually assaulting the infant. He was given a 60-year sentence. However, a re-examination of the evidence raises doubt about the conviction. It may be that Lopez is the victim of flawed or biased work by forensic pathologists and other medical professionals. On Wednesday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals threw out the conviction after ruling Lopez received "deficient representation."

Rosa Lopez is Ernie's mother.

Segment 2

Audio Player Requires Flash and JavaScript

The Lopez case was the subject of an investigative journalism report by Frontline on PBS, NPR and ProPublica. A.C. Thompson is a staff reporter for ProPublica.

Segment 3

Audio Player Requires Flash and JavaScript

The Texas Supreme Court has a profound effect on the everyday lives of Texans. It is the court of last resort for non-criminal matters in the state. But according to a scathing report released this week by the advocacy group Texas Watch, over the last 10 years, the majority of Texas Supreme Court decisions have favored corporate interests over consumers. And the panel of judges, according to the report, has repeatedly overstepped its authority by overturning jury verdicts and interpreting the law to benefit the rich.

Alex Winslow is one of the authors of the report titled “Thumbs on the Scale: A Retrospective of the Texas Supreme Court.”

Segment 4

Audio Player Requires Flash and JavaScript

Osler McCarthy is the staff attorney for public information for the Texas Supreme Court. He disagrees with findings of Texas Watch. He dismissed the report and says it  presents an over simplistic view of the legal process.

Segment 5

Audio Player Requires Flash and JavaScript

It remains a mystery what the Texas election map will look like for congressional seats and state legislative seats. The primary has already been pushed back once and could be pushed back again. And it's all because of the legal fight over redistricting. Harvey Kronberg of the Quorum Report joins us to explain how this is shaking up state politics.