Texas is a state with a rich and colorful history, and January 11th marks some significant events in the state’s past. One such event occurred in 1954, when the case of Hernández v. the State of Texas was brought before the Supreme Court. This landmark case resulted in the reversal of the murder conviction of Pete Hernández, as it was found that no Hispanics had served on the jury. This decision was a pivotal moment in the fight for racial equality and representation in the justice system.
In more recent history, in 2001, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice released a review of the escape of the “Texas 7.” The report highlighted critical missed opportunities by prison staff that allowed the inmates to escape. These missed opportunities included ignoring a fire alarm, not reporting unsupervised inmates, and failing to demand proper identification from inmates. This review shed light on the need for improved security measures within the Texas prison system.