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Biden Has 65 Days Left in Office. Here’s What He Can Do on Criminal Justice.

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Judicial appointments and the death penalty are among areas where a lame-duck administration can still leave a mark. Donald Trump’s second presidential term will begin on Jan. 20, bringing with it promises to dramatically reshape many aspects of the criminal justice system. The U.S. Senate — with its authority over confirming judicial nominees — will also shift from Democratic to Republican control.
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Texas | Judge recommends new trial for Clinton Young

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29 April 2021

On Wednesday April 21, the closing arguments in Clinton’s case took place on Zoom and were live broadcasted on YouTube. 

At the end of the hearing, the judge said that he would recommend a new trial, and yesterday he filed that recommendation! This recommendation will now be sent to the Court of Criminal Appeals who will make the final decision. 

This is a major step towards justice! 

We will have to wait for the CCA’s decision, but we are very grateful and happy about this outcome.

Why a new trial?


The prosecutor who worked on Clinton Young’s trial, Ralph Petty, was secretly working as a paid law clerk for two judges who presided over Clinton’s case. 

In his capacity as a law clerk, Petty drafted rulings and advisory memos for the judges that were used for the judges’ orders and rulings in Clinton’s case. 

To learn more, read this USA Today article.

January hearing


The hearing in January involved fact-finding around the issue of District Judge Hyde paying Mr. Ralph Petty as a ‘de facto law clerk’ to perform work on Clinton’s trial and post-conviction proceedings while Petty was also appearing as a prosecutor for the State throughout Clinton’s trial and post-conviction proceedings (starting in 2001 and onward). 

Want to know everything that happened during Clinton’s evidentiary hearing in January? Read our full report here.

Full order


You can now read the order of the trial judge, recommending to the CCA that Clinton should receive a new trial, on our website.

Source: clintonyoungfoundation.com-for-clinton-young, Staff, April 29, 2021


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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Location: Texas, USA
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