Criminal justice

No one who is committed to the rule of law can rest easy if a single person innocent of a crime spends a single day behind bars. With this in mind, I gladly accepted Gov. Greg Abbott’s appointment to the Timothy Cole Exoneration Review Commission, which began its work in 2015 with genuine bipartisan support to investigate the phenomenon of post-conviction exonerations.

Over six months, 11 members from both sides of the political aisle and with various points of view on the criminal justice process took testimony and considered potential recommendations. In December, we released a report asking the Legislature to consider proposals that protect the innocent and improve public safety.

State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, who chaired the Commission, and state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, have introduced legislation to enact these recommendations. Among other reforms, House Bill 34 would require law enforcement to record interrogations for suspects in felony crimes to reduce the risk of false confessions. It would also require prosecutors to track and disclose information related to jailhouse informants who provide testimony in exchange for benefits. Additionally, it would improve the reliability of eyewitness identification and forensic evidence. Many of the recommendations simply ensure uniformity in varying practices across Texas.

We should all take pride in the fact that our great state seeks continual improvement in the criminal justice system. Hopefully, the Legislature will pass House Bill 34 so that both victims and the accused can be more assured that justice will be served in individual cases before the courts. Charles Eskridge, Houston