Dallas Bar Salutes Excellence in Legal Reporting (Texas Monthly honored for Sharon Keller reporting)

[Heidi]

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Best in the Magazine Feature category was Michael Hall from Texas Monthly, for his detailed account of the controversy surrounding presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals Sharon Keller. “The Judgment of Sharon Keller” provided an inside view into the recent storm surrounding the judge. The Philbin judges commented that Hall did a good job of getting into the facts, but also giving Keller’s side of the story.
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The Texas Monthly story: The Judgment of Sharon Keller
Last paragraph of this award-winning article:
At the June 10 meeting of the task force, Bob Spangenberg, one of the nation’s leading experts on indigent defense programs, gave a presentation. “From 2002 through 2008,” he said, “Texas provided greater amounts of funds for indigent defendants than any state in the country. You’ve really done a wonderful job. Texas is no longer the death capital of the world—sleeping lawyers and all that stuff. People are tired of that—Texans are tired of that. And there’s a long ways to go.” Keller, in her canary-yellow suit, sat quietly, slightly swaying from side to side in her chair, a half-smile on her face. If she felt any pride at Spangenberg’s kudos, she didn’t show it. She also showed no discomfort at his veiled criticisms, but she really had no reason to. Keller was elected by Texans who are in fact not at all tired of the death penalty, who believe that if you kill someone, you deserve the ultimate punishment. Keller, the kind, decent, implacable face of the state criminal justice system, is proud to give it, with no compromise, no doubt, and no mercy.

[tammywammy]

1. Recommended n/t