Texas
US executes 5 men in 6 days.\nTexas leads death penalty numbers with over 580 since 1980s
Trump calls for mass deportations, death penalty for drug dealers
Donald Trump during a town hall event in Michigan again called for massive deportations and the death penalty for people who sell the illegal drugs.
With three days remaining in a six-day span of executions, four men are watching the clock as they await their scheduled deaths. The series began on Friday with South Carolina’s execution of Freddie Owens, despite new doubts about his guilt.
Owens’ execution will be followed by two double executions on Tuesday and Thursday.
On Tuesday, Texas plans to execute Travis James Mullis for the 2008 murder of his infant son, while Missouri is set to execute Marcellus Williams for the 1998 fatal stabbing of a former reporter, despite prosecutors and the victim’s family urging clemency.
After Tuesday’s back-to-back executions, Thursday is expected to bring another double execution in Alabama and Oklahoma.
Alabama plans to use nitrogen gas to execute Alan Eugene Miller, convicted of the 1999 shooting deaths of three co-workers, despite evidence of his mental illness. A witness to the state’s previous nitrogen gas execution in January described the method as “horrific.”
Oklahoma is set to execute Emmanuel Littlejohn in the death of a convenience store clerk in 1992 despite his arguments that he wasn’t the shooter
The United States has long been criticized for its use of the death penalty, but several states still allow executions.
How many states have the death penalty?
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 21 states still practice the death penalty:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Wyoming
Six states still consider the death penalty legal but have put executions on hold for various reasons: Arizona, California, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
Texas leads the nation in death penalty numbers
Texas has carried out 589 executions, more than four times the number of the second-leading state for the death penalty.
The following are the five states with the most executions since the early 1980s, according to the Death Penalty Information Center:
- Texas: 589
- Oklahoma: 125
- Virginia: 113
- Florida: 106
- Missouri: 99
Last year, Texas executed eight inmates and has executed three so far this year, with at least three more scheduled by the end of 2024.
Texas man challenging ‘shaken baby syndrome’ conviction based on ‘junk science’
One of those scheduled is Robert Roberson, whose conviction for “shaken baby syndrome” has sparked significant controversy. Many believe he was wrongfully convicted based on “junk science” and that he is not responsible for the death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki.
Texas legislators and the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty assert that Roberson is innocent, arguing he has spent over 20 years on death row for a “crime that never occurred.” They contend that “new scientific and medical evidence” suggests Nikki, who was chronically ill, died of natural or accidental causes, and that Roberson should not be held accountable.
Roberson maintains his innocence. In 2016, after Texas became the first state to pass a “junk science law”—which allows individuals to appeal convictions based on debunked forensic science—he filed a new writ of habeas corpus. In the motion, he claimed that new scientific evidence contradicted the shaken baby syndrome theory used to convict him, that the evidence used at trial was scientifically invalid, that he was innocent, and that the use of scientifically invalid evidence violated his right to a fair trial.
Since the law was enacted in 2013, no Texan on death row has successfully secured a new trial. Last week, the Texas House majority advocated for his clemency.
If the execution scheduled for Oct. 17 is carried out, Roberson would become the first person in the United States to be put to death based on a shaken baby syndrome diagnosis.
More: OPINION: Will Texas execute a likely innocent man? That’s what high-profile supporters say | Grumet
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday he has secured a settlement of bankruptcy claims against genetic testing company 23andMe stemming from a 2023 data breach that exposed personal information, including some genetic ancestry data, of 6.9 million customers worldwide.
Paxton’s office said the settlement includes $150 million for a multistate coalition of 42 states. But because of limited funds in 23andMe’s bankruptcy estate and competing claims, the states’ recovery will be $18 million paid immediately, with Texas receiving $1,266,860.
23andMe disclosed in October 2023 that attackers had accessed accounts affecting 6.9 million consumers. Some of the information was later posted for sale on the dark web, according to Paxton’s office, which said the company learned of the breach months after the data became publicly available. The office said 23andMe initially denied a breach and later blamed consumers’ account settings and password practices.
Paxton joined a multistate investigation that concluded 23andMe used unreasonable security practices and failed to implement adequate safeguards against hacking, the office said.
23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2025. Paxton’s office said the settlement incorporates privacy and cybersecurity requirements, including enhanced security standards, comprehensive risk assessments and creation of an independent advisory board, along with enforcement of state privacy laws and continued consumer data deletion rights.
“Companies that collect and profit from Texans’ most personal information have a legal duty to protect it,” Paxton said in a statement.
The company also agreed to a $46.75 million class-action settlement in the bankruptcy case for affected U.S. consumers who submitted claims by Feb. 17, 2026, Paxton’s office said.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
The Texas Longhorns entered the 2025 season with more expectations than any team has had to deal with in recent memory.
Many among the media were ready to crown the team and quarterback Arch Manning before they even played one game. Of course, those unrealistic expectations were never met, even though the team finished with a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines.
2026 is heading in the same direction for the Longhorns. Many believe head coach Steve Sarkisian has the most talented team in the country. But in order to fix the issues from this past season, the Longhorns needed to fix one issue that has cost them in the past.
Changing The Narrative
One of the biggest issues the Longhorns had last season was the play of the offensive line. It was apparent in the first game of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes that Manning didn’t have the pocket time needed to make big plays.
This offseason, Coach Sarkisian went out and found two massive transfer portal additions that should completely change the narrative on this offensive line.
It starts with potential starting right tackle Melvin Siani. Siani has spent time with the Temple Owls and last season with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The Longhorns are set at left tackle with Trevor Goosby, who could play himself into being a top 10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. If the team can get competent play from Siani, the offense will be able to open up the playbook, and the world may finally see Manning at his college peak.
The Longhorns also went out and found a potential fix at left guard for the 2026 season. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers transfer Laurence Seymore could be another strong patch for the holes in the offensive line.
After spending the first two seasons of his college career with the Miami Hurricanes, Seymore made stops with the Akron Zips and the Hilltoppers.
Of course, the one concern with Seymore is wondering if he can compete at the SEC level coming from the C-USA.
This season for the Longhorns starts and stops with the play of Manning. Coach Sarkisian and the rest of this coaching staff understood that protecting their quarterback was the most important goal when building the 2026 roster.
The Longhorns are going to be leaning on veteran talent to protect their quarterback, and it may very well be the best decision they made this offseason.
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