HOUSTON — A Harvard Law School study reports that racial bias, over-aggressive prosecutions and inadequate representation for poor defendants plagues Harris County’s handling of death penalty cases. Harris County was named one of 16 “outlier” counties in the U.S. where five or more death sentences were assessed in 2010-15. Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said her office is judicious in its use of the death penalty. RelatedThe last Harris County trial in which prosecutors sought the death penalty ended in November, when 28-year-old Johnathan Sanchez was given life without parole. However, the Harris County District Attorney’s office is now seeking the death penalty in two cases.

Source: National Post August 27, 2016 17:26 UTC