News & Commentary

We know that all Texans are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus cases in our state and across the country. This situation requires a large-scale response from state and local leaders. We’re counting on them to protect the health and safety of all Texans, and our rights and civil liberties. We sent the below letter to Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, and the mayors of Texas’ ten largest cities, urging that civil rights and civil liberties not take a backseat as we respond to this situation.

Maria Morris, Senior Staff Attorney, National Prison Project, ACLU

The

This piece originally published in the Fort-Worth Star Telegram.

Criminal justice reform has been a hot button topic in Texas for decades. And with good reason.

Imagine being arrested and accused of a crime. You ask to speak to a lawyer — like most people do — but that request is ignored. Your only way to avoid being locked up is to have $2,000 ready to pay money bail. But you don’t have access to that kind of cash, so you spend nearly two months locked in jail, solely because you were unable to pay for your freedom.

At the age of 19, I lost my right to vote due to a low level, non-violent felony drug conviction. I was sentenced to 22 years in prison, 17 of which was spent on parole, based on a prosecutor’s 45-year sentence recommendation for not accepting a plea bargain and exercising my right to due process.