Austin Police Officer No-Billed in Fatal Shooting
An Austin Police officer will not face charges after fatally shooting a man last year.
A Travis County Grand Jury decided not to indict Officer Steven Peña.
Police say Peña shot Gilberto Vallejo last May after Vallejo fired a weapon at police. Police were responding to a call in Southeast Austin on a report that Vallejo was trying to shoot his way into an apartment to get to an ex-girlfriend.
Abbott Relents on Some Voter ID Lawsuit Demands
The Department of Justice has accused Texas of causing delays and holdups in the upcoming Voter ID trial.
Now, The Austin American-Statesman reports that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has made a move aimed at moving the trial along more quickly:
…Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has quietly dropped his opposition to the Department of Justice's request to take depositions from state lawmakers in the voter identification case. In March, Abbott asked a federal court in Washington to shield 12 state lawmakers from giving depositions in the state's voter identification case against the Justice Department. Citing legislative privilege, Abbott's office said that the department's requests to depose lawmakers and subpoena records amounted to "an unwarranted federal intrusion into the operations of the Texas Legislature." But now, Abbott has decided to stop trying to prevent the depositions, said Jerry Strickland, a spokesman for Abbott. "In order to move the case forward without delay, the State agreed to allow depositions to proceed," Strickland said in a statement.
Despite threats of delay, the trial is set to begin in July. Abbott hopes if the court rules in favor of the state, the Voter ID law could be in place for the November elections.
Republicans say photo identification is needed at the polls to prevent voter fraud. Democrats say it would disenfranchise some voters, including minorities.
Get Your Free Slurpee Today!
7-Eleven is celebrating summer (and promoting their new Slupee Lite flavors) by giving out free Slurpees today—while supplies last.
According to the “SlurpFREE Day” event page on Facebook, you just have to stop by any participating 7-Eleven store from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. today. It’s no Big Gulp, the give-a-way is a 7.11 ounce Slurpee.
There are several 7-Eleven stores around town. Click here to find one near you.
