Random Friday morning roundup

I've got a busy day but here's some interesting reading material until Grits has more time to post:

Anderson deposition ordered, more prosecutor misconduct allegations in Williamson County
Judge Ken Anderson's motions to the Court of Criminal Appeals were all quashed and he now faces deposition regarding allegations that Williamson County prosecutors withheld evidence in the Michael Morton case. Meanwhile, Wilco Watchdog and Your News Now-Austin have more on separate allegations that the Williamson DA's office withheld evidence in another, more recent case.

Does cell-phone data monitoring too often trump personal privacy?
At the Texas Lawyer, read Peter Crusco on Cell Phone Data and Expectations of Privacy.

Reentry reform
See a power point presentation from the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition's Ana Correa titled "Reentry Reform in Texas: 2005-2011."

Private prisons
Lots of new, interesting material up over at Texas Prison Bidness.

Training magistrates on bail hearings post-Rothgery
From the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, see a power point (ppt) from a judicial training on Article 15.17 magistrate proceedings (bail hearings). All I can say is the Supreme Court's Rothgery ruling doesn't seem to have completely trickled down to the practitioner level. It's mentioned in passing but honored mostly in the breach.

Prep reading to participate in TDCJ, parole board Sunset process
Activists who work on issues related to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the Board of Pardons and Paroles will want to at least skim though their"self evaluation reports" here and here (large pdfs), respectively. They provide tons of sometimes obscure background and detail on day-to-day functions and the Sunset review process provides a unique opportunity to influence how these usually-insular agencies operate. Around 90% of success in politics is just showing up. The Sunset process is an important chance for reformers to address issues where there's seldom an opportunity to do that.