Who Judges the Judges?
A bizarre Dallas case involving the alleged impersonation of a judge on Zoom tests the state's opaque system of judicial accountability.
Michelle Pitcher
Michelle Pitcher is a staff writer at the Texas Observer covering criminal justice, housing, and education. She received her master’s in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley and was part of the team at The Marshall Project that won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Her reporting has been featured on NPR, FiveThirtyEight, The Dallas Morning News, and more. Michelle was born and raised in Dallas and is now based in Austin.
Articles by Michelle Pitcher
‘He Failed to Signal’: When DPS Traffic Stops Turn Deadly
Shandra Hodge speaks out about her son’s death at the hands of state troopers in 2019.
Prison Journalist Shows Why We Need a Free Press—Even Behind Bars
Jason Walker has been reporting from inside his cell at great risk to his personal safety.
Austin PD’s Bad DNA Analysis Nearly Cost This Man His Life
Billy Faircloth was sentenced to 60 years in prison, but an appeals court overturned his conviction.
Dallas’ Evidence Fiasco: An Exoneree’s Lawyer Speaks
Cheryl Wattley helped free Richard Miles, who spent more than a decade in prison for a murder he didn’t commit.
This Burned-out Texas Teacher Unseated His School Board President
The Texas public school system almost broke Andrew Gonzales' spirit. Then he won a leadership role in Austin Independent School District.
Two Executions, Many Questions about Mental Health, Innocence
Texas' deadly spring continues: Two Black men, Gary Green and Arthur Brown Jr. are set to be killed this week by the state.
‘One of the Most Mentally Ill’ Inmates in Texas Is About to Be Executed
Andre Thomas is scheduled to be executed in April.
Mapping the Legacy of Prison Hunger Strikes in Texas
"I'm willing to die for the cause, because I can't live."
Supreme Court Sides with Defense on Death Row Case
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals will now reconsider Areli Escobar’s case which prosecutors and defense attorneys agree relied on flawed forensics.