This seven-part series explores the shared roots, conditions, and consequences of incarceration in two Southern states that exemplify the extremes of systemic injustice—Texas and Alabama. Through this series, I aim to expose the scale of the crisis, trace the historical roots, humanize its impact and envision a path toward justice and redemption.
Texas, with its sprawling prison system and harsh sentencing laws, serves as a case study in mass incarceration. Alabama, with its overcrowded facilities and racialized punishment, reveals the enduring legacy of slavery and segregation.
I chose these two states not only for their extremes, but because they represent personal and political touchstones—places where the carceral crisis is both deeply rooted and urgently visible. I practice criminal defense in Texas, which gives me a front-row seat to the system’s daily machinery. For years, Harris County—where I primarily practice—was known as the death penalty capital of the world. Between 1992 and 1998, the county handed down an average of 12 death sentences per year. (Source: Texas Defender Service, “Arbitrary and Capricious: Examining Racial Disparities in Harris County’s Pursuit of Death Sentences,” 2024)
The Burdine case—where a defense attorney actually slept through parts of his client’s capital trial—still haunts me. In Burdine v. Johnson (2001), the Fifth Circuit acknowledged that the defense attorney slept through portions of the capital trial.
Alabama entered my heart through the book and film Just Mercy, which stirred something deep and enduring, especially in how it illuminated the moral weight of capital defense. That connection deepened when I visited the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum in Montgomery and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute—spaces that made the history of racial injustice visceral and unforgettable. Those experiences helped shape my decision to include Alabama in this series.
Their histories are distinct, but their present-day realities echo each other in ways that demand attention.
Each post pairs insights from both states, inviting readers to reflect on the human cost of punishment and the possibility of mercy-minded reform. By understanding the depth of the crisis and the humanity of those affected, we can begin to imagine a justice system rooted in mercy, dignity, and hope.
To guide readers through this journey, I’ve included a release timeline beginning with this post.
Release Timeline:
- Series Introduction (this post): Sunday, September 7
- Texas and Alabama Posts: Released in pairs every other Wednesday beginning September 10
- Preview of Final Reflective Post: Friday, October 24
- Final Reflective Post: Sunday, October 26
We do not study systems to admire their design—we study them to dismantle what harms and rebuild what heals.
On (In)justice 