Texas Legislator Introduces Death Penalty Moratorium Bill
Texas State Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) filed legislation to put a two-year ban on executions while a nine-member commission studies capital punishment in Texas.  The commission would examine the quality of defense attorneys and the appellate review process and report back to the Texas Legislature in 2003.  "Let's fix the whole system once and for all," Dutton said.  "That was the whole reason for the bill."  (Houston Chronicle, 1/18/01)