DALLAS -- A judge nicknamed "Killer Keller" by death penalty opponents after she refused to allow an after-hours appeal for a Texas Death-Row inmate before his execution was re-elected Tuesday.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller defeated defense attorney Keith Hampton, a Democrat who lost his bid for a six-year term and failed to break the GOP's hold on the state's highest court for criminal cases.Keller faced discipline in 2010 for closing the court at 5 p.m. on Sept. 25, 2007. Lawyers for condemned killer Michael Richard said they were blocked from filing a last-minute appeal, and he was executed that night for the rape and slaying of a Houston-area nurse.Keller, first elected in 1994, faced removal from the bench over the court's closure. The state Commission on Judicial Conduct instead issued one of the mildest sanctions, a "public warning," which later was tossed on appeal.Keller also has appealed a $100,000 fine -- the largest in Texas Ethics Commission history -- for not disclosing more than $2 million in property and income on her personal financial statements.In other statewide races:Railroad commissionRepublican Christi Craddick has defeated Dale Henry in the race for the open seat on the Texas Railroad Commission.Despite its name, the commission regulates oil and gas exploration across the state.Craddick easily defeated her Democratic rival to fill Place 1 on the three-member commission. Born in Midland, Craddick is an Austin oil and gas attorney whose father is former Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick.Craddick campaigned against overregulation by the Environmental Protection Agency and said the Railroad Commission's name should be changed to reflect its true duties. Henry is a certified petroleum engineer, who had promised closer scrutiny of oil and gas operations in Texas.Democrats did not field candidates against the two Republican incumbents who hold the other seats on the commission.Texas Supreme CourtThe nine-member state Supreme Court had three seats up for election, including Nathan Hecht (Place 6), the longest-serving member of the court since his 1998 election. With just more 30 precincts reported, Hecht had a slight lead over Democratic opponent Michele Petty, a San Antonio attorney, who has made an issue of a $29,000 ethics fine against Hecht in 2007 for an illegal campaign contribution. Hecht appealed and the case is still pending.Republican incumbent Don Willett (Place 2), who did not have a Democratic opponent, was re-elected, easily defeating Liberterian candidate Roberto Koelsch.Former state District Judge John Devine of Houston, who gained attention for fighting to keep the Ten Commandments on display in his courtroom, was elected to the Texas Supreme Court (Place 4) after he defeated incumbent Justice David Medina in the primary.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
