A Texas lawyer active in death penalty litigation has taken over as the new president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Cynthia Orr, an associate at Goldstein, Goldstein & Hilley in San Antonio, Texas, became president of the Washington, D.C.-based organization last week. She’s a longtime member of the association’s leadership and a past president of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, a state affiliate.
In representing one death row inmate, Miguel Angel Martinez of Laredo, Texas, Orr won a reduction of his sentence to life in prison in 2002 after evidence arose that a blood analyst falsified lab results. The association says it was the first confession of error by the state of Texas in a death penalty case. Orr is a co-founder of the Texas Innocence Network, which investigates claims of innocence by death row inmate and others in prison.
Orr (University of Texas, St. Mary’s University Law) clerked for Judge Emilio Garza, now of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, when Garza was a district court judge.
The defense lawyers’ association has chosen another Texan, Jim Lavine, as its president-elect. He is a name partner at Zimmerman, Lavine, Zimmerman & Sampson in Houston.
In what prison is Miguel Angel Martinez now?
I have read a lot of him and it would be nice to know where he is now.
/Maria
Posted by: maria | August 18, 2009 at 08:19 PM
Congratulations to Ms. Cynthia Orr! She saves lives and pursues the truth. She is fearless, strong, wise and our jewel.
Laredo was founded in 1755 and named for the city in Spain (Laredo).
Posted by: Magda Martinez | August 16, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Fixed. Thanks.
Posted by: David Ingram | August 14, 2009 at 09:02 AM
LAREDO...It's in a song and a movie..
G-d knows what Loredo means
Posted by: Bruce Litvin, CPC | August 14, 2009 at 08:31 AM