Looney Smith Conrad & Hefti P.C.

03/19/2025

Defendants in over 1,169 cases that have already been disposed of received a letter from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office letting them know that a lab technician at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences was fired for “sustained allegations of untruthfulness, lack of candor, and/or dishonest.” This person with a track record of dishonesty helped the State gain convictions against these defendants. It’s a travesty of justice.

“The letter states the DA’s office is legally and ethically prohibited from providing any advice to the defendant regarding potential legal options, but instructs the person to contact their attorney if they have any questions about the letter or wish to discuss any options in their legal case.”

For nearly all of those affected by this employee’s actions, the only effective way to gain relief is to hire a lawyer who handles writs of habeas corpus to thoroughly investigate the impact on their specific case.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/03/18/harris-county-toxicologist-fired-for-untruthfulness-could-impact-more-than-1200-court-cases/

03/14/2025

David Wood, scheduled to be executed yesterday, was one of the clients our attorney Matthew Hefti fought for with the Wisconsin Innocence Project. We're relieved he was granted a much-needed stay of ex*****on this week from the Court of Criminal Appeals. And he wasn't the only inmate scheduled to die this week who was granted a stay of ex*****on due to serious problems in the implementation of the death penalty.

"Public support for capital punishment is declining, especially as DNA evidence continues to exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals. Yet, as this ex*****on schedule shows, the machinery of death still grinds on in certain states, where political leaders cling to ex*****ons as a symbol of being “tough on crime.” At what point do we, as a society, finally acknowledge that the death penalty is irreparably broken, unjust, and fundamentally inhumane? [...] The time has come for the United States to abandon the death penalty once and for all. Justice should not be a lottery of legal maneuvering, geography, and luck—it should be fair, humane, and free of the irreversible mistakes that have already claimed too many innocent lives."

https://davisvanguard.org/2025/03/commentary-americas-death-penalty-machinery-grinds-on-despite-mounting-doubts/

03/08/2025

Do you need help with a legal issue? Come to our Legal Clinic Saturdays from 8:30-9:30am at Newman's Bakery 504 East Main Street in Bellville. Questions? 979-826-8484.

03/06/2025

Look forward to your future...

03/04/2025

Yep!

02/28/2025

We are proud to announce our attorney Matthew J. Hefti has become a shareholder in our law offices. Our law firm name is now Looney Smith Conrad & Hefti P.C.

To learn more about Matthew, go to:
https://looneysmithconrad.com/our-attorneys-matthew-j-hefti-attorney-at-law/

02/27/2025

Texas again risks executing someone wrongfully convicted of capital murder in a case full of evidentiary problems and misconduct at the trial level. When our firm's attorney Matthew Hefti was in law school, he worked on David Wood's case as a member of the Wisconsin Innocence Project and argued several motions for DNA testing that could help prove David's innocence. The Court of Criminal Appeals denied all those efforts. Now, shocking new evidence has come to light that further highlights the miscarriage of justice that resulted in David Wood's death sentence.

Texas plans to execute Wood in March. George Hall says police encouraged him to lie about Wood confessing six murders to him.

02/27/2025

Want a FREE "Statement for Police" card for your wallet? Put it behind your driver's license. If you get pulled over, pull them both out at the same time. It shows the officer you know your rights. Email the number of cards you'd like & your address: [email protected]

02/23/2025

Today marks my 12-year anniversary at Looney, Smith & Conrad, p.c. in Houston. It all began when Paul Looney asked me to put together a website for him because he didn’t have one, and I had just learned to write code. He hired me as his publicist to write press releases, put together press conferences and social media. In August 2013, I helped win a federal jury trial in Brownsville leading Paul to designate me as his Publicist/Trial Preparation Specialist.

After the Twin Peaks shootout on May 17, 2015, which resulted in nine deaths, 20 injuries and 177 arrests, we went to work to help the affected individuals. In February 2022, the New York Times magazine wrote our story: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/magazine/waco-biker-shootout.html #

Because of the in-depth investigation I did into the 1.9 terabytes of discovery, Paul designated me as his criminal investigator. Over the past decade, we’ve handled numerous criminal defense cases, with Paul maintaining a winning streak of 60 criminal defense jury trials since 1995 without any final convictions. I’m really proud to be on his team, working with our attorneys, staff and clients making a difference in the lives of others as we relentlessly fight for justice. Here’s to the next 12 years! 🍾🥂⚖️

02/19/2025

Legal Clinic Thursdays at 5:30 at 918 Austin Street in Hempstead, Texas. Questions? 979-826-8484. Stop By!

02/16/2025

02/13/2025

Many proposed bills this legislative session seek to roll back protections for people involved in the criminal justice system, particularly people without means or who have lower incomes.

The proposed Senate Bill 9 makes it harder for arrested people to make bail and threatens to roll back liberty interests of people charged with crimes who are nevertheless presumed innocent and have not been convicted of any crime.

In many cases, our clients are in custody after they are arrested, and we aggressively litigate for a more reasonable bond, which is guaranteed by the Texas Constitution except in rare circumstances. That protection is important. Presumptively innocent people don’t deserve to rot in jail, especially given the long backlogs in the courts and the chronic overcrowding of jails.

https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/texas-bail-bills-pretrial-detention-legislature/

02/13/2025

Show your evidence...

02/12/2025

Call us if you need us: 281-597-8818 OR 979-826-8484. We offer a legal consultation.