[JURIST] Texas Governor Rick Perry [official profile] Friday signed into law [Governor's press release] legislation which creates a new life-without-parole sentencing option in state capital murder cases. Previously, Texas juries have only had the option of sentencing offenders to death or life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. The widely supported bill [JURIST report], which goes into effect on September 1, provides an alternative that eliminates the possibility of parole. Texas leads the nation in number of executions – of the 38 states that execute offenders, only Texas and New Mexico lacked a life-without-parole option. The Dallas Fort-Worth Star-Telegram has more.