Jail Informants Can Send Innocent People to Prison According to a recent report, information gathered from jailhouse informants is used in 23 percent of death row cases in which the convicted individual is later exonerated. In Texas, a 2017 law made the state one of the most progressive concerning how prosecutors must disclose their use of jailhouse informants, including informing the defense when jailhouse informants are used so defense counsel can examine an informant’s credibility. While the Texas jailhouse informant law goes a long way toward reforming the way prosecutors use informants, it doesn’t stop the practice. It’s still possible for an innocent person to end up in jail based on false information gleaned from a jailhouse informant. This possibility is why it’s important for people accused of crimes to work with an experienced Texas criminal defense lawyer. If you have been charged with a crime, it’s in your best interest to contact a criminal lawyer right away.