Judge Orders Court of Inquiry into Possible Prosecutorial Misconduct That Contributed to Michael Morton’s Wrongful Murder Conviction
02.16.12
Contact: Paul Cates, (212) 364-5346,
pcates@innocenceproject.org
(Austin, TX; February 16, 2012) — Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson today ordered a court of inquiry to investigate whether the former Williamson County District Attorney violated Texas law by refusing to turn over evidence that could have prevented Michael Morton from serving 25 years for a murder of his wife that DNA evidence has now proven he didn’t commit. The case was referred to District Judge Louis Sturns of Fort Worth to conduct the court of inquiry.
The following can be attributed to Barry Scheck, Co-Director of the Innocence Project, which is affiliated with Cardozo School of Law.
“We are grateful that Judge Jefferson has moved quickly on the recommendation of Judge Harle to convene a court of inquiry into the evidence that prosecutorial misconduct caused Mr. Morton to be wrongly convicted. It is important to remember, however, that Judge Anderson is entitled to his day in court and the presumption of innocence.”
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