Prosecutors Cover Their Tracks For 25 Years

     The Texas Coalition on Lawyers Accountability and the State Bar of Texas filed grievances against former Williamson County District Attorney Ken Anderson, his former assistant Mike Davis, and Current District Attorney John Bradley accusing the prosecutors of violating state laws and professional ethics in the case of Michael Morton.

     Recently released from prison, wrongfully convicted Michael Morton served 25 years for the murder of his wife in 1986. Evidence was withheld from the defense attorney’s and trial judges that proved another man could be a suspect. The wrongful conviction would have been prevented if this information was shared by the prosecutors.

     John Oliver, the Texas Coalition director says this case needs pressure from the public to ensure that any wrong doing will be unveiled. The State Bar has launched its own personal investigation. Morton’s lawyers are also pursuing their own investigation.  Anderson and Davis are not returning phone calls but have announced their innocence in public statements and court documents. However, Bradley has publicly stated that he was wrong but has worked with officials to exonerate Morton. Bradley resisted DNA testing for 6 years which eventually proved Morton’s innocence. Bradley pleads that he is simply the acting Defense Attorney for a difficult situation that was not his fault.

     Morton’s attorneys allege that the Williamson county police department with held several pieces of key information that would have possibly led to a correct conviction. A transcript of Christine Morton’s mother stating that her grandson told her, he’d seen a “monster” brutally beating his mother, who was not his father. Shortly after the murder, Christine Morton’s credit card had been used and a check was cashed with a forged signature.  People had also reported a green van wandering the neighborhood before the murder.

     Amazingly, two months after Morton’s release Williamson county police arrested and charged Mark Norwood with Christine Morton’s murder. Norwood is also a suspect in another murder that occurred 12 miles from the Morton’s home. This could have been prevented if Norwood had been sought in Christine Morton’s murder.

     Reading this story made me think of all the time Morton lost with his son. The son witnessed his mother’s attack and lost his father for 25 years because of crooked attorneys. If Morton’s case was handled inappropriately then I hope the people who are guilty will pay the price and be an example to the rest of the justice system before this happens again.