In an unprecedented case, a former Texas judge and prosecutor will serve jail time and surrender his law license for convicting an innocent man of murder 27 years ago.
Friday Ken Anderson pleaded no contest to charges claiming when he was a prosecutor in 1987, he withheld evidence in a murder case against Michael Morton. (Via KHOU)
The Austin American-Statesman reports Anderson hid two crucial pieces of evidence, which is illegal. That evidence fit the defense's theory that Morton's wife, Christine, was killed by a stranger in her home.
Morton served 25 years in prison but was released in 2011 when DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Now, Anderson will do a turn behind bars. A Texas district court judge sentenced the former prosecutor to 10 days in jail, stripped him of his law license, and ordered him to complete 500 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine. Morton expressed his thoughts after the decision. (Via The Austin Chronicle)
"My number one motivating factor here is that what happened to me will not happen to you." (Via NBC)
And Morton's newfound freedom doesn't end with his case. As KXAN reports, Anderson's conviction of misconduct could affect other people he helped incarcerate.
"The Innocence Project announced every case Anderson tried during 16 years as a district attorney will be under independent review if that defendant is in jail."
Anderson has until Dec. 2 to surrender to local authorities.
