Cleaning up flaws in the System

On Febuary 27, 2013, Austin American Statesman published an opinion on wrongful convictions in Texas and gave insight to what they believe should be action taken by lawmakers.  It was very informative about a case where a man, Michael Morton was sent to prison for 25 years for a crime he didn’t commit.  He was found guilty of murdering his wife before DNA tests confirmed his innocence.  According to the editorial board, Williamson County District Attorney Den Anderson is being accused of “hiding favorable evidence for defense lawyers in his 1987 trial.”  This article is very good about getting the facts to readers and is to the point. It informs readers about goals Sen. John Whitmire has set to help prevent things like this happening again.   The bill at hand would “reset the statute of limitations for exonerated Texans who allege that prosecutors improperly hid key evidence or information favorable to helping defendants prove their innocence.  Exonerees would have for years from date of release from prison to file a grievance, which oversees attorney discipline.  Right now, the limitations start at the time the violation occurs, that’s why not much can be done with Morton’s case.  I think this article makes a great point in explaining the legalities of this type of case very well, even for someone who isn’t knowledgeable with Texas law.  I also felt that this article was a great one to publish because the public needs to be made aware of flaws in the system so we can improve the law, and less situations like this will arise.