Unreal story on Sixty Minutes tonight

[Baz]

Just watched it - the third segment - about a man wrongfully convicted in 1987 for murdering his wife. He was sent to prison for 25 years until DNA evidence proved his innocence.

The prosecutor at the time withheld evidence that could have not only exonerated the man but also led to the real killer - who went on to murder another woman and was only arrested for both after this recent DNA evidence was analyzed.

The prosecutor went on to become a judge and has never admitted any wrong doing. After the man was found innocent the prosecutor gave a press conference and blamed "the system". What a tool!

I realize no system can be perfect - especially any government one....but when evidence surfaces that an official does wrong doing - especially something this horrific - he should be bounced out of his job and imprisoned himself.

Talk about a double standard!

Here's the story:
Evidence of Innocence: The case of Michael Morton - CBS News

[Rick Lee]

That's why it's called a "criminal justice" and not a "victim justice" system.

[Zeke]

25 years of doing time for something you didn't do. That's a hard call. I think the wrongly accused gets the first shot.

[Baz]

This is from the story about the prosecutor, (now judge):

In February, a Texas judge agreed with Michael Morton's legal team that there was probable cause to believe Ken Anderson violated the law, and Anderson is now the subject of a special criminal inquiry. That's extremely rare. Studies have shown prosecutors are hardly ever criminally charged or disciplined for serious error or misconduct. And one thing Ken Anderson doesn't have to worry about is being sued for damages by Michael Morton because the Supreme Court has ruled that prosecutors have "absolute immunity" from civil lawsuits for their legal work.

It should be called the "No justice system" Rick!

And I agree with you Zeke...

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Zeke

25 years of doing time for something you didn't do. That's a hard call. I think the wrongly accused gets the first shot.

25 years is a long haul if you are innocent, wonder how many innocent people wound up on death row and eventually executed ?? But I feel confident the "hang em high" mentality here in TX has never had that problem..

[speeder]

He may not be able to sue the prosecutor directly but he sure as hell can sue the state, and win.

Think about the cost to taxpayers for this railroad job. There is the cost of incarcerating someone for 25 years and then the payout for the "oopsie". Plus the cost to the victim, ( wrongly accused guy). They stole his life.

[Rick Lee]

Just watched the story. It was sickening and gut-wrenching. It did say he's gotten $2 million so far from a state compensation fund set up for such occasions. I hope that judge wakes up with this throat slit or, at the very least, is run out of town by an angry mob.

[john70t]

To the prosecutor, the accused was only a conviction rate statistic for his climb up the ladder to "untouchable absolution"
....just make the square peg fit.

[sc_rufctr]

25 years! What a nightmare.

[intakexhaust]

Texas seems like a bunch of hooligan saints compared to Illinois. Common occurance in the state of Illinois. Numerous cases and wrongly convicted, coerced confessions, judges wanting the populars vote and ego's have damaged and questioned ethics in many levels of law enforcement. Nobody is perfect but there's no excuse for much of this. Illinois has had numerous cases where children have been abducted and killed and the father is immediately charged with the crime. And oddly seems a familiar story, the real scumbag confesses while locked up on some other conviction and the law KEEPS the father locked up???!!! Or at the least, makes him confess to something and a leniance release blah, blah. With the help of pro bono services and law schools, finally are they sorting thru evidence and DNA, and releasing innocent men. Unfortunately most have been black. You tell me what's wrong? Whats next... do you think they have Drew Peterson's twin brother? If you don't know about that case(s), google it.

[nota]

NO LAW INFARCEMENT OFFICIAL SHOULD BE IMMUNE FROM ANYTHING

the very idea is wrong
as is the idea a king can do no wrong
and we donot have a king!
why do we allow any non king pig to be immune
pigs sure can do wrong
and need to feel the bite of the law
when they far tooo often break the law

the tip of the iceberg was the trooper who chased a local cop
who was speeding to a OFF DUTY JOB
local cops had a public chit fit over the stop
they felt in titled to break the law and drive like a fool
just as they feel the right to shoot anyone anywhere anytime
and if the citizen they shoot was unarmed they barely say oops

jail the now judge
let the guy sue for everything the ex-prostituting att has

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by Baz

.

The prosecutor at the time withheld evidence that could have not only exonerated the man but also led to the real killer - [/url]

the prosecutor should be put in jail. maybe that might discourage such stuff.

[asphaltgambler]

Obviously the prosecuter (now a judge) had his own career path planned out. It's very simple really. Take one high-profile case, add in a heavy dose of publicity, sit on a few important facts, bring it all to a boil by swift 'justice' - and pooof! He's now on the fast rack to becoming a judge.

That scene has been played out too many times before with a prosecuters self interest at stake.

[intakexhaust]

You know what judges are? Bad lawyers.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

You know what judges are? Bad lawyers.

There was a story in the local paper last week about a local judge who's now 40 and became a judge at age 27. Wow. The article tried to make that sound like that was some amazing accomplishment. I found it terrifying. And I'll never forget the time I was in night traffic court (during the '94 Olympics) and the judge dismissed the entire room and told us she needed to get home to see Nancy Kerrigan skate.

[asphaltgambler]

Rick...................are you effin serious??

[1990C4S]

'Unreal story'? The unreal part is that someone spent years to free him.

[Zeke]

We hold judges as some exalted rulers. Most are worker bees in a system. An old adage amongst attorneys is that judges are lawyers that couldn't make it as attorneys.

(Don't ask me to tell you the difference between attorneys and lawyers. I think I know but I can't explain it well enough.)

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

'Unreal story'? The unreal part is that someone spent years to free him.

You know, I have a hard time separating Barry Scheck from the OJ defense team. But his work with the Innocence Project is worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize (not that I'd want to be in that kind of company). I have nothing but respect and admiration for the man now.

[widebody911]

What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 50?

"Your Honor"