Texas judge who prosecuted innocent man resigns

[The Straight Story]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge facing criminal charges over prosecuting a man who spent 25 years in prison for a killing he didn't commit resigned Tuesday as he awaits trial over whether he concealed evidence as a district attorney in the 1980s.

State District Judge Ken Anderson wrote in a one-sentence letter to Gov. Rick Perry that he was stepping down immediately from his Williamson County court. In a statement later released through his attorney, Anderson did not allude to his criminal case.

"There comes a time when every public official must decide that it is time to leave public life," Anderson said. "For me and my family, that time is now. For the foreseeable future I will be focused solely on making the transition into private life."

Before Perry appointed him as a judge in 2002, Anderson was the district attorney in Williamson County and prosecuted Michael Morton in 1987 for murder in his wife's slaying. Morton always proclaimed his innocence, and he was exonerated in 2011 based on DNA evidence.

In April, a special court of inquiry determined that Anderson intentionally concealed evidence favorable to Morton's defense. A former U.S. attorney is now leading the prosecution against Morton on charges of criminal contempt of court, tampering with evidence and tampering with government records.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/texas-judge-who-prosecuted-innocent-man-resigns

[joeybee12]

1. He needs to be put away just like that innocent man was...

Disgusting.

[Stuart G]

2. Here is more info on this story...what a disgusting person this asshole is..

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/09/24/judge-ken-anderson-resigns-amid-ethics-lawsuit/

[Stuart G]

3. Here is a lttle more from the link at the original post and link to his biography, what an asshole

"Christine Morton was beaten to death in the family's north Austin home in 1986. Another man earlier this year was convicted of her killing and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Among the evidence Morton's attorneys claim was kept from them during his trial were statements from Morton's then-3-year-old son, who witnessed the killing and said his father wasn't responsible. They also said they didn't know about interviews with neighbors who told authorities they saw a man park a green van close to the Morton home and walk into a nearby wooded area before the slaying."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
at this link:

http://www.wilco.org/CountyDepartments/DistrictCourts/277thDistrictCourt/tabid/478/language/en-US/Default.aspx

You can see his biography...taught Sunday School and wrote books......juvenile law judge....how many did he put away that were innocent?....

from the above biography: note: darkened text is mine....not bio..

"Judge Anderson is the author of Crime in Texas, a layman’s guide to the criminal justice system and Texas Crime Victims Handbook. He is the co-author of two legal reference books, Texas Sentencing (Lexis 1998) and the Predicate Questions Manual. He is also the author of a series of young adult biographies the latest of which is George Bush: A Lifetime of Service, which chronicles the life of our 41st President. The series also includes Nolan Ryan: Texas Fastball to Cooperstown and You Can’t Do That, Dan Moody! which tells the fascinating story of how former District Attorney Dan Moody fought the Ku Klux Klan and political corruption to become the state’s youngest governor."

LOOK AT THIS BIOGRAPHY SOON...THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE IT DOWN...........

[TBF]

6. Sunday school and boy scouts ...

what a great leader he turned out to be for those young kids.

[Link Speed]

4. They didn't just prosecute an innocent man

The DA and Sheriff of Williamson County knew Morton was innocent.

They should all go to prison.

[Stuart G]

5. According to the biography..(his high school grad date is 1970..)

So...born in 52..makes him 61 years old....He should spend the rest of his life in jail..

[Link Speed]

7. They had nothing

The prosecution repeatedly brought up his habit of saying, "Bring me a beer, bitch" as proof positive of intent, malice and willingness.

Texas Monthly (mag) had a great two-part series on this sordid affair.

[Shrike47]

12. I don't see that in these newspaper reports (can't really rely on a 3 year old).

He sure had discovery to which the defense was entitled, however, and he knew it.

[madinmaryland]

8. Hopefully that transition to private life, means the transition to 25 years of his life in prison.

FUCK HIM.

[gopiscrap]

9. Good this fucker needs to be in prison.

[frylock]

10. he should be focused solely on making the transition into prison life.

[Mr.Bill]

11. He'll probably run for Congress. n/t

[bluedigger]

13. Good. I hope he is convicted.

Texas Monthly published a riveting account of the case. http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/innocent-man-part-one

[msanthrope]

18. I just read this--thank you for posting this! nt

[bluedigger]

19. “Life in prison is a lot better than he deserves.”

[Eleanors38]

14. Way, way past due. WilCo is a mill house for RW politics.

[hobbit709]

15. Now he needs to spend the same amount of time in jail.

[blkmusclmachine]

16. Oops

[Chakab]

17. Why I am not surprised that a Williamson County Judge pulled some crap like this in the past.

Back when I lived in Austin, everybody used to say that Wilco's motto was: "you come on vacation but leave on probation"

[uponit7771]

20. Didn't the USSC say that it's legal for DA's to do this even in death penalty trials?