Court of Inquiry in Second Day

The Austin American-Statesman reports, "Lawyers spar over documents in Anderson inquiry," by Chuck Lindell.

Riveting testimony by Michael Morton, and sharply worded battles over evidence, punctuated Monday’s opening of a court of inquiry that is examining whether former prosecutor Ken Anderson improperly hid evidence that could have helped Morton defend himself against a murder charge in 1987.

One of the most intense exchanges was sparked when Rusty Hardin, acting in a role similar to prosecutor, moved late Monday to introduce three documents that were newly discovered in files kept by Anderson when he was Williamson County’s district attorney.

Hardin said the documents, when combined with other records that he had presented earlier, showed a “pattern and practice” of withholding favorable information from defense lawyers, contradicting Anderson’s claims that he always disclosed such evidence as required by law.

“The file is replete with stuff they should have let the defense attorneys have,” Hardin said. “This is three more things in the DA’s files that should have been tendered to the defense. The fox doesn’t get to guard the henhouse.”

"Inquiry Day Two Begins With Judge Questioning," is the Texas Tribune coverage by Brandi Grissom.

On the first day of Williamson County state district Judge Ken Anderson's court of inquiry Monday, Michael Morton spent more than five hours on the witness stand, getting emotional at times as he hashed over the mistakes that led to his wrongful murder conviction and almost 25 years in prison.

“Going through all of that again was difficult, but necessary," Morton said before leaving the court. "I’m glad the process has finally started.”

Anderson, the former prosecutor who secured Morton’s conviction, is the subject of a rare court of inquiry that could lead to criminal charges. Morton and his lawyers allege that Anderson withheld critical information during the 1987 trial that sent him to prison for life for his wife’s murder. Anderson and his lawyers say that the prosecutor committed no wrongdoing in the case, that the judge in the case was ordered to only disclose a limited amount of information and that the statute of limitations on any alleged violations has expired.

Some of the most emotional testimony came early in the day when Hardin asked Morton about the nearly 25 years he spent in prison.

Earlier coverage of the Court of Inquiry begins at the link.