Prosecutor goes to jail
Today in Texas, former prosecutor and judge Ken Anderson pled guilty to intentionally failing to disclose evidence in a case that sent an innocent man, Michael Morton, to prison for the murder of his wife. When trying the case as a prosecutor, Anderson possessed evidence that may have cleared Morton, including statements from the crime’s only eyewitness that Morton wasn’t the culprit. Anderson sat on this evidence, and then watched Morton get convicted. While Morton remained in prison for the next 25 years, Anderson’s career flourished, and he eventually became a judge.
In today’s deal, Anderson pled to criminal contempt, and will have to give up his law license, perform 500 hours of community service, and spend 10 days in jail. Anderson had already resigned in September from his position on the Texas bench.
What makes today’s plea newsworthy is not that Anderson engaged in misconduct that sent an innocent man to prison. Indeed, while most prosecutors and police officers are ethical and take their constitutional obligations seriously, government misconduct–including disclosure breaches known as Brady violations–occurs so frequently that it has become one of the chief causes of wrongful conviction.
What’s newsworthy and novel about today’s plea is that a prosecutor was actually punished in a meaningful way for his transgressions.
Well, if the people voted for unchecked power, it must be right.
Are you anti-Democracy?
Huh?
I am and have contributed more toward democracy than a shit-bag, but not much more.
To my great pleasure.
First and foremost must be recognition nothing works.
If something “worked” then there would be no debate.
What fails less has to be the goal.
Selling that is why lying and liars win.
You can’t argue “all that matters” is rings.
Do you know who Dan Marino is?
Then he matters.
He’s gots no rings yo.
I want to start a B/B (known to us as Buckley/Breitbart) bar.
Lots of old pictures and atmosphere (of old pictures).
Let’s just do it.
We will crowdsource the funding and Crag’s Lilt the location.
We will need grease to make it work. Free copyrights. People feeling they will feel special when the come in and therefore donating $48,000 or more.
That’s the key.
Making people feel that they will feel special.
WHOA!
I didn’t mean “key” as a kilo of cocaine reference.
That is not the key.
That “key” (as in “kilo”) will not make one feel unbored in anticipation of future feelings but instead just feel.
This has very, very limited appeal and even worse is short-termed based.
Unlike libs.
God bless ’em.
Sometimes I think in terms of others Being-In-The-Routine-Of-Who-They-Are and realize I am just a jackass for thinking that and should halt doing so.
The greatest thing for the Denver Broncos is for the QB Manning to rest three weeks and the Broncos, the team, to lose three weeks in a row.
This will herald John Elway and Peyton Manning as Rupublicans that don’t want to end birth control as we know it.
When they heard “let lying dogs lie” Bill and John and Teddy barked.
I think Mike Rosen of 850 KOA and the Denver Post is a good man.
Good men could make good efforts to be more good: everyone.
Not even close to good enough.
It’d best if he did ten years at least and if the man he wronged sued him for all he was worth while he’s in prison.
I’m watching High Plains Drifter. It’s not a very good movie. Very overrated.
It kind of reminds me of the US today though.
the midget and baracky might work
Uhhhh…. What is it I want to say to that?
Oh. Pablo already said it.
I no longer believe this. Haven’t for awhile.
I believe most prosecutors (and police officers) want to play the game and win, rack up a good score, outdo any competition, make a name for themselves; honor nor justice have very little to do with it.
I’ve been accused of being a cynic though, so there’s that…
I agree with Ziman that most police officers (and prosecutors) are honorable and want to do the right thing
yea and you live in “mayberry nc mid ’50s”
High Plains Drifter is easily the worst Clint Eastwood movie ever, and maybe worst Western ever, though there’s some pretty stiff competition for that title.
Eastwood made another run at worst ever with Pale Rider, came close, but ultimately left Drifter at the pinnacle.
i liked hpd. what was wrong with it?
I also don’t believe that the police are trying to protect us from criminals. They think everyone, except fellow cops, are potential criminals.
“The Outlaw Josie Wales” was Clint’s best western until “Unforgiven”.
““The Outlaw Josie Wales” was Clint’s best western”
how about – the goodbadugly?
I’d have to see it again. It’s been ages.
I always liked Hang ‘Em High.
>I always liked Hang ‘Em High.<
well that at the end of "tgbu" is "heh"
…and ends in New York.
the wonders of new mexico
Feds subject drug suspect to vaginal/anal probe, X-ray, CT Scan, without a warrant — find nothing
‘High Plains Drifter’ might not qualify as a pure western. I call it western fantasy, given Eastwood’s character is seemingly a Duncan Idaho-esq ghoula.
And I loved it when he gave the midget the badge.
And, yes, Unforgiven is the best western he’s ever done, and in the top three best westerns evah.
Progressive Linguistics
I had to check the author of that linked post. Looks like a Karl proffering, given the tiresome preponderance of links.
One *bad* persecutor down, how many hundreds left to go ?
Oh, and if you’ve not seen this, it’s a must. It’s been around since 2007, but news to me. “How not to get busted“. Don’t watch it for the doper dodges, watch it for the ex-police officer’s admissions of wrongs.
I liked Outlaw Josie Wales better than Unforgiven. And I don’t think either are close to the best western ever. Even if we limit it to contemporary films, I think Lonesome Dove is better.
I agree High Plains Drifter is fantasy. Just not my thang. It was more like a bad Stephen King creeper.
hpd is “revenge fantasy” so is “tgbu” they’re effin spaghetti westerns
Why did my blood pressure spike when I read the Progressive Linguistics thing? I must control my internal balance.
Ooooooooouuuuuuuummmmmmmmmm
Think happy thoughts …
eh …
waiting …
this never works …
did manage to find red pants in size 30X34 on eBay easily enough …
and …
and …
and green ones too.
…
I think the Jewish tradition has the right idea here: the “conspiring witness” (which could certainly apply to a conspiring prosecutor) is given the punishment he wished to impose on his victim. Twenty-five to life!
I was limiting the discussion to Clint Eastwood movies. If we include all westerns Lonesome Dove is my all time favorite.
Dealing with da man. When you need a book on how to not have your entire life ruined because you smiled or something then you know government is no longer “Of the people, by the people, and for the people” but has perished from the Earth with a whimper not a bang.
Not Clint, but I think Silverado was excellent. Unforgiven is definitely my favorite though.
I like “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” best of them all but rarely find the 3 hours needed to watch it.
Unfogiven is the ultimate revenge movie and I love it. Lonesome Dove is more of a ballad and very lovely and tragic, as most ballads tend to be.
In my opinion, “The Wild Bunch” is a better revenge movie than “Unforgiven” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” is a better ballad. Of course my opinion is worth exactly what you pay for it.
Lonesome Dove is an excellent book and one of the few that I have read that I didn’t want to end. The movie was well made for a television movie, but requires that you have a huge block of time to watch it. I’d skip the other novels by Larry McMurtry that deal with the characters from Lonesome Dove since they are depressing and destroy the original story.
The Wild Bunch? The Marlon Brando one, back when he was hawt? I haven’t seen it in decades.
One, 1953, Benedek, motorcycles, gang etc.
Bunch, 1969, Peckinpah, horses, gang etc.
Aha! Added to the Netflix queue.