DNA Testing in Texas

On February 9, 2015, The Texas Tribune published  an article about DNA testing in criminal cases. This article is about a man, named Michael Morton, who spent twenty-five years in prison for a murder he did not commit. With current DNA testing and access to the correct evidence, Morton was able to be released from prison. He joined state Senator Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and other lawyers from the Innocence Project at a press conference to persist the passage of a bill to expand access to DNA testing in such criminal cases. Senator Ellis claimed that Morton wants to make sure that the right person is convicted and that our communities are always secure. In 2013, lawmakers passed a bill that Senator Ellis proposed to mandate DNA testing in criminal cases. Just recently, Governor Greg Abbott, who was then an attorney general, gave his consent and support for the bill. The bill was then approved and signed into law by then-Governor Rick Perry. This is extremely important, I think, because fifty-two people in Texas have been falsely accused of crime. By not convicting the right person, we not only put an innocent citizen behind bars, but we also put our state and its people in danger. Former Governor Perry signing this new law represents our state and emphasizes that we will try not to make this horrible mistake again. Texas has learned from its fellow strong citizen, Michael Morton.