People Who Were Incarcerated For Crimes They Didn’t Commit

Michael Morton’s Experience Changed Texas Law

Michael Morton of Texas was convicted of beating and killing his wife, Christine Morton, in 1986. He spent 25 years in prison, but DNA evidence later proved that he was innocent and someone else killed his wife. He left prison in 2011, and a prosecutor was charged with withholding evidence even though a judge ordered that it be released. Texas Senate Bill 1611, also called the Michael Morton Act, was made into law in 2013. It requires a more open discovery process. Morton’s case was made into a book and a documentary. He released his memoirs, “Getting Life: An Innocent Man’s 25-Year Journey from Prison to Peace,” in 2014.