A judge today granted Kerry Max Cook’s request for more DNA testing in the 1977 murder of Linda Jo Edwards, but the former death row inmate will have to fight to prove his innocence in the same place where he was twice sentenced to death.
Brandi Grissom
Brandi Grissom worked at the Tribune from its launch in 2009 until 2014, rising to the rank of managing editor. In addition to editing duties, Grissom led the Tribune's coverage of criminal justice issues. During her tenure at the Tribune, she was chosen as a 2012 City University of New York Center on Media, Crime and Justice/H.F. Guggenheim Journalism Fellow and was a fellow at the 2012 Journalist Law School at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Grissom, along with Tribune multimedia producer Justin Dehn, received a 2012 regional Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting for work on the case of Megan Winfrey, who was acquitted of murder in February 2013 after the Trib’s coverage brought statewide attention the case. Grissom joined the Tribune after four years at the El Paso Times, where she acted as a one-woman Capitol bureau. Grissom won the Associated Press Managing Editors First-Place Award in 2007 for using the Freedom of Information Act to report stories on a variety of government programs and entities, and the ACLU of Texas named her legislative reporter of the year in 2007 for her immigration reporting. She previously served as managing editor at The Daily Texan and has worked for the Alliance Times-Herald, the Taylor Daily Press, the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung and The Associated Press. A native of Alliance, Neb., she has a degree in history from the University of Texas.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Updated: Court Orders Review of Death Row Case Involving Reprimanded Psychologist
The state’s highest criminal court on Wednesday ordered a lower court to review a death penalty case that involved a psychologist reprimanded last year for using unscientific methods.
Posted inState Government
Study: Prosecutors Did Not Face Discipline for Misconduct in Cases
Innocence Project data to be released today shows that in 91 Texas cases of prosecutorial misconduct, prosecutors faced no discipline.
Posted inState Government
Ken Anderson Court of Inquiry Set to Begin Sept. 11
The court of inquiry that will investigate whether former prosecutor Ken Anderson committed criminal prosecutorial misconduct in Michael Morton’s 1987 trial will get under way in September.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Morton Talks About Ordeal, Life After Prison
“Life is really, really good,” said Michael Morton, who was exonerated in the 1986 murder of his wife. He tells the Tribune of his ordeal and his newfound freedom.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
“Accountability Works,” Morton Tells “60 Minutes”
On Sunday’s edition of 60 Minutes, Texas exoneree Michael Morton told Lara Logan that it’s not revenge he’s after — it’s accountability.
Posted inState Government
“60 Minutes” to Feature Michael Morton on Sunday
Texas DNA exoneree Michael Morton, who spent 25 years wrongfully incarcerated for his wife’s murder, will be the subject of the CBS news program 60 Minutes on Sunday.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Court Ruling Could Affect Texas Death Row Cases
A Tuesday U.S. Supreme Court ruling could open the door for claims from at least two Texas death row inmates who argue that their lawyers did shoddy work.
Posted in
Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: On Retirement, Term Limits and Planned Parenthood
Will the Planned Parenthood brouhaha affect elections? Should state officeholders be able to collect retirement while they’re still on the job? And should Texas lawmakers have term limits?
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Anthony Graves Story on “48 Hours” Saturday
Former death row inmate Anthony Graves and his fight to be compensated for the time he spent wrongfully imprisoned will be the subject of an episode on the CBS news show 48 Hours Mystery this Saturday. We’ve got a sneak peak.
