The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office has petitioned the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to overturn a recent decision that overturned Crystal Mason's illegal voting conviction. The office asserts that the trial court's guilty verdict should stand, emphasizing the importance of protecting the integrity of the voting process.
Crystal Mason, previously convicted four times, was found guilty of illegal voting on March 28, 2018, in a bench trial held in the 432nd Judicial District Court. Testimony from the election judge and poll clerk indicated that Mason knowingly violated voting laws by affirming inaccurate information on a provisional voter affidavit.
However, on March 28, 2024, the Second Court of Appeals reversed Mason's conviction, citing evidence suggesting she may not have been aware of her ineligibility to vote at the time. The Tarrant County DA's Office contends that the appellate court failed to appropriately defer to the trial court's ruling and improperly reevaluated the evidence.
In its petition to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the DA's Office argues that the Second Court of Appeals misapplied the sufficiency standard of review and set a concerning precedent for future cases. The office urges the higher court to review the case, reverse the appellate decision, and uphold Mason's original guilty verdict.
