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The Tarrant County District Attorney is under fire from both the community and some county officials for seeking to re-convict a woman who was acquitted of illegal voting charges.
Crystal Mason, a grandmother from Fort Worth, was arrested in 2018 for attempting to vote while on supervised release from federal prison. Although she was acquitted of the charge in March, the DA is urging the state’s highest criminal court to review the decision and pursue another conviction against Mason.
In a packed meeting of the Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court, where Mason’s supporters were in attendance, Tarrant DA Phil Sorrells defended his stance on retrying Mason.
“This case, it’s a published opinion, can be cited for a proposition that this is how you review sufficiency cases,” Sorrells stated, referring to the decision that overturned Mason’s conviction. “And it’s wrong.”
Mason’s legal troubles began in 2016 when, while on supervised release for a felony tax fraud conviction, she attempted to vote in the November general election by submitting a provisional ballot. She was subsequently charged with illegal voting and sentenced to five years in prison in 2018.
However, Mason’s legal team repeatedly appealed the conviction, arguing that she was unaware of her ineligibility to vote at the time she cast her ballot. On March 28, the Texas Second Court of Appeals reversed its earlier ruling and acquitted Mason, stating that the evidence against her was insufficient to prove her knowledge of her voting ineligibility.
During the commissioner’s court meeting, Mason questioned the basis of the charges against her, emphasizing that she believed she was eligible to vote after completing her federal sentence.
A month following Mason’s acquittal, the Tarrant DA petitioned the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals to review the decision and reinstate her conviction. Sorrells asserted that the court’s handling of the case did not adhere to legal standards and could impact future appeals involving various crimes.
The DA also justified the pursuit of Mason’s case as essential for election security, stating, “I want would-be illegal voters to know that we’re watching.”
However, Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons challenged Sorrells on whether Mason’s provisional ballot constituted a violation of election rules, as it would only be counted if officials confirmed her eligibility.
Throughout the meeting, speakers overwhelmingly voiced support for Mason, questioning the necessity of retrying her for an incident that occurred eight years ago.
As Mason faces another legal battle, she alleges that the case against her is driven by politics rather than justice.
NBC 5 is seeking clarification from the Tarrant DA’s office regarding the potential timeline for Mason’s case to be reconsidered.