Tarrant County DA calls for Crystal Mason's voter fraud conviction to be reinstated
FORT WORTH, Texas - The state's highest criminal court is being asked to take a high profile voter fraud case.
Crystal Mason was on probation for a felony conviction when she cast a provisional ballot in the 2016 general election.
The ballot was rejected, but Mason was prosecuted and convicted for illegal voting.
The conviction and 5-year prison sentence were overturned last month.
Crystal Mason, middle, convicted for illegal voting and sentenced to five years in prison, sitting at the defense table in Ruben Gonzalezs court at Tim Curry Justice Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 25, 2018. (Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram
An Appeals Court ruled there was no conclusive evidence at her trial to prove that she knew she was casting an illegal ballot.
On Thursday, the Tarrant County District Attorney asked the court of criminal appeals to reinstate the conviction.
"The trial court's guilty verdict should be affirmed. Voting is a cornerstone of our democracy. This office will protect the ballot box from fraudsters who think our laws don't apply to them," said a news release from Tarrant County DA Phil Sorrells.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has not indicated if it plans to take up the case.