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Appeals court affirms Crystal Mason's acquittal in illegal voting case

nbcdfw.com · 7h · first reportShare

On Thursday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that Crystal Mason’s acquittal in a years-long illegal voting case will stand. The state’s highest criminal court dismissed the state’s effort to revive her conviction. The court dismissed the state’s petition seeking review of a 2024 ruling that overturned Mason’s conviction and five-year prison sentence. The court offered little explanation, writing only that its earlier decision to hear the case was “improvident.” The court’s decision is the latest development in a case dating back to 2016. Mason was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to five years for voting in Tarrant County when she was ineligible. Mason went to a polling place to vote in the 2016 general election, and when poll workers couldn’t find her registration, she was given a provisional ballot. The ballot was not counted, but Mason was charged with illegal voting. The crux of the legal fight centered not on Mason’s eligibility,but rather on whether prosecutors could pro