Judge denies new trial for Texas woman sentenced to five years for illegal voting

[DonViejo]

BY MITCH MITCHELL
[e-mail]

June 11, 2018 05:50 PM

Updated June 11, 2018 06:57 PM

FORT WORTH - The same judge who originally sentenced her to five years prison for casting an illegal ballot while being a felon under supervision has denied Crystal Mason's motion for a new trial.

Mason, of Rendon south of Fort Worth, was convicted on March 28 and sentenced to a five-year prison stint by State District Judge Ruben Gonzalez.

Gonzalez denied her petition late Monday in a 16-page ruling.

Since her conviction, Mason has been at the center of controversial arguments about the existence of white privilege and voter suppression efforts, with more than 38,000 signatures on a petition to have all charges against her dropped, numerous news stories and editorials and a deluge of social media posts in support of and against the sentence imposed in her case.

more
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article212899734.html

[Girard442]

1. They're putting the word out that voting while black is risky -- so don't do it.

Is there any other way to read this?

[Merlot]

2. Probably the only case of "voter fraud" they can find

So they're playing it for all it's worth.

And yes, definatly sending a "message."