Posted on 03/31/2018 10:15:47 PM PDT by BBell
If she knew it was going to land her back in prison, Crystal Mason said she would have never cast a vote in the 2016 presidential election.
The 43-year-old former tax preparer hadn't even planned on voting until her mother encouraged her to do it. She had only recently been released from federal prison for a 2012 tax fraud conviction, in which she pleaded guilty to inflating returns for her clients, her attorney, J. Warren St. John, told The Washington Post.
She was still on community supervision at the time of the election - but no one, including her probation officer, St. John said, ever told her that being a felon on supervision meant she couldn't vote under Texas law.
Now, she's going back to prison for five years for it.
Mason was indicted on a charge of illegal voting in Tarrant County, Texas, last year and found guilty by a state district judge on Thursday, despite her protestations that she simply was not aware that she was barred from casting a ballot and never would have done it had she known.
As she told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram at the time she was indicted: "You think I would jeopardize my freedom? You honestly think I would ever want to leave my babies again? That was the hardest thing in my life to deal with. Who would - as a mother, as a provider - leave their kids over voting?"
The case is yet another illustration of Texas's zealous crackdown on voter fraud, a problem that state GOP leaders have described as "rampant" in the past but for which they have yet to provide hard proof, save for isolated cases such as Mason's.
(Excerpt) Read more at tulsaworld.com ...
Don't mess with Texas!!
Most states will grant voting rights back after parole or supervised release
She jumped the gun
If a federal conviction like hers technically you cant ever vote in a federal election baring a pardon
Ye gods! She’s even uglier than Cheddar Man! I hope they lock her up for good for OUR safety!
I bet she also voted for Hillary.
she was on parole not probation. There is a difference.
Bet she voted for Hillary. Maybe they can share a cell!
I just wish they cared like this all over. Doing it spottily, when the only reason not to do it is venal politics, is the worst of worlds.
the current criminal justice system is designed to make people fail.
Because every single participant ( judges, DAs, PDs, cops, jailers etc etc ) know this is how they keep their jobs
If Anericans understood how morally corrupt the system is - they destroy it and start anew
And voting was a violation of her parole, hence she gets to finish her “tail” (balance of sentence).
CC
No, most criminals are pretty damn good at failing before they end up in the system. Prison just makes it official.
The sad thing here is that the public is saddled with paying for prison stay expense for that five year period.
Don't go to bed, with no price on your head - No, no, don't do it. Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time - Yeah, don't do it. And keep your eye on the sparrow.
I’ve been saying for years we need judicial reform, prison reform and the mental health “system” needs to be addressed for the mess it is.
Obviously STUPID!!!
This is classic FAKE NEWS. She was jailed for tax law violations. She was released early for “good behavior”. She violated the terms of her release, so she was sent back to complete her sentence. The rest is fake media spin.
Considering all the illegals I witnessed voting in Tarrant county this is a bit of injustice. By printing all the voting materials in Spanish promotes illegal voting.
I understand that giving false information to procure a voter registration is perjury, and a crime under state and federal law. Conviction of this crime may result in imprisonment up to 180 days, a fine up to $2,000, or both. Please read all three statements to affirm before signing.
I am a resident of this county and a U.S. Citizen;
I have not been finally convicted of a felony, or if a felon, I have completed all of my punishment including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or I have been pardoned; and
I have not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
Pretty simple: local resident, citizen, not a felon and mentally capable.
A thread from yesterday, different source if anyone cares to scan thru the comments thereon.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3643503/posts
***************
IMO
This is an item that needs to be addressed in each states judicial proceedings.
If a person is convicted and it denies the right to vote then the Court
needs to send a notice to the registrar where that person is registered.
A lot times it wouldnt be more than walking a copy down the hall to the
Registrars office.
still does not argue that the system is a massive and lucrative jobs program for:
1) C & D students to become clerical
cops, jailers, and bailiffs getting 5 times the compensation the productive sector would pay them
2) mediocre lawyers to become DAs & PDs also getting paid 5 times what they would otherwise earn
3) political hacks to be appointed Judges because they cant even get elected dog catcher
Its a massive jobs program for losers whod otherwise be working at MickyDs. Everyone realizes this; so they make certain to never let anyone succeed in getting out of their clutches
Have a nice day.
CC
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