Kerry Max Cook Exonerated After 40-Year Legal Battle

Kerry Max Cook, who spent 20 years on death row for the 1977 murder of Linda Jo Edwards, was officially exonerated by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The court cited prosecutorial misconduct, including withheld evidence, perjury, and false testimony, which tainted Cook's trials and led to his wrongful convictions. Cook was released in 1997, and his conviction was set aside in 2016, but he remained labeled as a murderer until this ruling. The exoneration concludes a 40-year legal battle characterized by state misconduct and a series of overturned verdicts. Cook, now 68, has become an advocate against the death penalty and has shared his story through public speaking and writing. The ruling illustrates severe flaws in the justice system and highlights the importance of addressing wrongful convictions.