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In the months following Sara’s release, her case sparked changes throughout the Texas judicial system that no one had expected. The state attorney general ordered a review of all the cases Robert Kane had prosecuted during his 15-year career. Eight cases were immediately flagged for possible corruption or evidence tampering. Three more people were released from prison after investigators found serious problems with their convictions. Detective Linda Morrison was sentenced to 25 years in prison for conspiracy and evidence tampering.
Robert Kane received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. David Mitchell was extradited from Mexico and sentenced to death for the murder of Jeremy Wals, the homeless man whose body he had used to fake his own death. The scandal went beyond individual cases. The Texas legislature passed new laws requiring independent oversight of death penalty cases. Prosecutors now had to follow stricter rules on the handling of evidence, and defense attorneys were given better access to investigative files.
Sara used the settlement money to create the Mitchell Foundation for Justice, dedicated to helping women victims of domestic violence and wrongful convictions. She hired experienced attorneys to provide free legal assistance to people who couldn’t afford adequate representation. “I know what it feels like to have the whole system turn against you,” Sara explained at the foundation’s opening ceremony. No one should face that alone. Dr. Marcus Thompson, the veterinarian who had helped save Sara’s life, launched a program to train therapy dogs to work with prisoners.
The program helped inmates deal with depression and anxiety while preparing them for life after release. “Max showed us that animals can be heroes too,” said Dr. Thompson. “These dogs are giving hope to people who have lost everything.” Rebeca wrote a book about her sister’s experience, titled “Truth in Fours.” The book became a bestseller, and Rebeca donated all the profits to organizations fighting the death penalty.
Warden Crauford was promoted to regional director of correctional operations. He implemented new policies to ensure that unusual requests from death row inmates were carefully considered rather than automatically denied. “Sometimes the most important discoveries come from the most unexpected places,” Crawford said. Sara’s request to see her dog seemed simple, but it changed everything. Sara spent most of her time working with the foundation and slowly recovering from her trauma.
She avoided public speaking, but occasionally met with other wrongfully convicted people to offer support and encouragement. The case became required reading material in law schools across the country, teaching future lawyers the importance of a thorough investigation and the dangers of corruption in the justice system. On March 15, 2019, exactly one year after her release from death row, Sarah Mitchell appeared before a crowd of supporters at the dedication ceremony for the Max Foundation Sanctuary.
The sanctuary, located on 50 acres outside Houston, sheltered abandoned animals and offered free legal services to wrongfully convicted people. had used most of the settlement money to build this place where hope could spring from tragedy. Max, now 5 and world-famous, sat quietly next to Sara as she addressed the crowd. His gray snout betrayed his age, but his eyes were still bright and alert.
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