Michael Morton – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Megan Chapa: LEAP, South Texas College of Law, And Beyond

Megan Chapa served as a LEAP Ambassador for more than three years, filling the role of Vice-President, President, and Past President. She also served as founding President of the Pre-Law Society, and she will be a 3L at South Texas College of Law this fall. She volunteered to write this guest blog on her experiences at SHSU and as a LEAP Ambassador.

I am a third-year law student at South Texas College of Law Houston. I served as a LEAP Ambassador from 2014-2017 as I earned by Bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University. Those three years were the most influential years of my educational experiences, and the opportunities I was offered and the people I met as a LEAP Ambassador have served me extremely well in law school.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Washington DC — Chapa at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where she interned her senior year

As a LEAP Ambassador, I learned to not only balance my school, work, and internships, but also leadership positions.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Arkasas Supreme Court — Megan Chapa at the Arkansas Supreme Court

This meant managing my time appropriately. Thinking back, many of those days were similar to my first year of law school. I remember some days as a LEAP Ambassador, I would go to class in the morning, intern in the afternoon, and then, about three times a week, I’d attend one of the many programs we participated in or attend a community meeting.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, KSAM, Larry Crippen — Chapa and Karla Rosales with KSAM’s Larry Crippen

I would get home with just enough time to study and prepare for the next day. Gaining the skills to manage my time, set me up well for law school.

I served as the President of the LEAP Ambassadors for a full year, a normal term for a LEAP President. During these times, I learned to sharpen my emotional intelligence to better understand how to lead others. I encouraged my colleagues to build on their strengths and work together on tackling the task ahead, and I also had key public speaking opportunities.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law — Chapa speaking in a mock City Council

I used similar skills during my tenure as a Mid-Law Senator for the Student Bar Association—South Texas College of Law Houston Chapter. As my experience in LEAP taught me, I did my best to use my strengths in my leadership.

One of my favorite memories as a LEAP student was meeting Michael Morton.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Michael Morton — Alex Galvan, Michael Morton, Megan Chapa, and Kaitlyn Tyra

Michael Morton was wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife in 1987. After spending over twenty-five years in prison, he was exonerated of this crime. Morton spent some of his incarceration in a Huntsville prison. When I met Mr. Morton, he explained to me that it was his first time back in Huntsville since his incarceration. In that moment, I felt honored that the LEAP Ambassadors had arranged that, enabling him to return to the community under more pleasant circumstances and allowing SHSU students to learn from his experiences.

I did not realize that moment would only scratch the surface of how much it really meant to me. In law school, I learned the importance of the Michael Morton Act, an act that requires an open discovery process, and how this act has impacted prosecutors throughout the state of Texas. The fact that I had the opportunity to meet such an influential person in the criminal law community early on, made the world of difference in understanding the importance of integrity and pursuit of justice.

Of course, I had many more opportunities with LEAP, from traveling to other states, such as Arkansas…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Pinnacle Peak

…Missouri…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Gateway Arch — Ryan Brim and Megan Chapa in one of the elevator pods at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis

…Georgia (and about twelve other states)…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Coca Cola — Chapa, Tyra, and Rosales visiting Coca Cola, with the Coca Cola Polar Bear

…visiting Presidential Libraries…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Lyndon Baines Johnson, LBJ Presidential Library

…meeting artists such as Richard Haas…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Richard Haas

…and David Adickes…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,, David Adickes

…attending conferences with state legislators….

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,, Southern Legislative Conference, Savannah GA

…and even presenting at conferences…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,, ARKPSA

…and also doing charitable work, such as Huntsville’s “Great Muddy Escape”….

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,

…or public services such as our “John Wayne Film Festival.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, John Wayne

…and meeting attorney David Berg, who, at my first LEAP event, shared with us his experiences as a lawyer and his personal family history, including the murder of his brother, as he recounted in his book, “Run, Brother, Run.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, David Berg, Run Brother Run

Currently, I am an intern at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office where I hope to be employed in the near future. Applying the time management skills, the leadership skills, and taking advantage of the connections I made with others as a LEAP Ambassador have made me the student I am today. I have no doubt that LEAP made a difference in my life. I am a better professional because of my experience with LEAP, something that I think can be said by all the students involved in the program.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,

An Evening with Michael Morton

During the 82^nd Texas legislative session, Senate Bill 1611, also known as the Michael Morton Act, passed with a unanimous vote in both the Texas House and Senate. The SB 1611 requires the state prosecution to offer defense attorneys any evidence that is relevant to their case. In 1987, Michael Morton was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. It took 25 years, but Morton was exonerated in 2011 after DNA evidence proved his innocence. With the help of the Political Science Department, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department and the College of Criminal Justice, and the Student Legal & Mediation Services, The LEAP Center brought Michael Morton to SHSU to talk about his experience of wrongful conviction and his life imprisonment for nearly 25 years.

LEAP Center students were privileged to meet with Morton’s prior to his general speech.

It was a great chance to ask questions and get some insight into his nightmare. In this small group discussion, Morton stressed the importance of his faith and how everyone experiences difficult trials throughout their life. One of Morton’s main points conveyed to students that we are stronger than we think we are and that we will come out of the hard times. Looking back, we will realize we needed trial to shape who we are supposed become.

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Morton’s humility and gratitude for (almost) everyone who has been a part of his journey is inspiring. Students were thankful for the opportunity to converse with Michael Morton on a variety of topics relevant to both Michael Morton’s experiences and students’ lives. Ending the student small group session, Morton signed copies of his book, Getting Life, for those in attendance.

More than 300 students and community members then attended Morton’s presentation, making this the largest event LEAP has hosted thus far this year.

Especially interesting to Huntsville residents, Morton spent more than 11 years at the Wynne Unit where he received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sam Houston. Indeed, Morton was taught by Jerry Bruce, whom he had a chance to visit with prior to his presentation.

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Morton also got to meet Walter Bennett, Jr., whose father did more than anyone else in the past 35 years to ensure inmates had access to University education. Dr. Bennett also taught Morton in the 1990s.

Later, Morton transferred to the Ramsey Unit in Houston where he earned his master’s degree in English from the University of Houston.

Morton’s story of tragedy is unimaginable and heartbreaking. Morton was imprisoned for nearly 25 years before DNA testing provided by the Innocence Project proved his innocence. One of the most surprising parts of Morton’s story is his forgiveness towards the prosecution who withheld evidence that would have originally proved Morton’s innocence. Overall, Michael Morton’s story is incredible, heart breaking, unimaginable, and inspiring.

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Following the presentation, Morton signed books. Approximately 65 people bought books, making this the largest book sale Barnes and Noble has had in four years.

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After the lengthy book signing, the LEAP Center had a reception in the Holcombe Room, where lawyers and LEAP Center Advisory students, and others congregated and snacked…

…and discussed law…

…the world…

and, of course, took more photographs!

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The LEAP Center is thankful to the College of Criminal Justice, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Political Science Department, the Student Legal & Mediation Services, and most importantly Michael Morton for sharing his story with the community. We are saddened that such a tragedy occurred, thankful for the opportunity to learn from Mr. Morton, and hopeful that because of Michael Morton’s hard work and SB 1611 the unthinkable will never happen to another in Texas.

The LEAP Center would also like to thank Paul Olle and Ashley Norwood for the great photographs they took!

To learn more about Michael Morton’s story, “An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story” is available on Netflix and his book Getting Life is available through Barnes and Noble Bookstore.

Michael Morton, Governor White, Sissy Farenthold–Another LEAP Center Outing

This week’s LEAP Center event offered students a rare opportunity: the chance to listen and ask questions of an average citizen thrust into incredible circumstances. Michael Morton, famous for his new-found freedom after being wrongfully convicted for his wife’s murder, spoke at the Brazos Bookstore in Houston before one of his book signings for his memoir, Getting Life.

During his remarks, Morton stressed two major themes: (1) his humility and gratitude to those who assisted him, such as the Innocence Project and attorney John Raley, (2) forgiveness as a means of re-gaining control of life. For a man who spent 25 years in prison after being wrongly convicted, Morton seemed remarkably well adjusted, friendly, and lacking in bitterness.

For us as college students living in a world of constant stimulation, the monotony of prison life described by Morton seem unthinkable. To survive a quarter of a century under those conditions seems impossible. Morton endured this imprisonment, while also mourning the vicious murder of his wife, and the loss of a relationship with his son. Morton’s courage in the face of such daunting circumstances provided us with some real perspective, and we left the event reflecting on our lives, feeling grateful for our freedom and other privileges.

As students of the law, many of us felt a keen sense of shame and disbelief that the criminal justice system could fall so short of the ideals set for it, that justice could sometimes be corrupted, even if in isolated incidents. For those students considering criminal law as a possible career, Michael Morton’s words served as a reminder of the ethics necessary to call oneself a member of the Bar and the challenges facing practitioners in putting society before self.

Indeed, the speech provided “CLE”—continuing legal education—units for the attorneys there, and there were many. Governor Mark White introduced Morton. Representative Sissy Farenthold was there, almost seventy years after she was one of three women admitted to UT Law School. There were 797 men admitted that year. And attorney John Raley, who helped free Morton, was also there. It was a good night for people watching.

And for conversing. LEAP Center Vice-President Constance Gabel asked Morton what advice he might give to students who aspired to become lawyers. He responded, “Be one of the good guys.”

Governor White jumped in, arguing that once Gabel read Morton’s book, the difference between good lawyers and bad lawyers would be clear. After the event, Governor White, Attorney Raley, and other judges and attorneys engaged us with real-life examples of the good and bad. Interestingly, Carol Vance, the former Harris County DA who was a speaker at a previous LEAP Center event, featured prominently in the stories of good attorneys.

Governor Mark White, John Raley, And LEAP Center Students

Following the book signing at Brazos Bookstore, we took a short drive down the street to the Istanbul Grill and Deli to enjoy some authentic Turkish food. Representative of Turkey, the restaurant décor was simplistic, yet incorporated traditional elements of the Turkish culture such as the eye of protection and the hamsa displayed throughout the restaurant. Before the main course, we sampled many different types of meze, similar to relishes or small appetizers. The tzatziki sauce was a crowd favorite when paired with the warm pita bread fresh from the brick oven. We also sampled the humus, tabuli, ezme, and various other types of meze. All had a distinct flavor and were delicious.

For our main course, the group ordered various meals. Some enjoyed the vegetarian options such as the mantar (stuffed mushrooms); another tried the donor (gyro) sandwich; and another tried the iskender, which involved both a yogurt base and a tomato-sauce topping. Most dishes were served with rice and a garden salad.

After everyone finished their meals, most indulged by enjoying baklava for dessert. The popular sweet and buttery pastry was the perfect way to end an eventful night in Houston. With full stomachs and a sense of gratitude, we departed for Huntsville.

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