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Getting Life: An Innocent Man's 25-Year Journey from Prison to Peace
On August 13, 1986, just one day after his thirty-second birthday, Michael Morton went to work at his usual time. By the end of the day, his wife Christine had been savagely bludgeoned to death in the couple's bed--and the Williamson County Sherriff's office in Texas wasted no time in pinning her murder on Michael, despite an absolute lack of physical evidence. Michael was swiftly sentenced to life in prison for a crime he had not committed.
Drawing on 25 years of recollections, court transcripts, and more than one thousand pages of personal journals he wrote in prison, Michael recounts the hidden police reports about an unidentified van parked near his house that were never pursued; the treasure trove of evidence, including a bandana with the killer's DNA on it, that was never introduced in court; the call from a neighboring county reporting the attempted use of his wife's credit card that was given to local police); and ultimately, how he battled his way through the darkness to become a free man once again.
Drawing on 25 years of recollections, court transcripts, and more than one thousand pages of personal journals he wrote in prison, Michael recounts the hidden police reports about an unidentified van parked near his house that were never pursued; the treasure trove of evidence, including a bandana with the killer's DNA on it, that was never introduced in court; the call from a neighboring county reporting the attempted use of his wife's credit card that was given to local police); and ultimately, how he battled his way through the darkness to become a free man once again.
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First published July 1, 2014
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July 1, 2020
"All I have left is my actual innocence, and if I have to be in prison the rest of my life, I'm not giving that up." -Michael Morton
Stop and think about what you were doing twenty-five years ago. For me, I was still in high school, hadn't even gotten my drivers license yet. And Michael Morton was still in prison, wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife in 1986. Time is a funny thing, when you hear "twenty-five years" you think that's a long time. But when you really sit and think about all that happens over twenty-five years, how things change it really is unbelievable that Michael spent so many years locked up for something he didn't do. I can't begin to imagine how hard those twenty-five years must have been.
I came across this case while researching another wrongful conviction story, that of Scott Peterson. I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be sent to prison for a crime you didn't commit. I came across Michael's story and found he had written a book about his experiences and was curious to hear from someone who had experienced it and how he was able to finally clear his name.
This was so well written, I was immediately sucked in. It reads like a novel, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story, that this man really lived through all this. On August 13, 1986 Michael had left for work early in the morning. His wife and young three-year-old son asleep in their beds. Later that afternoon when he went to pick up his son from daycare and he wasn't there he knew something was terribly wrong. The moment he arrived home he was informed his wife had died and the police obviously thought he was responsible.
It's a fascinating story, full of ups and a lot of downs. I cried throughout, so have a box if tissues handy. The writing was exceptional, told in the first-person, you're taken along a very long journey as Michael goes from loving husband, suspect in his wife's murder to inmate in prison. A long twenty-five years and then his victory and release. I LOVED that the people that put him there were brought to light. I'm glad the real killer was caught and convicted. I'm glad Michael received a happy ending. And I'm glad he shared his story with us.
He has helped bring to light that sometimes the State gets it wrong. Sometimes juries get it wrong. Sometimes judges get it wrong. Michael was convicted because the DA told a good story, not because there was any evidence to convict him. We have to look past the story and look at the evidence. The presumption of innocence has kind of been lost along the way, but it is so vitally important. Hopefully people can step back when the new sensational story is being thrown at us, take and wait for evidence to come to light before hastily calling someone guilty.
While reading, you can't help thinking about all the other men and women who are currently still in prison for crimes they didn't commit. I hope and pray they all are able to one day clear their names and achieve their freedom. This is a must read, I hope everyone will take the time to read it. I couldn't put it down.
Content PG13:
Not a light read, deals with murders and prison life. Nothing overly graphic or detailed. No language (a couple curse words were blocked out), definitely deals with heavy subjects, but was handled well.
Stop and think about what you were doing twenty-five years ago. For me, I was still in high school, hadn't even gotten my drivers license yet. And Michael Morton was still in prison, wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife in 1986. Time is a funny thing, when you hear "twenty-five years" you think that's a long time. But when you really sit and think about all that happens over twenty-five years, how things change it really is unbelievable that Michael spent so many years locked up for something he didn't do. I can't begin to imagine how hard those twenty-five years must have been.
I came across this case while researching another wrongful conviction story, that of Scott Peterson. I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be sent to prison for a crime you didn't commit. I came across Michael's story and found he had written a book about his experiences and was curious to hear from someone who had experienced it and how he was able to finally clear his name.
This was so well written, I was immediately sucked in. It reads like a novel, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story, that this man really lived through all this. On August 13, 1986 Michael had left for work early in the morning. His wife and young three-year-old son asleep in their beds. Later that afternoon when he went to pick up his son from daycare and he wasn't there he knew something was terribly wrong. The moment he arrived home he was informed his wife had died and the police obviously thought he was responsible.
It's a fascinating story, full of ups and a lot of downs. I cried throughout, so have a box if tissues handy. The writing was exceptional, told in the first-person, you're taken along a very long journey as Michael goes from loving husband, suspect in his wife's murder to inmate in prison. A long twenty-five years and then his victory and release. I LOVED that the people that put him there were brought to light. I'm glad the real killer was caught and convicted. I'm glad Michael received a happy ending. And I'm glad he shared his story with us.
He has helped bring to light that sometimes the State gets it wrong. Sometimes juries get it wrong. Sometimes judges get it wrong. Michael was convicted because the DA told a good story, not because there was any evidence to convict him. We have to look past the story and look at the evidence. The presumption of innocence has kind of been lost along the way, but it is so vitally important. Hopefully people can step back when the new sensational story is being thrown at us, take and wait for evidence to come to light before hastily calling someone guilty.
While reading, you can't help thinking about all the other men and women who are currently still in prison for crimes they didn't commit. I hope and pray they all are able to one day clear their names and achieve their freedom. This is a must read, I hope everyone will take the time to read it. I couldn't put it down.
Content PG13:
Not a light read, deals with murders and prison life. Nothing overly graphic or detailed. No language (a couple curse words were blocked out), definitely deals with heavy subjects, but was handled well.
September 12, 2019
4.25 stars
This was excellent! At first I wasn't so sure it was gonna be since it wasn't written by a professional author, but it got better and better as it went along. Michael Morton does an excellent job all around at explaining how justice ran amuck in his case, just the whole experience through and through. I guess 25 years in prison will give a person plenty of time to figure out just how to tell their story. This was totally worth reading.
This was excellent! At first I wasn't so sure it was gonna be since it wasn't written by a professional author, but it got better and better as it went along. Michael Morton does an excellent job all around at explaining how justice ran amuck in his case, just the whole experience through and through. I guess 25 years in prison will give a person plenty of time to figure out just how to tell their story. This was totally worth reading.
December 29, 2021
I have no words except this book is phenomenal. It’s an emotional roller coaster & a must read.
January 16, 2016
Loved this! I can think of no adjective adequate to describe this book. It reads like a fiction whodunit that you stay up past your bedtime reading and then suddenly remember it is true. This actually happened to Mr. Morton! While reading this account I felt outrage and disgust yet hopeful. A great reminder that our justice system isn't always just, public servants aren't always serving the public and prisoners don't always live in 5 star resorts. Yet, there are always people willing to sacrifice their time to help others-even complete strangers. One tragic event and its fallout leads to the emotional upheaval of so many different people.
The writing is descriptive and flows well. I'm curious if the author dabbled in writing before his wrongful conviction. Would he have tapped into this talent had he not been incarcerated? Side note: It is amazing to learn about other accounts of individuals exonerated (by DNA and otherwise) at The Innocence Project website; something I would have never done without Getting Life.
The writing is descriptive and flows well. I'm curious if the author dabbled in writing before his wrongful conviction. Would he have tapped into this talent had he not been incarcerated? Side note: It is amazing to learn about other accounts of individuals exonerated (by DNA and otherwise) at The Innocence Project website; something I would have never done without Getting Life.
February 20, 2015
This is an amazing book! How in the world can such a monstrous thing happen in the United States where we are so much on Law and Order. Seems to me all law enforcement should be "searching for the truth" and such things as putting an innocent man away in prison for 25 years would never happen. It is really scary for if it could happen to him, it could happen to us! Well worth reading.
May 9, 2024
This memoir is incredible and mind-blowing! 🤯 Reminded me of a real life version the movie, The Fugitive (except he doesn’t break out jail!)
I think this is one of the saddest life stories you could have. However, his testimony is so powerful!
Wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, he goes to prison for 25 YEARS! His son is only 3 at the time and grows up to disown him.😭
Yet in prison he chooses to make the most of his time by finishing his college degree and getting his masters in writing/literature- hence why this books is so well written! He also comes back to God and chooses to forgive! ❤️
The ending was full of restoration, healing, and justice- just beautiful.💜
⚠️ There is some language throughout.
⚠️ Adult content as a murder trial and prison life are not all G rated.
⚠️ Some graphic descriptions of a brutal murder.
📖 “I read my way out of prison.”
📖 “Even the longest journey has a finish line.”
📖 “I did not want revenge, only justice
I think this is one of the saddest life stories you could have. However, his testimony is so powerful!
Wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, he goes to prison for 25 YEARS! His son is only 3 at the time and grows up to disown him.😭
Yet in prison he chooses to make the most of his time by finishing his college degree and getting his masters in writing/literature- hence why this books is so well written! He also comes back to God and chooses to forgive! ❤️
The ending was full of restoration, healing, and justice- just beautiful.💜
⚠️ There is some language throughout.
⚠️ Adult content as a murder trial and prison life are not all G rated.
⚠️ Some graphic descriptions of a brutal murder.
📖 “I read my way out of prison.”
📖 “Even the longest journey has a finish line.”
📖 “I did not want revenge, only justice
July 7, 2022
Rounded up to a 4.5.
As many people do (or simply refuse to), I don’t always enjoy rating memoirs. Especially when it’s clear beyond any reasonable doubt that the individual did indeed suffer the injustices, grievances, horrors, etc., in which was spoken of in said memoir. However, I think I’ve instituted a rule for myself now, in which I will not rate memoirs of this sort if there’s the possibility in giving them anything less than 4 stars. Because 4 stars is obviously still a stellar read.
The only real reason I gave this 4 (well, really 4.5 if we had that option) over 5 stars was nothing the author did wrong. Rather, I do believe the book’s editors and publishers made just a slight error in shortening his story (occurring over the course of 1986-2011, I believe) to a mere 272 pages - 278 counting the epilogue.
Yes, of course his 1,000 page prison diary likely wouldn’t have been well-received by readers and professional literary critics alike. After all, Michael Morton himself maintains that the diary was mostly mundane, a way of reporting the very dull, often very cruel, very crass conditions of a maximum security Texas penitentiary. And these events were recorded more for Morton himself - to maintain his sanity and his sense of time and place - than they were for any future publication endeavors (which he’d never mentioned). However, I do believe it felt slightly rushed and there could have been more time allotted for certain chapters or events.
This is a memoir everyone should read, even if it is so upsetting - rather, PRECISELY because it’s so upsetting. The story of a man who was just starting his life in suburban Texas, with his beautiful wife and college sweetheart, and their 3 year old, now newly healthy young son (he’d had an unspecified condition when he was born in which Michael Morton and his wife, Chris, had to constantly monitor him, make sure he wasn’t overexerting himself during play, make sure he always got all the medications his tiny body needed at the exact time needed... this hawk like monitoring of the child was necessary, because even just one oversight on their part could lead to a premature death). Finally, at 3, he was able to have the live saving surgery needed - before that age, he was determined to have been too young, too small for his body to withstand the intense procedure. Miraculously, he came out of the surgery with no complications. He was finally able to run, play, and enjoy life the same way other little boys his age were doing.
Michael and Chris Morton were overjoyed, obviously, with their new, perfectly healthy son and his ability to play like a normal child, without death always being an imminent threat. Unfortunately this joy was maybe able to last a few months at best, because too soon after the 32 year old couple and their son had finally started their lives, a tragic twist of fate would turn everything Morton and his son knew on its head.
The last night of his wife Chris’s life, Michael and Chris enjoyed a dinner out, celebrating his birthday. When they came home and finally had gotten their son, Eric, to bed, they began to drink wine and it looked as if a night of romance was in store for the couple, a late night “birthday gift” from Chris to Michael. Unfortunately, this missed opportunity wasn’t something that merely led to Morton’s sexual frustration that night (at least not by the “official” record). Apparently, Eric had woken up, and Chris had gone to soothe him back to sleep. By the time that was done, already tipsy on wine and worn out from the day of celebrations and childcare, Chris passed out before any romantic relations could transpire between the couple.
The worst part of this? Michael wrote Chris a note that morning, expressing his hurt and the perceived rejection he’d experienced due to this accidental passing out. He left it in the bathroom for her to read, right before leaving for work. Yes, it was a little mean, but certainly nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would ever indicate he was some type of abusive husband who only saw his wife as an object.
Yet this was exactly what the Williamson County PD turned the note into. A sexually deranged and frustrated man who killed his wife... I’m not sure what their explicit motive was, but something along the lines of that “he was just sexually and physically violent, and could easily lose control if things didn’t go his way.” Which of course, wasn’t at all who he was, but when you’re dealing with a small town police force, you’re dealing with small town courts, small town “justice systems” and worst of all - small town minds.
The sheer incompetence of this amateur police force and the prosecuting DA, which had no solid evidence or motive for Michael Morton to be identified and named as their chief suspect (and soon after, Chris’s killer) was absolutely infuriating. They left out all kinds of exculpatory evidence, evidence his brother-in-law had managed to collect in lieu of the police doing their jobs. Of course, at that time, DNA was not yet THE science experts turned to in criminal cases, especially murder cases. So the blue blood soaked bandanna Chris’s brother had found tossed aside at the house next door (which was a construction site, a house not yet built or occupied by another family) could not yet have led the police to the real killer, since no blood sample database had yet been built. What it certainly COULD have done, at that time, was to create enough reasonable doubt that it was exactly how Michael, his family, and his deceased wife’s family had imagined the crime to have occurred: a random man, a crime of opportunity, killing Chris while Michael had been at work.
The worst bit of exculpatory evidence left out, however (never given to Morton’s lawyers) was the transcription of a telephone call that Chris’s mother (Michael’s mother in law) had made to the top investigating detective of the case while Michael was in jail awaiting his trial. While yes, if a 3 year old child had only once mentioned “a monster killed mommy”, that could certainly be attributed to hearsay, yet what he said to his grandmother that evening (something he had also mentioned to Michael, but not in as much detail - simply asking him, “Who was the man showering in his clothes?”) was too detailed for police to have ignored. But, ignore it they did. It goes like this:
The mother in law began by telling the detective that little Eric - the poor child who had seen the awful brutal murder of his mother in its entirety - had “spread a blanket on the floor, began kicking it, telling his mommy to get up.” It was at this point the mother-in-law said she began to take notes and ask Eric questions. Here is what she wrote down, Eric’s version of the events that had transpired:
Eric: Mommy’s crying. She’s - Stop it! Go away.
Grandmother: why is she crying?
Eric: Because the monster is there.
Grandmother: what is he doing?
Eric: He hit Mommy. He broke the bed.
Grandmother: Is Mommy still crying?
Eric: No, Mommy stopped.
Grandmother: Then what happened?
Eric: The monster threw a blue suitcase on the bed, he’s mad…
Grandmother: Was he big?
Eric: Yeah.
Grandmother: Did he have gloves?
Eric: Yeah, red.
Grandmother: What did he carry in his red gloves?
Eric: Basket.
Grandmother: What was in the basket?
Eric: Wood.
Astonishingly, these were details that only the police knew, and aside from the police, only details the killer would know. And the killer had indeed piled all types of strange objects and furniture on top of the body as if to “hide“ it, including a blue suitcase. He had worn red gloves, and he had bludgeoned Chris Morton to death with large, heavy pieces of wood. Then, Eric’s grandmother told the sergeant the question she’d asked, the one she had been most afraid to hear the answer:
Grandmother: Where was Daddy, Eric?...Was Daddy there?
Eric: No, Mommy and Eric was there.
It wasn’t even just a mother-in-law who had perhaps truly loved her son in law, thus finding it unfathomable he could have killed her daughter, resulting in the fabrication of this tale. Because the child would go on to tell the court appointed psychologist the exact same story! But apparently this was irrelevant, and didn’t indicate Michael’s innocence. Because after all, as the police department pointed out, Michael could have easily “dressed up in his scuba suit”, which would then cause the child to believe he’d seen a monster. As Morton himself said, if this wasn’t his nightmarish reality, it could almost be laughable.
So just imagine not only having the love of your life murdered in cold blood, with her killer having had escaped, and never been pursued (the killer even used the victim’s credit card very shortly after the murder, the San Antonio police reported to the police dealing with the case, offering to bring the evidence TO them, and the Williamson County police declining their offer!). So you’re already suffering the immense trauma that death brings upon a person - and when that death is the result of a violent murder? Just unimaginable pain and suffering. Michael didn’t feel he could go on, but felt that he had to for the sake of his three-year-old son.
However, then imagine being in his place, being unable to process what had happened, then being arrested for that same horrific crime, crucified by the police department and the press while in jail awaiting his trial, allowing for nearly all of his in-laws, former friends, and neighbors to despise him. After all, with no other suspect to direct their anger upon, it was only natural that so many people would buy the insane narrative the police had spun, as a way of attempting to cope with the grief and to get through it. His defense lawyers were railroaded at the trial, evidence was kept from them, the judge was clearly in cahoots with the police and the DA, the jury worshipped law enforcement, their “local heroes.” Every card in the deck was stacked against him. After a very brief trial, Michael was pronounced guilty, and sentenced to life in prison. He would spend the next 25 years of his life estranged from his son, the world, desperately craving and attempting to prove his innocence to no avail.
It was really only when his original lawyers on the case contacted the Innocence Project, in 2002 I believe, that 12 years later, DNA testing and evidence (which had been hidden from the jury during his trial) would prove his complete innocence and finally exonerate him. What’s so upsetting, is that his ordeal did not even end here. Not only did he have to deal with adjusting to an entirely different world, 1986 versus 2014, he also, through the DNA evidence, found out the name of the man whose blood was on that bandanna, which also contained blood belonging to Chris. He had to first sit through a court of inquiry, which was to determine whether the former prosecutor turned judge in his case, Ken Anderson, had violated Morton’s right to due process in his trial (I don’t want to ruin anything, so I won’t say what they ruled, but it wasn’t good for Anderson. It was good, however, for holding the powerful accountable for their actions against defenseless defendants in murder trials and other serious trials like these).
Lastly, he had to finally face the man who, not only took his wife’s life so cruelly 25 years earlier, but in the process, had taken Michael’s own, by incarcerating him and locking him up and away from society for a quarter century. He, his now 28 year old son, and his family and his deceased wife’s family were forced to live out the experience again (for the 3 year old son, whom only had very vague recollections of what happened - he had to witness everything for the first time, as the family had kept the horrific details from his earliest years from him, knowing it wouldn’t help in any real way). And something that is possibly even worse than everything mentioned so far? The police’s incompetence allowed the real killer to murder another woman just two years later - in the exact same manner (with a frighteningly similar appearance to Michael’s deceased wife and the killer’s ex wife) - who also had a 3 year old daughter and a husband.
It’s hard to imagine someone who has been through this kind of living hell could actually make peace with it all, and in the end, reconnect with his son as well as remarry a seemingly wonderful woman, a woman who stood by him throughout his long and often painful/difficult journey back into the real world. It’s hard to imagine he could live a happy life - one in which he now lives to the fullest, taking very little for granted when he can help it.
But I don’t need to convince you. And he certainly doesn’t attempt to, either. It’s all there in the landscape of his writing; so beautiful and so poignant. The events of his life are described in terms that are beautiful, often tragic, even occasionally humorous. But only in one instance do I believe, does he speak of his bitterness, which gave him the fuel needed to survive the hideousness and perverse monotony of prison life. MUST-READ.
(I always say this, but it never happens - I hope to make this review more brief/succinct, but - I generally don’t end up going back to reviews, so my apologies that it ended up being so lengthy when I had intended on the opposite!) lol.
As many people do (or simply refuse to), I don’t always enjoy rating memoirs. Especially when it’s clear beyond any reasonable doubt that the individual did indeed suffer the injustices, grievances, horrors, etc., in which was spoken of in said memoir. However, I think I’ve instituted a rule for myself now, in which I will not rate memoirs of this sort if there’s the possibility in giving them anything less than 4 stars. Because 4 stars is obviously still a stellar read.
The only real reason I gave this 4 (well, really 4.5 if we had that option) over 5 stars was nothing the author did wrong. Rather, I do believe the book’s editors and publishers made just a slight error in shortening his story (occurring over the course of 1986-2011, I believe) to a mere 272 pages - 278 counting the epilogue.
Yes, of course his 1,000 page prison diary likely wouldn’t have been well-received by readers and professional literary critics alike. After all, Michael Morton himself maintains that the diary was mostly mundane, a way of reporting the very dull, often very cruel, very crass conditions of a maximum security Texas penitentiary. And these events were recorded more for Morton himself - to maintain his sanity and his sense of time and place - than they were for any future publication endeavors (which he’d never mentioned). However, I do believe it felt slightly rushed and there could have been more time allotted for certain chapters or events.
This is a memoir everyone should read, even if it is so upsetting - rather, PRECISELY because it’s so upsetting. The story of a man who was just starting his life in suburban Texas, with his beautiful wife and college sweetheart, and their 3 year old, now newly healthy young son (he’d had an unspecified condition when he was born in which Michael Morton and his wife, Chris, had to constantly monitor him, make sure he wasn’t overexerting himself during play, make sure he always got all the medications his tiny body needed at the exact time needed... this hawk like monitoring of the child was necessary, because even just one oversight on their part could lead to a premature death). Finally, at 3, he was able to have the live saving surgery needed - before that age, he was determined to have been too young, too small for his body to withstand the intense procedure. Miraculously, he came out of the surgery with no complications. He was finally able to run, play, and enjoy life the same way other little boys his age were doing.
Michael and Chris Morton were overjoyed, obviously, with their new, perfectly healthy son and his ability to play like a normal child, without death always being an imminent threat. Unfortunately this joy was maybe able to last a few months at best, because too soon after the 32 year old couple and their son had finally started their lives, a tragic twist of fate would turn everything Morton and his son knew on its head.
The last night of his wife Chris’s life, Michael and Chris enjoyed a dinner out, celebrating his birthday. When they came home and finally had gotten their son, Eric, to bed, they began to drink wine and it looked as if a night of romance was in store for the couple, a late night “birthday gift” from Chris to Michael. Unfortunately, this missed opportunity wasn’t something that merely led to Morton’s sexual frustration that night (at least not by the “official” record). Apparently, Eric had woken up, and Chris had gone to soothe him back to sleep. By the time that was done, already tipsy on wine and worn out from the day of celebrations and childcare, Chris passed out before any romantic relations could transpire between the couple.
The worst part of this? Michael wrote Chris a note that morning, expressing his hurt and the perceived rejection he’d experienced due to this accidental passing out. He left it in the bathroom for her to read, right before leaving for work. Yes, it was a little mean, but certainly nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would ever indicate he was some type of abusive husband who only saw his wife as an object.
Yet this was exactly what the Williamson County PD turned the note into. A sexually deranged and frustrated man who killed his wife... I’m not sure what their explicit motive was, but something along the lines of that “he was just sexually and physically violent, and could easily lose control if things didn’t go his way.” Which of course, wasn’t at all who he was, but when you’re dealing with a small town police force, you’re dealing with small town courts, small town “justice systems” and worst of all - small town minds.
The sheer incompetence of this amateur police force and the prosecuting DA, which had no solid evidence or motive for Michael Morton to be identified and named as their chief suspect (and soon after, Chris’s killer) was absolutely infuriating. They left out all kinds of exculpatory evidence, evidence his brother-in-law had managed to collect in lieu of the police doing their jobs. Of course, at that time, DNA was not yet THE science experts turned to in criminal cases, especially murder cases. So the blue blood soaked bandanna Chris’s brother had found tossed aside at the house next door (which was a construction site, a house not yet built or occupied by another family) could not yet have led the police to the real killer, since no blood sample database had yet been built. What it certainly COULD have done, at that time, was to create enough reasonable doubt that it was exactly how Michael, his family, and his deceased wife’s family had imagined the crime to have occurred: a random man, a crime of opportunity, killing Chris while Michael had been at work.
The worst bit of exculpatory evidence left out, however (never given to Morton’s lawyers) was the transcription of a telephone call that Chris’s mother (Michael’s mother in law) had made to the top investigating detective of the case while Michael was in jail awaiting his trial. While yes, if a 3 year old child had only once mentioned “a monster killed mommy”, that could certainly be attributed to hearsay, yet what he said to his grandmother that evening (something he had also mentioned to Michael, but not in as much detail - simply asking him, “Who was the man showering in his clothes?”) was too detailed for police to have ignored. But, ignore it they did. It goes like this:
The mother in law began by telling the detective that little Eric - the poor child who had seen the awful brutal murder of his mother in its entirety - had “spread a blanket on the floor, began kicking it, telling his mommy to get up.” It was at this point the mother-in-law said she began to take notes and ask Eric questions. Here is what she wrote down, Eric’s version of the events that had transpired:
Eric: Mommy’s crying. She’s - Stop it! Go away.
Grandmother: why is she crying?
Eric: Because the monster is there.
Grandmother: what is he doing?
Eric: He hit Mommy. He broke the bed.
Grandmother: Is Mommy still crying?
Eric: No, Mommy stopped.
Grandmother: Then what happened?
Eric: The monster threw a blue suitcase on the bed, he’s mad…
Grandmother: Was he big?
Eric: Yeah.
Grandmother: Did he have gloves?
Eric: Yeah, red.
Grandmother: What did he carry in his red gloves?
Eric: Basket.
Grandmother: What was in the basket?
Eric: Wood.
Astonishingly, these were details that only the police knew, and aside from the police, only details the killer would know. And the killer had indeed piled all types of strange objects and furniture on top of the body as if to “hide“ it, including a blue suitcase. He had worn red gloves, and he had bludgeoned Chris Morton to death with large, heavy pieces of wood. Then, Eric’s grandmother told the sergeant the question she’d asked, the one she had been most afraid to hear the answer:
Grandmother: Where was Daddy, Eric?...Was Daddy there?
Eric: No, Mommy and Eric was there.
It wasn’t even just a mother-in-law who had perhaps truly loved her son in law, thus finding it unfathomable he could have killed her daughter, resulting in the fabrication of this tale. Because the child would go on to tell the court appointed psychologist the exact same story! But apparently this was irrelevant, and didn’t indicate Michael’s innocence. Because after all, as the police department pointed out, Michael could have easily “dressed up in his scuba suit”, which would then cause the child to believe he’d seen a monster. As Morton himself said, if this wasn’t his nightmarish reality, it could almost be laughable.
So just imagine not only having the love of your life murdered in cold blood, with her killer having had escaped, and never been pursued (the killer even used the victim’s credit card very shortly after the murder, the San Antonio police reported to the police dealing with the case, offering to bring the evidence TO them, and the Williamson County police declining their offer!). So you’re already suffering the immense trauma that death brings upon a person - and when that death is the result of a violent murder? Just unimaginable pain and suffering. Michael didn’t feel he could go on, but felt that he had to for the sake of his three-year-old son.
However, then imagine being in his place, being unable to process what had happened, then being arrested for that same horrific crime, crucified by the police department and the press while in jail awaiting his trial, allowing for nearly all of his in-laws, former friends, and neighbors to despise him. After all, with no other suspect to direct their anger upon, it was only natural that so many people would buy the insane narrative the police had spun, as a way of attempting to cope with the grief and to get through it. His defense lawyers were railroaded at the trial, evidence was kept from them, the judge was clearly in cahoots with the police and the DA, the jury worshipped law enforcement, their “local heroes.” Every card in the deck was stacked against him. After a very brief trial, Michael was pronounced guilty, and sentenced to life in prison. He would spend the next 25 years of his life estranged from his son, the world, desperately craving and attempting to prove his innocence to no avail.
It was really only when his original lawyers on the case contacted the Innocence Project, in 2002 I believe, that 12 years later, DNA testing and evidence (which had been hidden from the jury during his trial) would prove his complete innocence and finally exonerate him. What’s so upsetting, is that his ordeal did not even end here. Not only did he have to deal with adjusting to an entirely different world, 1986 versus 2014, he also, through the DNA evidence, found out the name of the man whose blood was on that bandanna, which also contained blood belonging to Chris. He had to first sit through a court of inquiry, which was to determine whether the former prosecutor turned judge in his case, Ken Anderson, had violated Morton’s right to due process in his trial (I don’t want to ruin anything, so I won’t say what they ruled, but it wasn’t good for Anderson. It was good, however, for holding the powerful accountable for their actions against defenseless defendants in murder trials and other serious trials like these).
Lastly, he had to finally face the man who, not only took his wife’s life so cruelly 25 years earlier, but in the process, had taken Michael’s own, by incarcerating him and locking him up and away from society for a quarter century. He, his now 28 year old son, and his family and his deceased wife’s family were forced to live out the experience again (for the 3 year old son, whom only had very vague recollections of what happened - he had to witness everything for the first time, as the family had kept the horrific details from his earliest years from him, knowing it wouldn’t help in any real way). And something that is possibly even worse than everything mentioned so far? The police’s incompetence allowed the real killer to murder another woman just two years later - in the exact same manner (with a frighteningly similar appearance to Michael’s deceased wife and the killer’s ex wife) - who also had a 3 year old daughter and a husband.
It’s hard to imagine someone who has been through this kind of living hell could actually make peace with it all, and in the end, reconnect with his son as well as remarry a seemingly wonderful woman, a woman who stood by him throughout his long and often painful/difficult journey back into the real world. It’s hard to imagine he could live a happy life - one in which he now lives to the fullest, taking very little for granted when he can help it.
But I don’t need to convince you. And he certainly doesn’t attempt to, either. It’s all there in the landscape of his writing; so beautiful and so poignant. The events of his life are described in terms that are beautiful, often tragic, even occasionally humorous. But only in one instance do I believe, does he speak of his bitterness, which gave him the fuel needed to survive the hideousness and perverse monotony of prison life. MUST-READ.
(I always say this, but it never happens - I hope to make this review more brief/succinct, but - I generally don’t end up going back to reviews, so my apologies that it ended up being so lengthy when I had intended on the opposite!) lol.
December 22, 2021
INCREDIBLE!!!!!! would definitely recommend this to anyone. so well written and highlights the extreme injustice within the criminal justice system.
March 7, 2024
Amazing story of man who spent 25 years in prison for killing his wife...but he didn't do it. He was railroaded into a conviction by Austin TX prosecutor and attorneys. Very well done. My only regret is the author did not ever tell whether or not his relationship with his wife's family was mended.
September 5, 2014
I chose this book because the idea that an innocent man could walk free after living in isolation for TWENTY-FIVE YEARS really intrigued me. It was very well-written, but his experience was heart-breaking. As his life fell to pieces with the loss of his wife, son, and life, so did his spirits and, while trudging through the pages upon pages containing detailed descriptions of the corrupt judicial system and the shock, grief, and anger expressed by Michael Morton, so did mine. Although, behind bars, he was not isolated, bombarded with barbaric prisoners and monotonous prison life, the separation between him and the world in which he belonged grew greater and greater, not only physically but spiritually, cognitively, and emotionally. However, as the book progressed, he devoted most of his time to gaining an education and making the most of his time there. The obstacles he overcame and the compassionate insights he developed were incredibly inspiring. From within prison walls, his thoughts, philosophies, and beliefs reached far beyond his stuffy, confined cell. His ideas and perspectives can be applied to anyone's struggles in life. It's a heavy read, but its definitely worth it.
September 10, 2016
I received this book from Goodreads as a giveaway.
Michael Morton was wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife and spent 25 years in jail until The Innocence Project was able to re-open the case. Edited from journals kept during his incarceration, this book takes you through his peaceful family life, prison time and the rebuilding of his life after his release. It is an emotional read. But perseverance and faith can often get us through the most harrowing life episodes.
Clearly, the law enforcement officials of his small Texas town were ill-equipped to deal with the crime. But they made it worse by hiding evidence and withholding testimonies.
Morton also describes life behind bars, each jail is different with each transfer. He probably has another book within his journals for a story about life among the incarcerated and the unspoken protocols needed to survive among fellow prisoners and a broken jail system.
Michael Morton was wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife and spent 25 years in jail until The Innocence Project was able to re-open the case. Edited from journals kept during his incarceration, this book takes you through his peaceful family life, prison time and the rebuilding of his life after his release. It is an emotional read. But perseverance and faith can often get us through the most harrowing life episodes.
Clearly, the law enforcement officials of his small Texas town were ill-equipped to deal with the crime. But they made it worse by hiding evidence and withholding testimonies.
Morton also describes life behind bars, each jail is different with each transfer. He probably has another book within his journals for a story about life among the incarcerated and the unspoken protocols needed to survive among fellow prisoners and a broken jail system.
February 14, 2016
This book takes you through the horrendous murder of the author's wife, the tainted legal system that found him guilty, and the near 25(!) years he spent in prison as an innocent man. It was not until The Innocence Project and DNA analysis came along that he was finally set free. His positivity and faith in God allowed him to survive such a tragic tale without developing hate towards his persecutors. Given the fact he was able to obtain a B.S. in Psychology and a masters in writing while incarcerated (each a struggle of their own), this book is smoothly written. This memoir is a must read!
February 8, 2021
I had to finish this book in a few days because it is so stunning. This memoir immediately caught my eyes when I came across it, and I'm so glad I gave it a try. What can be worse than losing your loved one unexpectedly? - To be accused that you murdered her and put into jail for 25 years.
I was looking to learn about his personal emotion at first, but this book offers much more than that. It also got me thinking about facing adversity, injustice, how life can be upsidedown overnight, and many other things.
I was looking to learn about his personal emotion at first, but this book offers much more than that. It also got me thinking about facing adversity, injustice, how life can be upsidedown overnight, and many other things.
January 19, 2015
Good book, but I was looking for more on his experiences in prison and how the appeal process went. It seemed we went from 1-5 years in prison and then fast-forwarded to year 20.
Perhaps that's how it seemed to him and everything ran together after a while, though.
Good memoir, not a great memoir.
Perhaps that's how it seemed to him and everything ran together after a while, though.
Good memoir, not a great memoir.
January 26, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It reads easy and was hard to put down. It is expertly written and haunting to think of how easily someone totally innocent could be sent to prison for life.
August 20, 2022
Wow. Wow. WOW!! What a remarkable book written by a man who’s much better than I ever could be given his heartbreaking experience of being sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife that he didn’t commit. All because of a good story spun by law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney, while withholding exculpatory evidence. He never gave up and with the help of the Innocence Project, he was exonerated 25 years later. This book is an absolute page turner and will take you on a rollercoaster ride from anguish and loss to relief, hope, and satisfaction.
Michael’s experience is raw, forthright, agonizing, and at times amusing. He is very gifted with words and expressing emotions through allegorical prose. He sucks you right into his crazed and hopeless world and leaves you emotionally drained; yet inspired.
I can’t imagine losing EVERYTHING and EVERYONE (wife, son, in-laws, friends, coworkers); left to fend for self in a world that seems so cold, lifeless, heartless, helpless, and overwhelming.
It’s inspiring to read how he persevered and redefined himself. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He never gave up on his cause and did not compromise his integrity for a lesser sentence. He eventually found God again through a divine experience beautifully described.
I highly recommend this book. Unfortunately, our law system isn’t perfect. Sometimes there are bad people in the system, or people who just plain get it wrong. And, when they do, God help those aligned in their path.
Content: (S) Sex is mentioned but not detailed. Masturbation is implied by the hand of a corpse. Jurors are to watch a portion of a porn film. No details but a few sounds described. (L) A couple uses of B—- and 1 use of F—-. Some degrading remarks about women. (V) Post description of the victim’s murder and other murders committed. Prison fights but nothing graphic.
Michael’s experience is raw, forthright, agonizing, and at times amusing. He is very gifted with words and expressing emotions through allegorical prose. He sucks you right into his crazed and hopeless world and leaves you emotionally drained; yet inspired.
I can’t imagine losing EVERYTHING and EVERYONE (wife, son, in-laws, friends, coworkers); left to fend for self in a world that seems so cold, lifeless, heartless, helpless, and overwhelming.
It’s inspiring to read how he persevered and redefined himself. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He never gave up on his cause and did not compromise his integrity for a lesser sentence. He eventually found God again through a divine experience beautifully described.
I highly recommend this book. Unfortunately, our law system isn’t perfect. Sometimes there are bad people in the system, or people who just plain get it wrong. And, when they do, God help those aligned in their path.
Content: (S) Sex is mentioned but not detailed. Masturbation is implied by the hand of a corpse. Jurors are to watch a portion of a porn film. No details but a few sounds described. (L) A couple uses of B—- and 1 use of F—-. Some degrading remarks about women. (V) Post description of the victim’s murder and other murders committed. Prison fights but nothing graphic.
August 23, 2014
When I received the book, I figured it would be just another biography. I was wrong, so wrong. This story is so horrible and beautiful at the same time. Mr. Morton is a man to look up to. Not only for what he has accomplished but what he has let go to make his life better. This was beautifully written and he is a genius. I did not expect to fall in love with the story the way I did but it's hard not to. I laughed, I cried, I felt pain, and I felt guilty for all the things in my life that I have taken for granted. This is one of the best pieces of literature that I have ever read. I will forever support Michael and think of his strengths when things look grim. He is an innocent man that took on a burden he never would have dreamed of and came out on top. A wonderful father. A great husband. He is a hero.
August 2, 2015
WOW! what an amazing man Michael is. to endure such horrendous treatment after anyone's worst nightmare coming true for him, and then to stand tall & better himself without letting the system drag him down... a truly extraordinary man!
shame on those who used their power to quickly & wrongly convict innocent people! & well done to the Innocence Project teams that work tirelessly & endlessly to free the wrongly convicted!!
so happy to reach the end of the book & know that he's built himself a happy life and continues to move forward in a positive way.
this book was also a great reminder of all the things we take for granted in everyday life; you never know just when that might be taken away from you
shame on those who used their power to quickly & wrongly convict innocent people! & well done to the Innocence Project teams that work tirelessly & endlessly to free the wrongly convicted!!
so happy to reach the end of the book & know that he's built himself a happy life and continues to move forward in a positive way.
this book was also a great reminder of all the things we take for granted in everyday life; you never know just when that might be taken away from you
November 23, 2014
Audiobook Review
4 + Stars
An extraordinary chronicle, superbly written and heart-wrenching. Michael Morton is convicted of the ghoulish death of his young wife, and is successfully railroaded into a life-sentence. Morton somehow manages the fortitude to persist for 25 years in prison, continuously pursuing his release. He is, after all, an innocent man.
This story provides three things: the knowledge that man through resilience (and in Morton's case, faith) can overcome the most difficult circumstances, that the justice system can be very unjust and sometimes just plain corrupt, and that The Innocence Project performs a crucial function in their pursuit of righting those judicial wrongs.
An excellent read. Don't miss it.
4 + Stars
An extraordinary chronicle, superbly written and heart-wrenching. Michael Morton is convicted of the ghoulish death of his young wife, and is successfully railroaded into a life-sentence. Morton somehow manages the fortitude to persist for 25 years in prison, continuously pursuing his release. He is, after all, an innocent man.
This story provides three things: the knowledge that man through resilience (and in Morton's case, faith) can overcome the most difficult circumstances, that the justice system can be very unjust and sometimes just plain corrupt, and that The Innocence Project performs a crucial function in their pursuit of righting those judicial wrongs.
An excellent read. Don't miss it.
July 28, 2014
Amazing account of a terrible situation
I talked more about the book and interviewed the author here:
http://sbutki.newsvine.com/_news/2014...
earlier I wrote
received an advanced copy of this today. It comes out July 8. Should be a fascinating harrowing account of being wrongly imprisoned in Texas for too many years.
I talked more about the book and interviewed the author here:
http://sbutki.newsvine.com/_news/2014...
earlier I wrote
received an advanced copy of this today. It comes out July 8. Should be a fascinating harrowing account of being wrongly imprisoned in Texas for too many years.
June 30, 2014
I received this book as a giveaway from the author and Good reads.
I can't praise this book enough! From the very first page, I was completely engrossed in the story.
It is truly a page-turner. I enjoyed the journey. I hope this story gets made into a movie. I feel compelled to find out more about the Innocence Project and help in my area. A big thank you to Michael Morton for sharing his story. 5 stars!!
Gina Alder
I can't praise this book enough! From the very first page, I was completely engrossed in the story.
It is truly a page-turner. I enjoyed the journey. I hope this story gets made into a movie. I feel compelled to find out more about the Innocence Project and help in my area. A big thank you to Michael Morton for sharing his story. 5 stars!!
Gina Alder
November 2, 2016
Michael Morton's life is an inspiration to us all... How his life was changed by a flawed and brutal justice system that brought anything but justice, how the change transformed him, and what it means to live through faith. This is a wonderful book I'm sure to read and read again.
Tezi and I read this together.
Tezi and I read this together.
September 13, 2014
Compelling story even though the writing may feel a bit flat. What a nightmare this man survived... convicted by incompetent and criminal prosecutors and served 25 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit.
December 31, 2014
I started this book because it takes place in my home town and I knew some of the people in the book. It was an excellent true crime story, but more than that it was about keeping faith in the most trying of times.
April 23, 2020
I was lucky enough to meet Michael Morton a few years ago when he spoke at Amy Brees/Den Property Group ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates) meeting in Santa Fe. It is amazing that he survived 25 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. His story is amazing and I highly recommend his book.
July 6, 2019
Captivating, well written, an insight into the justice system (and injustice). The author takes you on his journey through the loss of his wife, his trial, and his life in prison ( day by day, decade by decade) . Highly recommend this memoir. I read a lot of it out loud during a road trip to my husband. Riveting. 👍👍
February 6, 2024
This memoir is devastating, full of hope, and sad. Our justice system is broke, and there are not enough checks and balances. Michael is accused and convicted of killing his wife even though there is evidence he didn’t do it. Must read!
May 21, 2024
If you ever need a little life perspective on trials, grab this book. This story does a great job of capturing just enough of the horror of prison without graphic detail. But the forgiveness given and the lessons learned is so inspiring. Highly recommend
August 2, 2025
Very eye opening to the broken system and innocent people accused 💔 Loved how he shared about the whole process from beginning to end, including details about life in prison
July 8, 2014
Getting Life is by far the most inspirational book that I have ever read. A true tale of survival it will be have you gripped from the opening pages.
A remarkable account of Michael's life behind bars for a murder that he did not commit, from the horrific discovery of his wife's body, to the agony of his broken relationship with his son, Michael's tale is tragic.
Yet never once does he feel sorry for himself.
From his arrival in penitentiary through to his meetings with the Innocence Project, Michael never once stopped fighting to prove his innocence. Michael is a truly remarkable and admirable human being who should be proud of what he has achieved with this memoir.
There were times whilst reading, that I had to remind myself that it was a memoir, a work of truth, and not a novel, as some of the things that happen are so disturbing.
It seems incomprehensible that Michael was made to suffer in the (many) ways that he was at the hands of his fellow human beings. He was badly let down by so many, yet never once set out for revenge - although of course it crossed his mind, he is only human after all.
The work of the innocence project, together with Michael's lawyers, prove that amongst the cover ups and conspiracy there were some good people looking out for Michael, who, together with his parents and closest family members helped secure his release.
Michael today is undoubtedly a very different man from the one who was charged with his wife's murder more than 25 years ago, but he should feel very proud of how much he has achieved and just how far he has come.
A remarkable account of Michael's life behind bars for a murder that he did not commit, from the horrific discovery of his wife's body, to the agony of his broken relationship with his son, Michael's tale is tragic.
Yet never once does he feel sorry for himself.
From his arrival in penitentiary through to his meetings with the Innocence Project, Michael never once stopped fighting to prove his innocence. Michael is a truly remarkable and admirable human being who should be proud of what he has achieved with this memoir.
There were times whilst reading, that I had to remind myself that it was a memoir, a work of truth, and not a novel, as some of the things that happen are so disturbing.
It seems incomprehensible that Michael was made to suffer in the (many) ways that he was at the hands of his fellow human beings. He was badly let down by so many, yet never once set out for revenge - although of course it crossed his mind, he is only human after all.
The work of the innocence project, together with Michael's lawyers, prove that amongst the cover ups and conspiracy there were some good people looking out for Michael, who, together with his parents and closest family members helped secure his release.
Michael today is undoubtedly a very different man from the one who was charged with his wife's murder more than 25 years ago, but he should feel very proud of how much he has achieved and just how far he has come.
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