'Bandana bandit' striking Bradley signs

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - Someone is tagging the political campaign signs of Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley with red bandanas, an apparent reference to the case of Michael Morton, who was exonerated by DNA evidence in the murder of his wife.

Several blogs have pointed out that Bradley, who is seeking re-election next year, fought efforts to have DNA testing performed on the bandana found near the Morton home shortly after the 1986 murder of Christine Morton.

When the tests were performed, they found samples belonging to Christine Morton and another man, later identified as Mark Norwood. That prompted the courts to order Michael Morton released from prison in early October.

Blogs such as the Wilco Watchdog have dubbed the prankster "the bandana bandit."

Bradley, who is opposed in the Republican primary by former County Attorney Jana Duty, suggested that the Watchdog blog is publicizing the bandanas on his signs in an effort to help his opponent. He also pointed out that he was not in office when the Morton case was tried.

"As I have previously admitted, I regret the delays and have learned important lessons about re-evaluating positions as new information is revealed," Bradley said in an email to KXAN.

"The Innocence Project (which assisted Michael Morton), in their extensive report, repeatedly noted that the district attorney's office joined the request for Morton's release, cooperated in an investigation of what happened 25 years ago and has moved to dismiss the indictment so that Morton is eligible for compensation."