The Unraveling Legacy of Henry Wade

For 36 years, as the lede here notes, former Dallas County DA Henry Wade “was the embodiment of Texas justice.” He still is, but now that title has a more sinister meaning, thanks to 19 overturned convictions and a couple of hundred more cases under review. As the evidence mounts, it’s easy enough to blame the “win at all costs” culture he brought to the DA’s office. One thing to note, though, as all of this moves forward: Wade was elected 10 times in all, even after the Dallas County approach to prosecution–the “cowboy kind of mentality,” as Craig Watkins calls it–was an open secret. So more than a few people should feel ashamed every time another man is exonerated.