Parker Co Man On Parole For 1983 Murder Arrested For Sexual Assault
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WEATHERFORD (1080 KRLD) - A convicted murderer who was paroled from prison early has been arrested again in Parker County.
According to officials, 52-year old John Robert Morton was arrested Saturday by Parker County Sherriff's deputies for an alleged sexual assault.
Report say that Morton sexually assaulted a known female acquaintance at his girlfriend's residence after giving her a ride.
Morton was charged with second-degree felony sexual assault and booked into the Parker County Jail. His bond is set at $50,000.
In 1984 Morton was sentenced to 99-years in prison for sadistically torturing and killing his then-girlfriend's 3-year-old son, Charles Christopher Burns, in Parker County.
Morton received an early release from prison late last year, despite objections voiced to the parole board in 1999, by the then-prosecutor of the murder case, former Parker County DA Amy Adams.
In her letter to the parole board, Adams urged the board to cautiously evaluate Morton, and that "based on the brutality and obvious suffering of the child victim, society demands protection from this man. The possibility of future victims must be weighed against his right of release on parole."
Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said he expects a parole warrant to be issued for Morton.
CBS11 inquired to the Board of Pardons and Paroles about why Morton was granted early release. The board responded with this statement:
The Board of Pardons and Paroles does not determine initial parole eligibility, Texas statute does. The Board has the responsibility to render parole decisions for offenders eligible for parole consideration. In the case of Mr. Morton, he became eligible for parole consideration March 14, 1990; he was not initially approved for parole and received numerous denials.
After serving approximately 32 years, in April 2015, a parole panel approved his release with the following reasons: Participation In TDCJ-CID Proposed Or Specialized Programs; the record indicates participation in and completion of TDCJ-CID programs and activities in the individual treatment plan that should enhance chances to obtain and maintain full-time stable employment; and Supervised Release. In addition to the general rules of parole, he had the following conditions included: No Program Involvement with person less than 17 years old; no unsupervised contact with children less than 17 years old; not reside with/contact/cause to be contacted anyone less than 17 years old; and Maximum Level Supervision.
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