Kerry Max Cook Files Suit Over His Murder Conviction

TYLER – A man whose Tyler’s murder charge was dismissed a year ago, has filed a federal lawsuit against those he claims were involved in his wrongful conviction. The 32 page document was filed on Monday on behalf of Kerry Max Cook. He is suing 22 people and agencies who he claims fabricated and excluded evidence and created false evidence that led to him spending 20 years in prison. The suit claims the defendants set out to pin the murder on a homosexual. According to the suit, the defendants believed Cook was a homosexual. He is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys’ fees and costs.

In a state district court in Tyler last June, a judge dismissed the murder charges against Cook. The court also approved an agreement between District Attorney Matt Bingham and Cook’s lawyers to dismiss the charges. Cook was convicted in 1978 of the 1977 stabbing death of Linda Jo Edwards. He was sentenced to death. Cook maintained his innocence, and the verdict was overturned. A second trial ended in mistrial and a third trial sent him back to death row. Cook later pleaded no contest to the killing for a sentence of time served.