2 Prosecutors Leave Dallas District Attorney's Office

DALLAS (AP) - The prosecutor who leads Dallas County's nationally known conviction integrity unit is one of two top assistants to District Attorney Craig Watkins leaving their positions.

Watkins announced Thursday that Mike Ware, who heads the unit that scrutinizes wrongful convictions, is returning to private practice. He will be replaced by Dallas attorney Russell Wilson.

Watkins also said First Assistant DA Terri Moore is giving up her position. A replacement was not announced.

Both will be leaving the DA's office on July 1.

Twenty-two people have been exonerated through DNA testing in Dallas County since 2001. The county's record is unmatched nationally because its crime lab maintains biological evidence even decades after a conviction, leaving samples available to test, and Watkins has cooperated with innocence groups in reviewing hundreds of inmate requests.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)