The woman at the epicenter of a Texas filmmaker's crusade against allegedly corrupt police may soon be freed thanks to a federal judge's decision to vacate her sentence.

Yolanda Madden, who was jailed in 2005 after being convicted of possession of and intent to distribute narcotics, was the reason that Barry Cooper came to Odessa, Texas last December. After being hired to embarrass the local police by Yolanda's father Raymond, Cooper set up a fake marijuana grow house and baited officers to stage an illegal raid. When they did, police were confronted by an empty house and lots of cameras, with a hand-written poster explaining they had become part of a new reality show called "KopBusters".

For Yolanda, the stunt was just the beginning of efforts to secure her freedom. Cooper and Madden's father insist Odessa officers planted the narcotics she was jailed for.

At a Thursday evidentiary hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Junell granted a motion to "vacate, set aside, or correct" Yolanda's sentence, effectively guaranteeing a new trial and possibly her freedom, according to CBS 7 in Odessa.

Madden has previously lost an appeal before the fifth circuit court. That decision is available here. [PDF link]

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