Oct 2nd, 2009
Posted by Christopher Hill, Capital Punishment Project at 5:49pm	Innocence and the Death Penalty

Suspicious Shakeup in Texas

On Wednesday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry dismissed three members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, including the chairperson.

His timing was extremely suspicious, to say the least.

The commission was set to hear testimony today from an arson expert it had hired, Craig L. Beyler, who reviewed the “expert” arson testimony used in 1992 to convict Cameron Todd Willingham of killing his three children by setting their house on fire. In a detailed report (PDF), Beyler recently criticized the “expert” arson opinions used to convict Willingham as "nothing more than a collection of personal beliefs that have nothing to do with science-based fire investigation." Beyler’s conclusions, which echo the findings of eight forensic arson specialists who have looked at the case, make it abundantly clear that Willingham, executed by the State of Texas in 2004 under Gov. Perry’s watch, was almost certainly innocent.

The governor had compelling information back in 2004 that Willingham’s conviction was based on junk science, but he ignored it and allowed the execution to go forward. Last month, he expressed confidence that Willingham was guilty and disparaged Beyler and the other experts who have reached a different, science-based conclusion.

Then on Wednesday, he announced he was replacing three of the commission’s members, and chose a Texas prosecutor as the new chairperson. This change delays Beyler's testimony and any other expert findings from his investigation until after the upcoming gubernatorial election.

Gov. Perry said that the change was “business as usual.” Unfortunately, his words ring all too true. Willingham is not the first likely innocent person executed by the State of Texas. Others include Carlos De Luna and Ruben Cantu. But the state has never acknowledged any of these tragic mistakes.

Business as usual, all right.

— By Matt Simpson, Policy Strategist, ACLU of Texas and Christopher Hill, State Strategies Coodinator, ACLU Capital Punishment Project

Permalink |	Innocence and the Death Penalty

1. snuffy 204 Says:
   Oct 2nd, 2009 at 8:20pm

   I'd like to see the D.A's grade position from college, and how many times did he take the bar exam!

2. Joe Morelli Says:
   Oct 3rd, 2009 at 4:32am

   lets look at part of your post shall we?

   Beyler’s conclusions, which echo the findings of eight forensic arson specialists who have looked at the case, make it abundantly clear that Willingham, executed by the State of Texas in 2004 under Gov. Perry’s watch, was almost certainly innocent.

   So you've got 9 specialists who said " was almost certainly innocent". From the way that sounds they had some doubt. Otherwise they would have said "he's 100% innocent" Face it, his peers agreed he killed his kids. In my book he deserved to die. One less asshole my tax dollars have to support. If she couldn't do the time, shouldn't have done the crime...I hope he's crispy by now..

3. Wm McDevitt Says:
   Oct 3rd, 2009 at 7:02pm

   We don't have the perfect justice system, why do we have the perfect punishment?

4. john a. naguski Says:
   Oct 5th, 2009 at 9:48am

   in god we trust

5. john a. naguski Says:
   Oct 5th, 2009 at 9:50am

   take on major league baseball for all the players blessing themselves in front of 40,000 to 50,000 fans after the get a basehit. you won't go there for they are too big for you.

6. Robert Walther Says:
   Oct 5th, 2009 at 1:59pm

   I am an excon. No one in prison is innnocent. No one thinks the loopholes in our justice system are sillier than dedicated crooks. I, like all other ex-cons, have been arrested, even framed, by honest and crooked cops both. I did not cry about the unfairness of the system. The few bad arrests were greatly counterbalanced by thousands of successful scores. Of course MY crimes were committed for the 'Revolution'! "It wasn't for the money, at least it didn't start that way". Right ON!
   No one believes that manipulating reality for money is justifiable except media, lawyers or pastors. The lawyers and media can ask their legal department. The pastors will have to face their gods.
   The idea that it is better to let 10 guilty men go free rather than convict one innocent man is very noble. Is it bettter to free 100 guilty than convict one innocent? Free one million than convict one innocent? Free Hitler than convict...... A noble rule of law instituted when there were very few people is wonderful. Very Moral! I weep at the magnificence, the intention! The road to hell is paved with good intentions! The only way to insure
   that an innocent man is not convicted is to not arrest ANYONE. Too drastic? Reduce the number of laws. Moses only had 10. Reduce crime? Gas the Max-security prisons, don't tell the guards. As Shakespeare said, "The first thing we must do is kill all the lawyers.." Of course, In the 1500's we did not have over two million people in jail. Not two million in the world, much less two million in one country!
   On and on and on and on. You want things to get better? Be better! You want the system to be fair, don't break the law. You want the laws to be fair? Have fewer laws.
   The 2009 Banking system in the US steals over $1200 per SECOND in overdraft fees alone. The combination of all the Dillinger, James Brothers, Willie Sutton type bank robberies in history is overwelmed by two weeks of the 'legal' theft committed by banks. At least the James brothers, unlike Bank of America and its ilk, did not steal from the poorest.

7. MAD AS HELL Says:
   Oct 5th, 2009 at 2:04pm

   AT A TIME WHEN MONEY IS PROBLEM FOR THE STATES AND THE COUNTRY , AND YOU WANT TO SPEND MILLIONS TO HAVE THE CROSSES REMOVED FROM THE GRAVE SITES OF OUR SOLDIERS. MAY GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF STRIKE ALL OF YOU .THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL REALLY QUICK. AND YOUR HELPING . WE DON'T NEED YOUR KIND OF HELP.

8. GH Says:
   Nov 13th, 2009 at 4:52pm

   No one is saying to let 10 guilty men go free rather than convict one innocent man. That has nothing to do with the issue of the death penalty, sorry. The point is, id rather have 10 men who truly 'deserve' the death penalty live out their lives in prison, rather than to have one innocent man murdered by the state that is supposed to protect his rights. But of course, you probably wouldn't agree unless it was you, or worse, someone YOU care for who was going to be murdered. Such ignorance speaks volumes...

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