Gov. Perry (AP Photo)
Recently, Gov. Perry has raised some eyebrows over his replacement of four out of eight members of a state commission that was investigating the possible innocence of a man executed in 2004 by the state of Texas. The governor's surprising action has thrown the investigation into disarray at what Alan Levy, one of the deposed members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, said was "a crucial point".
The case in question is that of Cameron Todd Williams, who was convicted in 1992 of murder after his three daughters were killed in a fire at his home in Corsicana, TX. Mounting a case primarily based upon forensic evidence, the prosecution was able to convince a jury that Mr. Williams had set the fire himself.
In 1992, the methods and the type of evidence they produced were largely accepted. Nowadays, however, they have been effectively debunked. After the execution, the Innocence Project assembled a panel of five independent arson experts that produced a 48-page report dismissing all of the evidence as invalid. This report led to the exoneration and release of Ernest Willis, who was convicted based upon identical forensic techniques.
According to the Houston Chronicle, another report written by arson expert Gerald Hurst was sent to state officials by Williams' lawyers with a request for a stay of execution. This report also categorically denounced all of the forensic evidence used in the trial. 88 minutes before the scheduled execution, the report was faxed to the office of Gov. Perry. No stay was granted. The Chronicle reports that the governor's office has "declined to release any of [Gov. Perry's] or his staff's comments or analysis of the reprieve request".
In 2008, the Texas Forensic Science Commission decided to officially investigate the case. The commission had gathered significant momentum and was scheduled to hear testimony from arson expert Craig Beyler, who had compiled the most recent of three reports condemning the evidence used against Williams, on October 3. This momentum was completely derailed, however, on October 1, when Gov. Perry invoked his gubernatorial powers to replace three members of the commission (a fourth was replaced later). As a result Mr. Beyler's testimony has been postponed indefinitely and the investigation was put on hold.
Gov. Perry is currently campaigning for reelection in 2010 and is facing a strong challenge in the Republican primary. Prior to these seemingly obstructionist actions, the investigation had been expected to produce a report early next year. If this report is delayed beyond the Texas primaries or abandoned altogether, it would certainly be a boost for the governor's chances. It seems another investigation may be in order.
Comments
Shout this name from the rooftops, Todd Willingham. He was innocent and Texas killed him. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, in 2006, wrote that, in the modern judicial system there has not been “a single case–not one–in which it is clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit. If such an event had occurred in recent years, we would not have to hunt for it; the innocent’s name would be shouted from the rooftops.” Take part in our “Shout it from the Rooftops” campaign.
www.camerontoddwillingham.com/?page_id=6
Sign the petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was not arson, therefore no crime was committed and on February 17, 2004, Texas executed an innocent man.
We plan to deliver the petition at the 10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty on October 24 in Austin at the Texas Capitol.
Thanks for the article. Did Perry have a reason for replacing the commission members? It sure sounds like a delay tactic.
Also, proponents of the death penalty may want to reconsider their stand. It's actually less costly to keep them alive and if evidence exonorates them, obviously we'll not have killed an innocent person.
Perry may well have committed political suicide by his last minute move removing members of the Commission to stop the Commission from giving its report, which may well have proven he permitted an innocent man be executed. Yes, it was his right to replace them but the stench of a cover-up by his actions permeates the air as the public and newspapers and TV networks from coast to coast are questioning his motives and demanding answers. If Mr. Willingham is proven innocent this may well be only the beginning of exposing other cases of innocent men put to death not only in Texas but in other States who have the death penalty. Too many prisoners have sat in prison for years or on death row and later have it proven they were innocent.
Slick Dick Rick doesn't seem to know anything? You've got it all wrong about Slick Dick Rick-he's not trying to cover up the state sponsored murder of a man so he'd look tough on crime when running for re-election. Everybody knows that Slick Dick Rick is actually to stupid to have given it that much thought.
Oh, what a woeful web we weave when we first practice ... What is Perry's competitor saying? What is Kay Bailey Hutchinson saying?
Another totally corrupt Republican loser from Texas. Dont forget he is courting Sarah Palin !!! Boycott all Republicans, they are a huge danger to our democracy with Fox News at the helm
promoting lies, fear and hatred for everything progressive and decent.
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