Texas Gov. Rick Perry has taken an perfectly Nixonian step of gutting a commission just days before it was to hear expert testimony indicating that Texas executed an innocent man, Cameron Todd Willingham. There is growing evidence that Texas not only convicted an innocent man but fought to prevent him from presenting evidence to prove his innocence. Just days before the hearing before the Texas Forensic Science Commission, Perry dumped the Chairman and declined to reappoint two commission members. The move may block the ability of Craig Beyler, an arson investigation expert, to prove that Willingham was innocent of setting a fire in his home in Corsicana, Texas, that killed his three daughters.
Perry replaced Chairman Sam Bassett with John Bradley, the district attorney of Williamson County, near Austin.
Beyler has stated that there was no credible evidence that Willingham set the fire or that it was even an act of arson. Two prior reports found that the fire was not caused by arson. Other experts have discredited the evidence presented by prosecutors in Texas.
Unable to change such reports, Perry has changed the commission and withheld appointments — effectively postponing any hearing.
To the day of his execution, Willingham insisted that he was innocent.
Perry has introduced a new Zen-like question: if evidence of innocence is spoken but no one is there to hear it, is the person really shown to be innocent?
For the story, click here
This might be of interest, “Texas Judge under fire”, for ruling death penalty unconstitutional; he believes innocent people have been executed!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6899748.html
From the NYT 3/5 brief: “A judge in Harris County, which sends more inmates to death row than any other in the nation, has declared the death penalty unconstitutional. State District Judge Kevin Fine, a Democrat, made the ruling Thursday in a capital murder case, saying he could assume that innocent people have been executed. The Texas attorney general, Greg Abbott, offered to help the district attorney appeal it.”
(FYI he was first elected in 2008)
AY:
The Governor replaced 4 members of the 9 member board. Read my articles at the link I provided as to some alternate reasons he may have made those replacements.
There never can be a cover up.
Texas doesn’t rush executions. On average, it takes about 10.5 years of appeals prior to execution.
Texas has executed nearly 500 murderers since 1973, or less than 1% of their murderers since reintroduction of the death penalty.
Dudley Sharp,
Yes, I do believe that they did. And the smirk on that Bastards face. Oh, I was speaking of the Governor, when he was asked about it. His response fire the present board and appoint a new one the day before the press release was released. Makes me wonder.
Cameron Todd Willingham: Media meltdown & the death penalty:”Trial by Fire: Did Texas execute an innocent man?”, by David Grann
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/10/04/cameron-todd-willingham-media-meltdown–the-death-penalty.aspx
Other articles on the Cameron Todd Willingham case
http://homicidesurvivors.com/categories/Cameron%20Todd%20Willingham.aspx
AY –
Caught Matthews in L.A. a number of years ago. I’m a guy, straight and currently single (let’s not mix up that sentence) and so it’s always a good scene even if you’ve never bought an album.
“Hey, cutie, why don’t you ‘Crash Into Me’ …”
Okay, now look who’s gotten OT.
Austin City Limits 2009 is this weekend. Dave Matthews stars.
Billy –
I like you. You can take a good punch. Ya’ll been to Sixth Street lately? South x Southwest festival is always kickin’ …
billy,
I was one of the few that has ever gotten kicked out of the hole in the wall in Austin. You have to be fairly bad off before they will take that drastic measure. Bad Off.