Gov. Rick Perry has replaced the head of a state commission that is investigating a questionable finding of arson in the case that led to the 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham, just as the commission was due to hold a public hearing examining the case.
The commission had hired a nationally known expert whose review of the Willingham case was released last month. The author, Craig Beyler, called the investigation slipshod and determined that almost all of the evidence presented was based on junk science.
Beyler was due to address the commission, review his report and take questions at a meeting Friday in Irving. He had reached the conclusion that no credible evidence existed to believe that the fire, that killed 3 children, was caused by arson.
This week, the governor chose not to extend the terms of Austin lawyer Sam Bassett, former chair of the commission, as well as 2 others on the 9-member Texas Forensic Science Commission. The new commission chair promptly cancelled Friday's meeting on the Beyler report.
The Willingham case, in which his 3 young children died in a 1991 Corsicana house fire, has drawn national attention. Anti-death penalty advocates consider it the likeliest case in recent decades in which an innocent man was executed.
Perry had denied Willingham's request for a stay of execution 5 years ago. His lawyers asked the governor for the 30-day reprieve to give the courts time to review new reports that called the fire investigation into question. Willingham had always maintained his innocence.
The governor has questioned Beyler's findings and argued that there is other evidence of Willingham's guilt. And he told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the terms of the dismissed board members were expiring and replacing them "was pretty standard business as usual."
Perry's challenger in the March Republican primary, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, said that the case has not been handled properly.
"Why you wouldn't at least have the hearing that the former member suggested, to find out what the facts are, when a man has been executed and now the facts are in dispute just like DNA has given more tools to determine the facts," she said. "I am strongly for the death penalty, but always with the absolute assurance that you have the ability to be sure with the technology that we have that a person is guilty."
She demurred when asked directly whether she believes that Texas executed an innocent man in this case.
"I answered your question," she said. "To the best of my knowledge, I've answered your question."
Source: Dallas Morning News, October 1, 2009
The commission had hired a nationally known expert whose review of the Willingham case was released last month. The author, Craig Beyler, called the investigation slipshod and determined that almost all of the evidence presented was based on junk science.
Beyler was due to address the commission, review his report and take questions at a meeting Friday in Irving. He had reached the conclusion that no credible evidence existed to believe that the fire, that killed 3 children, was caused by arson.
This week, the governor chose not to extend the terms of Austin lawyer Sam Bassett, former chair of the commission, as well as 2 others on the 9-member Texas Forensic Science Commission. The new commission chair promptly cancelled Friday's meeting on the Beyler report.
The Willingham case, in which his 3 young children died in a 1991 Corsicana house fire, has drawn national attention. Anti-death penalty advocates consider it the likeliest case in recent decades in which an innocent man was executed.
Perry had denied Willingham's request for a stay of execution 5 years ago. His lawyers asked the governor for the 30-day reprieve to give the courts time to review new reports that called the fire investigation into question. Willingham had always maintained his innocence.
The governor has questioned Beyler's findings and argued that there is other evidence of Willingham's guilt. And he told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the terms of the dismissed board members were expiring and replacing them "was pretty standard business as usual."
Perry's challenger in the March Republican primary, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, said that the case has not been handled properly.
"Why you wouldn't at least have the hearing that the former member suggested, to find out what the facts are, when a man has been executed and now the facts are in dispute just like DNA has given more tools to determine the facts," she said. "I am strongly for the death penalty, but always with the absolute assurance that you have the ability to be sure with the technology that we have that a person is guilty."
She demurred when asked directly whether she believes that Texas executed an innocent man in this case.
"I answered your question," she said. "To the best of my knowledge, I've answered your question."
Source: Dallas Morning News, October 1, 2009
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