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Texas Forensic Science Commission refuses to end inquiry into Willingham arson case

winston53660

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By JENNIFER EMILY / The Dallas Morning News
jemily@dallasnews.com

The Texas Forensic Science Commission rebelled Friday against its head commissioner, refusing to accept his draft report clearing arson investigators of misconduct or negligence in a 1991 fatal fire where flawed science was used to determine the blaze was intentionally set.

Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in 2004 for killing his three children by setting that blaze. Texas may have executed an innocent man on Gov. Rick Perry's watch if the fire was accidental.
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Full coverage: Cameron Todd Willingham

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"There's a lot of work to be done still," Tarrant County Medical Examiner Nizam Peerwani, a member of the commission, said after the meeting. "That's why the commission didn't approve the draft."

Texas Forensic Science Commission refuses to end inquiry into Willingham arson case | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

That would really be a shame if we put to death an innocent man.
 
Re: Texas Forensic Science Commission refuses to end inquiry into Willingham arson ca

I just skimmed the article, so I can't tell where this guy was convicted (Dallas, I guess), but I can tell you from friends who work in the Houston DA's office that if you are a prosecutor there and your conviction rate falls below 95%, you're out the door. The system is seriously flawed in this state, from the ground up. I don't doubt that we've put to death several innocent men.
 
Re: Texas Forensic Science Commission refuses to end inquiry into Willingham arson ca

I just skimmed the article, so I can't tell where this guy was convicted (Dallas, I guess), but I can tell you from friends who work in the Houston DA's office that if you are a prosecutor there and your conviction rate falls below 95%, you're out the door. The system is seriously flawed in this state, from the ground up. I don't doubt that we've put to death several innocent men.

We have a pretty nasty system here in Dallas too. I think the guy was convicted in Tarrant County though. That is Ft Worth.
 
Re: Texas Forensic Science Commission refuses to end inquiry into Willingham arson ca

TEXAS it's a whole other Country. Or so they used to claim in the ads.

Texas has always been a tough place to be the bad guy.

However when there is a possibility of wrong doing on the part of police of the police lab no stone should remain unturned to discover the truth and hold those responsible to account.

If they killed an innocent man there is nothing can be done other than be more vigilant in the future and not rushing to judgment.

That is why criminal trials require a unanimous decision beyond a reasonable doubt.

Unfortunately there have been other cases in recent years where the forensic evidence has been called into serious question for faulty or junk science of bias in favor of police.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/forensic-
mtdna/


Forensic Science Being Called Into Question
 
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