Falsely Convicted?

           On February 17, 2004, Cameron Willingham was executed in Texas for a crime that he probably did not commit. Mr. Willingham was convicted of murdering his three young daughters after they were killed in a house fire. The evidence that was used to convict Mr. Willingham was based on testimony by the Texas fire marshal, who found “clear signs of arson”, and testimony from a fellow inmate. The inmate later changed his story. The science that was used by the fire marshal to determine arson has since been called into question. Mr. Willingham’s final words were: “Please clear my name. I did not kill my children.”

          While Cameron Willingham’s family tries to clear his name, the bigger issue is preventing falsely convicted people from being put to death. The Innocence Project in New York is currently working on 26 arson cases where faulty science may have led to a conviction. People are now starting to focus on more precise arson science. The Texas Forensic Science Commission was established seven years ago to examine faulty criminal investigations. This group found that the science behind the fire marshal’s report in the Willingham case was unreliable. It is believed that the Texas Forensic Science Commission will serve as model for the rest of the country. Four other arson cases in Texas are now under review based on the new science.

          Nothing can change the outcome in the Willingham case. If his family does receive a “posthumous pardon” from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, it will be the first time in Texas history that an official Texas agency recognizes that an innocent person was executed. I believe that we must do everything possible to investigate all of the evidence in a case before someone is executed. Other than “burn marks” in the Willingham case, there was relatively no other evidence that pointed to arson. No chemicals were ever found. Science now indicates that the same burn marks could have come from a fast moving fire, not one that involved “accelerants”.  Even if one person is spared a death sentence based on these new reviews, it will be worth the effort.