This is the story of Cameron Todd Willingham. Todd was convicted in 2004 for the 1991 deaths of his three daughters in a fire that experts said was arson.
Let me begin by saying that I support capital punishment when there is conclusive evidence that a pre-meditated crime was committed leading to the death of an individual. However the "smoking gun" must be available for all to see. In other words, there must be overwhelming evidence that the right person is being put to death.
In the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, I believe those standards were not met. And in my opinion, politics played a large role in wrongly executing an innocent man.
You may ask why I would say such a thing as "politics played a large role in wrongly executing an innocent man?" It begins with the state that Willingham was executed in, the State of Texas. It is well documented that Texan's overwhelmingly support the death penalty and any politician opposed to it sees his or hers chances of being elected greatly diminished.
Texas Governor Rick Perry, someone seeking higher office and even being considered as a Presidential candidate in 2012 is just the type of politician I speak of. Even though experts said the investigation of Willingham was flawed, Governor Perry supported the use of the death penalty. Had he stopped the execution it would have been politically bad for him.
3 independent reviews by the nations top arson experts questioned whether Willingham was responsible for setting the fire. All came to the conclusion that the investigation was flawed.
But despite of these independent conclusions, Governor Perry saw fit to sign the documents allowing the execution to move forward. He even went as far as removing 4 commissioners right before a critical hearing that would have embarrassed the Governor.
Governor Perry is now, in my opinion, rightly being accused of a cover-up. He refuses to release documents and emails reviewed before the execution. He claims his emails are deleted every 7 days by staff members.
In conclusion this is what I believe happened. Governor Perry's political ambitions got the best of him. His lack of leadership, morals and compassion lead to the execution of an innocent man. He is now in cover-up mode. And that is what will lead to his down-fall.
In my opinion, Governor Perry has no future outside the State of Texas. And if he ever makes an attempt going national, especially a run for the White House, I promise to be his worse enemy.
I will never let the American people forget this miscarriage of justice on behalf of a sordid sense of partisan politics. No matter which side of the political spectrum you side with, you can't possibly support someone like Governor Perry. He can't even lead his own state in a lawful manner. What makes anyone think that he could be any better on the national stage?
What is your opinion? Did Governor Perry commit a crime? Should he be held accountable for his actions? Or am I, Lloyd-Proud Democrat, myself playing partisan politics?
Call Governor Rick Perry and leave him a message at (512) 463-1782.
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Comments: 104
I believe that the Governor is having a hard time sleeping now that he is being exposed. What he's done boarders on being criminal in itself. I wonder what the repercussions will be for him if he is ever held accountable for his actions or in this case inaction?
First possibly innocent man murdered by a Texas governor?
I seriously doubt it.
Do not trust them ,,,, Shoot first then ask questions later.
Your reasoning for being against the death penalty is a sound one. I, like you, used to feel the same way. But with the increasing wanton pre-meditated killing of American citizens at an all time high, I have shifted my position and now believe that if overwhelming evidence is present, a person must be held accountable for his or her actions.
Like I said, our justice system needs to be changed, some people can be rehabilitated and others can't. If they can't, then I believe they should serve out the rest of their life in prison.
There is only one incident where I had to agree with the death penalty, and that was where the prisoner was still able to commit murder from behind bars.
Could you support the death penalty if justice was handed out evenhandedly regardless of class, race or economic status?
Like you, I believe that there is chance for abuse and that those unable to afford the best representation are more likely to receive a death penalty sentence.
Even in cases where DNA evidence points to guilt, what many people don't realize is that this typically doesn't rule out other people with the same mother, for example, so in poorer neighborhoods where many people can be related, there can be a large pool of potential guilty parties with no good way to distinguish them by DNA, except with much more expensive and time-consuming tests.
There are so many cases where the prosecution has withheld key evidence that supports innocence that this is another major factor.
Ultimately, however, I just don't think that society should bring itself down to the level of a killer.
Hello Juan.
It's too late. The facts are coming out and Governor Perry will soon have to answer many questions regarding his attempts at covering up this miscarriage of justice.
He shouldn't have signed the papers allowing the execution of an innocent man. Now he will be held accountable for his actions.
I truly hope this leads to his political demise and maybe even go as far as a criminal prosecution.
I understand your feelings. I just wish all the killing would stop. But that will never happen.
I am opposed to the death penalty, this is one reason why. It is too often a political tool; Willingham is not the first innocent to die at the hand of the state.
Perversely, I will bet that more than a few conservatives think a wrongful death now and then is just fine.
Another reason to oppose the death penalty, there is no reprieve, it is like the Christians of the inquisition, oh well if they are innocent, they will go to heaven.
If Governor Perry doesn't care about the death of an innocent man and is only loosing sleep over the potential demise of his political career, then he is a man of very low character and lacking of any real morals.
This is a case where a special prosecutor should be bought in. He needs to answer some very tough question now, not later.
The death sentences using circumstantial evidence makes me cringe. Most people on death row cannot afford their attorneys
I knew that there were some Texans with common sense, compassion and who don't support "fly by night" executions of innocent people.
Thanks for being my friend.
-- they might frame me for some crime because it's politically expedient
~~~
Well here are 3 other reports coming from within the state of Texas. Please tell me what you think now? Are they not trustworthy either?
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-death_31edi.State.Edition1.1bd1063.html
http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=4890
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6668380.html
Holy sh*t.
"Marilyn M. Oct 13, 2009, 1:04 pm EDT Sigh. I'll go away, Johnice. You see, the Bible is with me everywhere I go. It's my instruction manual.... My faith is not something that is about Sunday mornings."
Yesterday you agreed that: Everyone Deserves Equal Rights!
Today your okay with murder and the States who are all to willing to kill!
Marilyn the execution of an innocent man should never be based upon a popularity contest. It's obvious that this was a gross miscarriage of justice and you sit here somehow trying to justify it.
I know that you know the difference between right and wrong. It's time you put your partisan politics and pride aside and admit that something terribly wrong happened here and that Texas Governor Perry enabled it to happen to the point of where he is now doing everything in his power to cover up his misdeeds.
Even Texas Monthly (one of the spring issues I think) had a story documenting the stories of 50+ people wrongfully convicted in Texas over the past several years... One had been in prison for over 30 years before being exonerated!
http://texasdeathpenalty.blogspot.com/2009/10/michael-hall-memo-to-kay.html
I support the death penalty in some ways as with serial killers
but on the other hand, if there is not sound proof that the person committed the crime...oh my
There is just too much pre-meditated and even random killings occurring here in the United States. People must be held accountable for their actions.
You know, the "Oh well there's always room for a little collateral damage, after all the number of innocent people on Death Row is just a small percentage of the over-all population" crowd.
It will harm any bid for national office, we can be thankful for that.
Here
I do not support the taking of a human being's life. Being in jail for the rest of one's life is punishment enough. In fact, by the sound of some prisons, being put to death is probably preferable to being alive in prison.
Human beings are fallible. There is no such thing as 'beyond all possible doubt' in any trial involving human beings. Witnesses are not reliable, no matter how wonderful they are as people. There are a thousand mitigating circumstances, as evidenced in the growing number of acceptable defences. It is ludicrous to think that human beings, even more so as a collective group, can be infallible.
And if given the chance to choose between life in prison and death, I would probably chose death, knowing myself guilty or innocent. Unless there were pretty influential people with lots of money working to prove my innocence. Our system is flawed - and this story is just one example of the horrible things that can happen within it.
Hi Sheryl.
Like you, I believe that Texas Governor Perry should be held accountable for his actions or inaction in this particular case.
As I read and hear more about the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham, it appears that the Governor is engaged in a cover-up.
3 independent reviews by the nations top arson experts questioned whether Willingham was responsible for setting the fire. All came to the conclusion that the investigation was flawed.
Governor Perry should have never signed the Death Warrant. However Texans support political candidates willing to pull the switch and the governor put his political ambitions above everything else.
He should now be investigated by a special prosecutor. I believe he did something terribly wrong.
I support capital punishment when there is conclusive evidence that a pre-meditated crime was committed leading to the death of an individual. However the "smoking gun" must be available for all to see. In other words, there must be overwhelming evidence that the right person is being put to death.
Hopefully this partisan attempt to further his political ambitions will backfire and the Governor will finally be held accountable for what he has done.
They also used many testimonies from family and people around them to understand the situation there, and this guy was a wife beater, and child beater, this was not out of context to his behaviour, bewcause he never wanted the kids in the first place, and even tried to beat his wife into a miscarriage.
Good riddence to the animal.
Good riddence to the animal. "
You know this beyond a doubt?? Even his wife stated he had never and would never hurt their children!
Read the New Yorker Article I linked to above. It's VERY thorough and covered all angles including the way the neighbor and witness testimonies changed AFTER he was charged!
"Final Words:
"The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do. From God's dust I came and to dust I will return so the Earth shall become my throne. I gotta go, Road Dog." He expressed love to someone named Gabby and then addressed his ex-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, who was watching about 8 feet away through a window and said several times, "I hope you rot in Hell, bitch." He then attempted to maneuver his hand, strapped at the wrist, into an obscene gesture. His former wife showed no reaction to the outburst. "
"The jury also heard evidence of Willingham’s character. Witnesses testified that Willingham was verbally and physically abusive toward his family, and that at one time he beat his pregnant wife in an effort to cause a miscarriage. A friend of Willingham’s testified that Willingham once bragged about brutally killing a dog. In fact, Willingham openly admitted to a fellow inmate that he purposely started this fire to conceal evidence that the children had been abused. "
"Willingham filed a federal writ of habeas corpus in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division on April 21, 1998. The state filed an answer and motion for summary judgment on July 1, 1998, and filed a supplemental answer on October 15, 1998. On July 25, 2000, the federal magistrate issued findings and conclusions and recommended that relief be denied. Subsequently, the court adopted the magistrate’s findings, granted the state’s motion for summary judgment and denied Willingham’s petition for federal habeas relief. "
Source
Dexter, you'll never change, go off half cocked, and your head in your a$$.
Willingham, the father of those children, was executed in February 2004. He protested his innocence to the end. "
From the same 'source' you linked to above...
Good riddance to the animal."
Hi Dan.
I would never describe Cameron Todd Willingham as a Saint. However even he deserve to be judged fairly in the court of law. If 3 independent reviews by the nations top arson experts questioned whether Willingham was responsible for setting the fire and all came to the conclusion that the investigation was flawed, the the Governor should have held off on signing the Death Warrant.
Many of us have made mistakes in our lives. Should those mistakes be considered? Yes. But should they trump the facts in a Death Penalty case? No.
The Governor should have waited until it was proven beyond a doubt that Mr. Willingham war responsible for these deaths.
There may have been mistakes made, but I don't see that chance being very higfh. It is not like the Green case in Dallas years ago, Mr. Green was actually out od state, and had witnesses to back his story. That was a strang case of poor proceedure by all involved from the Police to the Judge. BUt that sort of thing has happened in many states from time to time, pure laziness.
Texas feels that using the Dealth Penalty is some kind of Badge of Honor. They take pride in executing people even if they might be innocent.
I remember when Former President George Bush was Governor of Texas. He didn't loose a second of sleep after signing the Death Warrant to execute Carla Faye Tucker, a woman whose case was horrendous, but was committed under undo influence.
She is one that should have received a life sentence for her participation, but not the Death Penalty.
I find it just amazing how Conservatives preach one thing and don't even live up to their own standards. In other words, they talk loud but say nothing.
How could any God Fearing Conservative not speak up against this miscarriage of law?
How can any God Fearing Conservative be against affordable health care for all Americans.
You just might be right.
"This is just more proof that Conservatives care nothing for truth, justice, the words of Christ or the American people."
I do not support the death penalty. There are far too many innocents killed. Even when there is substantial evidence brought to light, or serious questions as to the representation during trial, these cases are not overturned.
Because of this, I have changed my basic belief in capital punishment. No innocent person should go to jail or be executed.
By the way, execution isn't just punishment, it is extermination. If we are going to exterminate prisoners why not call it that and join the Nazi mindset.
While Governor, George W pulled some similar stunts which didn't seem to hurt him any. Some partisans will allow anything as long as it's their party members doing the deed. I wouldn't count Perry out yet.
Hello Elizabeth.
I believe that there needs to be a review of any case in Texas where DNA evidence is available. The State of Texas seems to be a leader in the jailing of innocent people.
It seems as if locking up just anyone, regardless of their innocence has been their way of saying that someone will pay for a crime that is committed so that Texans will believe the case is solved and that the authorities are doing their job.
It's obvious that Governor Perry and former Governor George Bush has been at the forefront of some serious miscarriages of justice.
Both need to be held accountable for their actions.
While I don't think it will happen, I'm all for it.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Lloyd