TX-Gov: Archiving Rick Perry's Cover-Up of Investigation into Execution of Todd Willingham

by: Phillip Martin

Tue Oct 06, 2009 at 06:05 PM CDT

When you do a search on Google News for the words Rick Perry execution you come away with over 353 news articles.

As the story grows bigger and bigger, it can become essential to find the most important news stories covering it - to archive the main points. Therefore, as a little lunch-time help for BOR readers, I present these must-read stories about Rick Perry's cover-up of the investigation into the exeuction of Todd Willingham:

"Trial by Fire" - The New Yorker:

The 16,000+ word manifesto that started it al. This piece ran a month ago, and remains the single most important article to read about the entire event.
Flawed Arson Science Series - Texas Observer

The Texas Observer is doing a series "investigating how widespread use of flawed arson science wrongly convicted dozens, perhaps hundreds, of innocent people in Texas." Each part in the series is incredible:
"Whitmire to Call Senate Hearing on State Forensics Commission" - Dog Canyon

Glenn Smith has really tied all the threads together in this one, simple piece over at Dog Canyon -- including a link to the public report by Craig Beyler, a national arson expert, who says:

The investigators [in Willingham's case] had poor understandings of fire science and failed to acknowledge or apply the contemporaneous understanding of the limitations of fire indicators. Their methodologies did not comport with the scientific method or the process of elimination.
Glenn's post also has some details about Senator John Whitmire's expected hearing in a few weeks.
Houston Chronicle Coverage

It is hard to choose just one -- their reporting has been stellar so far -- so here's the main ones:

We'll obviously post more stories that are important, but anyone looking for a starting off point, there you go.

Previous Coverage on BOR:

Tags: TX-Gov, Rick Perry, Todd Willingham, (All Tags)

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TX-Gov: Archiving Rick Perry's Cover-Up of Investigation into Execution of Todd Willingham | 6 comments

The piece that started it all (4.00 / 2)

The New Yorker piece is stellar and definitely the most thorough and widely-read Willingham article to date. However, the Chicago Tribune did an important and lengthy piece about the execution in 2004:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

by: purity balls @ Tue Oct 06, 2009 at 20:31:30 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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It's sad that all of these news stories are from publications elsewhere. This one you you've cited (from 2004) and in ~ The Chicago Tribune ~ should definitely be on "the list."

But some of the jurors who convicted Willingham and sentenced him to death were troubled when shown or told of the new case review.
"Did anybody know about this prior to his execution?" Dorinda Brokofsky asked. "Now I will have to live with this for the rest of my life. Maybe this man was innocent."
A groundbreaking document in fire investigation, the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 921, was published on Feb. 10, 1992, less than two months after the fatal fire at the Willingham house.
Filled with the new revelations about fire science, NFPA 921 was developed by 30 fire experts, including Lentini and DeHaan, and was written as a guideline for fire investigators. It is considered the standard on fire investigation and is a key reference text for the Texas fire marshal's office. Some investigators, however, have refused to acknowledge it, preferring to stick to the old ways. [Emphasis added.]

Amazing that jurors were questioning their decision a few short months after they made it and were never told about the latest forensics during the trial. And yet, Rick Perry, 12 years later didn't even hesitate. This is an egregious error in judgment and definitely impeachable.

by: Elsbeth @ Tue Oct 06, 2009 at 22:21:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks (0.00 / 0)

I'll make a note of this article in a new post. Much appreciated!

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

by: Phillip Martin @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 10:36:25 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

This could be a huge story -- (3.00 / 1)

with major ramifications for our criminal justice system here in Texas. What can the federal government do? What's their reach or power in terms of the potential wrongful convictions due to bad science if TPTB in Texas won't do anything?

Now on Twitter: KathTX

by: Katherine Haenschen @ Tue Oct 06, 2009 at 20:49:12 PM CDT

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What are the ramifications (0.00 / 0)

when a governor doesn't liste to experts who have new evidence? The final decision on life or death shouldn't rest in the hands of any one person. Especially Rick Perry.

by: Elsbeth @ Tue Oct 06, 2009 at 22:29:02 PM CDT

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I spoke today (0.00 / 0)

with Todd Willingham's stepmother, Eugenia, who raised him from when he was a toddler. She will probably be in Austin on October 24th for the 10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty, which starts at 2 PM at the Capitol. She is finalizing travel arrangements.

She was here in 2006 and she left Rick Perry a letter that he never responded to.

by: Scott Cobb @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 02:02:13 AM CDT

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TX-Gov: Archiving Rick Perry's Cover-Up of Investigation into Execution of Todd Willingham | 6 comments