Texas

In a thorough and penetrating article published in The New Yorker on August 31, David Grann offers further evidence that Texas probably executed an innocent man in 2004. Grann carefully examines all the evidence that was used in the two-day trial in 1992 to convict Cameron Todd Willingham of murder by arson of his three young children. It is now well established through a series of investigations by other fire experts that the forensic evidence of arson presented at trial had no scientific basis and should not have led to Willingham's conviction. Another piece of evidence used at trial was the testimony of a jailhouse informant who said that Willingham had confessed to the crime, despite the fact that he had always maintained his innocence and even refused a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty. The informer eventually received early release, tried to recant his testimony, and is now no longer sure what he heard. He also suffers from mental disorders. Willingham's lawyers thought he was 100% guilty and offered no rebuttal expert to question the finding of arson. At the sentencing hearing, the prosecution put on a psychiatrist, Dr. James Grigson, who made a living helping to send defendants to death row by testifying to their future dangerousness without even interviewing them. Dr. Grigson said that Willingham was an "extremely severe sociopath," words similar to those he used to describe Randall Dale Adams, who was eventually exonerated following an investigation by documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, portrayed in the film "A Thin Blue Line."

"There can no longer be any doubt that an innocent person has been executed," Innocence Project Co-Director Barry Scheck said today. "The question now turns to how we can stop it from happening again."

Texas is a very dangerous state for men. Cameron Todd Willingham was murdered for a crime he never committed. These men were luckier.

Eight innocent people were exonerated on Death Row in Texas. Vernon McManus was released in 1987 after serving ten years, Randall Dale Adams was released in 1989 after serving twelve years, Clarence Brandley was released in 1990 after serving nine years, John C. Skelton was released in 1990 after serving seven years, Federico M. Macias was released in 1993 after serving nine years, Muneer Deeb was released in 1993 after serving eight years, Ricardo Aldape Guerral was released in 1997 after serving five years, and Ernest Ray Willis was released in 2004 after serving 17 years.

Any reasonable person would know something was wrong when eight men on death row are exonerated. Any reasonable person would know they had a problem with that system and stop all executions until an investigation was completed, not Texas. They continue to kill people and brag about how fast they do it. None of the politicians in Texas have done a thing about this including Ron Paul. Why?

Would any of these Texas politicians allow this to happen to women? No Way! I have seen and been a part of many "campaigns" by mens and fathers groups when they feel they are being mistreated. I have yet to see any outcry from these same groups over the murder of Cameron Todd Willingham, an innocent father. That makes me ashamed to be a man. That is also why Texas and other states get away with things like this, men do nothing. That is why innocent men will continue to be murdered. Men have the ability to change this yet they continue to do nothing.

Thank you to the Innocence Project; I realize how lucky men are that you are working hard everyday to makes sure this does not continue.

State of Texas Governor, Senators, and Representatives.