Was An Innocent Man Executed ?

Texas has long been the most bloodthirsty state in the United States.   No other state even comes close to executing as many people as Texas does.   Now it looks like the fear that an innocent man could have been executed may well be true.

In February of 2004, the state executed Cameron Todd Willingham (pictured).   He had been convicted of starting a fire that killed his three children.   But a new investigation says there may not have even been a crime.   The fire may have been accidental -- not arson.

Craig Beyler of Hughes Associates, a nationally known fire scientist, has told the Texas Forensic Science Commission (TFSC) that there is no basis for believing the fire was started by anyone.   Beyler says the "investigators failed to examine all electrical outlets and appliances in the house, did not consider other potential causes for the fire, came to conclusions that contradicted the witnesses at the scene, and wrongly concluded that Willingham's injuries could not have been caused as he said they were."

He went on to say the investigating fire marshal "seems to be wholly without any realistic understanding of fires and how fire injuries are created."   He said the marshal's findings "are nothing more than a collection of personal beliefs that have nothing to do with science-based fire investigation."

Those are some pretty strong accusations about the original investigation, but Beyler is not alone in his beliefs.   In addition to this TFSC investigation, the Chicago Tribune and the Innocence Project has done investigations.   In all, a total of nine of the top fire scientists in the nation have looked into this case.   They all agree with Beyler's conclusions and say the original investigators used "outdated theories and folklore" to justify calling the fire an arson.

It certainly looks like Texas not only executed an innocent man, but also convicted him of a crime that never happened.   I'm sure this is probably not the only innocent man executed by the state of Texas, but if the TFSC finds as it should, it will be the first time an official state organization admits an innocent man was executed. 

It is too late to save Mr. Willingham, but maybe his case can help make Texans realize that it's time to stop the executions.