Sunday's edition of the Corsicana Daily Sun carried "City report on arson probe," by Janet Jacobs.
The City of Corsicana is calling foul in the latest review of the Cameron Todd Willingham case by Craig Beyler.
Although Willingham was found guilty of the 1991 murder of his three toddler daughters and executed in 2004, the case has been picked up by the Innocence Project as an example of misuse of the death penalty. At the Project’s request, the Texas Forensic Science Commission hired Beyler to reexamine the case for any mistakes that might have been made in the original investigation. Beyler wrote a scathing account of the work done 17 years ago, focusing on the trial testimony and where he claims the investigators ignored scientific method in favor of outdated wives’ tales about fire.
On Friday, the City released its response to the report, suggesting Beyler is an advocate for Willingham, and accusing him of misrepresenting the facts.
“It appears as if Dr. Beyler grossly misinterpreted some of the testimony to make some points,” said Terry Jacobson, Corsicana city attorney. “There’s evidence for a jury to have found (Willingham) guilty of murdering his kids.”
On Friday the Texas Forensic Science Commission was scheduled to question Beyler about his report, but some last-minute appointments by Gov. Rick Perry forced the cancellation of the meeting.
And:
The city recommends that the commission go back and retest the samples taken from the house, using 2009 techniques, and go further than the Beyler report for its facts.
“I encourage the commission to read the trial testimony and police report (with witness statements) to establish the actual testimony,” the response states.
The Beyler report is perhaps most critical of Vasquez, who worked for the Texas Fire Marshal’s office before his death about 15 years ago.
The fire marshal’s office is also preparing a response to the Beyler report, said Jerry Hagins, spokesman for the Texas Department of Insurance, which oversees the fire marshal’s office.
“We stand by the work of our investigator,” Hagins said. “With that said, we’re open to the current review, and we stand ready to assist the Forensics Science Commission in any way they need us to help them. If this new report sheds new light, we welcome that, but the case is 18 years old. While we welcome the scrutiny of the (Beyler) report, we do stand by our work.”
Hagins said the fire marshal’s report wouldn’t be made public until the commission asks for it. John Bradley, who was appointed Wednesday to be the new chairman of the commission, has not rescheduled a meeting yet.
The Monitor of McAllen reported, "County forensic examiner caught up in controversy over 2004 execution," by Jeremy Roebuck in its Sunday edition.
Hidalgo County’s chief forensic pathologist will join a state body charged with investigating negligence and misconduct at Texas’ crime labs, Gov. Rick Perry said last week.
But the appointment of Dr. Norma Jean Farley has erupted into a controversy that has critics questioning the governor’s decision to shake up the membership of the eight-person panel.
On Wednesday — two days before the Texas Forensic Science Commission was set to examine a dubious arson investigation used to sentence a Corsicana man to death — Perry announced he would replace three of the panel’s members. The newly appointed chairman canceled the Friday meeting to give new members time to review the case.
“I’m honored to be selected for this,” Farley said Friday. “But somehow I got caught in the middle of this argument.”
The case of Cameron Todd Willingham has recently drawn attention from national media outlets ranging from CNN to The New Yorker magazine as well as death penalty opponents, who consider it one of the most likely instances in decades of an innocent man being put to death.
And:
Farley said Friday that she learned of her appointment to the commission Sept. 30 and has been caught off guard by the political conflagration that followed it. While the panel has no authority to find Willingham’s guilt or innocence, she is eager to give the case another look.
“I’ll look at anything that comes our way, fair and impartially,” she said.
Earlier coverage begins here.
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