Matt Smith of CNN was working on a story about the scheduled meeting of the Texas Forensic Science Commission and was planning to report Friday from the meeting, but today he shifted the focus of his story when Rick Perry shook up the panel and the new chair canceled Friday’s meeting. His story includes the first reaction from Todd Willingham’s family to Perry’s action. In Ardmore, Oklahoma, where his family lives, Willingham’s stepmother said she was “shocked and disappointed” by the postponement of Friday’s hearing. In 2006, Willingham’s stepmother attended the 7th Annual March to Stop Executions and delivered aContinue readingCNN: Texas governor shakes up panel probing 2004 execution

Texas Moratorium Network had been planning to attend the meeting of the Texas Forensic Science Commission on Friday to deliver public comments to the Commission and to hold a demonstration to Shout it from the Rooftops that Todd Willingham was innocent. Now, Texas Governor Rick Perry has canceled the meeting and replaced the Commission’s chair and some other members. Call the Governor’s office to STRONGLY protest his cancellation of the meeting and his replacement of the chair of the commission. (512) 463-1782 As the Dallas Morning News says in their blog post “Rick Perry blocks search for truth in ToddContinue readingCall Rick Perry to Protest: He Cancels Meeting of Forensic Science Commission; Replaces Chair; Blocks Seach for Truth in Todd Willingham Case

Critical questions remain in arson case Texas Forensic Science Commission will review disputed findings in case of executed father Cameron Todd Willingham. By Michael GraczykASSOCIATED PRESS Sunday, September 27, 2009 CORSICANA — More than five years after his final act from the Texas death chamber gurney was a profanity-filled tirade, the murder case of executed inmate Cameron Todd Willingham refuses to die. Willingham was executed in February 2004 — proclaiming his innocence and hoping aloud that his wife would “rot in hell” — for the deaths of his three young daughters in a fire at their Corsicana home on Dec.Continue readingCritical questions remain in arson case

The Dallas Morning News has an editorial today responding to Governor Perry’s remarks this week on the Willingham case when he mocked the reports that a finding of arson in the Willingham fire could not be sustained by scientific analysis: “I’m familiar with the latter-day supposed experts on the arson side of it,” Perry said, making quotation marks with his fingers to underscore his skepticism. Even without proof that the fire was arson, he added, the court records he reviewed before the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham in 2004 showed “clear and compelling, overwhelming evidence that he was in factContinue readingDallas Morning News Editorial: Perry Ignoring Science

The Hartford Courant in Connecticutt says end the death penalty, in part because of the Todd Willingham case: The sickening spectacle of technicians laboring for two hours, without success, to insert a needle into the arm of an Ohio convict so they could execute him shows again why the death penalty is a national embarrassment. This was the third time that Ohio has botched an execution. In two prior cases, death-penalty technicians had needed more than an hour to push needles into the veins of condemned inmates. In the most recent case last week, frustrated technicians even had to takeContinue readingHartford Courant: Capital punishment serves no useful purpose

via Florida Catholic | Innocent man’s execution shows shame of death penalty:   Innocent man’s execution shows shame of death penalty TENNESSEE REGISTER | DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE, TENN. Posted: 09.23.09 Thе death реnаltу may have finally сrоѕѕеd a ѕhаmеful line that, іf thеrе іѕ аnу ѕеnѕе of rеаѕоn or juѕtісе іn Amеrісаn society, should bring the рrасtісе tо a ѕwіft and fіnаl еnd. Thе ѕtаtе оf Texas, despite аll оf thе ѕаfеguаrdѕ thаt proponents оf the dеаth реnаltу claim wоuld рrеvеnt thіѕ from hарреnіng, may hаvе еxесutеd аn іnnосеnt mаn. A story in the Sept. 7 issue of The NewContinue readingFlorida Catholic | Innocent man’s execution shows shame of death penalty

The San Antonio Express News Editorial Board says that there is “not a shred of evidence” that supports the theory that the fire in the Todd Willingham case was arson, and “the overwhelming evidence is that investigators, prosecutors, court appointed defense attorneys, jury members, appellate judges, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and, finally, Gov. Rick Perry failed and Texas executed an innocent man. If you agree with the San Antonio Express News, then sign the petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was notContinue readingSan Antonio Express News: “overwhelming evidence” Texas Executed an Innocent Man – Todd Willingham

The Dallas Morning News is the first to get Governor Rick Perry to speak publicly about the wrongful execution of Todd Willingham. No surprise from Perry. He rejects the scientific analysis and thinks Willingham was guilty. It is time for the people of Texas to elect a new governor. Perry has several opponents in the Republican primary and if he survives the primary, he will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November 2010. Sign the petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was notContinue readingGovernor Rick Perry Rejects Evidence that Todd Willingham was Innocent

Todd Willingham – Innocent Man Executed in Texas (Nightline Sept 17, 2009) from Scott Cobb on Vimeo. Sign the petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was not arson, therefore no crime was committed and on February 17, 2004, Texas executed an innocent man. Aired Sept 17, 2009 Shout this name from the rooftops, Todd Willingham. He was innocent and Texas killed him. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, in 2006, wrote that, in the modern judicial system there has not been a single casenot oneinContinue readingFull Video of Nightline Report on Todd Willingham

Pro-death  – Editorials – The Charleston Gazette – West Virginia News and Sports The Charleston Gazette has reacted to the news of Todd Willingham’s execution by editorializing against the death penalty in “Pro-death: America a misfit”: Almost every modern democracy has abolished the death penalty, on grounds that it’s a cruel relic from the brutal past. West Virginia likewise took this humane step – but support for executions remains strong in some parts of America. Texas is the national leader in governmental killings. When George W. Bush was governor, he set grisly records for putting prisoners to death, and mocked oneContinue readingThe Charleston Gazette on Todd Willingham