Derrick Jamison, an innocent man who spent 17 years on death row in Ohio will be one of the speakers at the Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, which is March 15-19, 2010 in Austin, Texas. Derrick is attending as a member of Witness to Innocence. Derrick will join exonerees Shujaa Graham, Curtis McCarty, Ron Keine and Perry Cobb at alternative spring break to speak with participants about how innocent people can end up on death row. Altogether, the five exonerees attending the alternative spring break spent a total of almost 50 years on death row for crimes they did notContinue readingFive Death Row Exonerees to Speak at Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break March 15-19 in Austin, Texas

Governor Perry and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had been given a report prepared by noted fire expert Dr. Gerald Hurst before Todd Willingham’s execution that cast doubt that the fire was arson, but they ignored it. Read documents obtained from Governor Rick Perry’s office and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. The Innocence Project requested all documents concerning a critical report on the Willingham case that renowned arson expert Dr. Gerald Hurst wrote and disseminated to officials in both offices in the days before Willingham’s execution in February 2004. This document contains the full copy ofContinue readingDocuments from Rick Perry’s Office and BPP, Including Report Sent by Dr Gerald Hurst Before Willingham’s Execution

Perrys brazen abuse of power Feb. 7, 2010 San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board – When the going was about to get tough for Gov. Rick Perry at the Texas Forensic Science Commission last fall, Perry sacked three commission members, including its chairman. The commission — created by the Legislature in 2005 to set standards for forensic analysis and investigate allegations of negligence or misconduct — was at long last about to consider the case of Todd Willingham. Willingham was put to death in 2004 after being convicted of murdering his three daughters by arson. Substantial doubt exists about the forensicContinue readingSan Antonio Paper Says John Bradley Unfit to Serve As Chair of Forensic Science Commission

Sarah Palin made an appearance in Texas today at a campaign rally for Rick Perry and the Austin American-Statesman interviewed one person in the crowd who said he supported Palin, but according to the Statesman reporter “would not back Perry because he believes Perry allowed the state to execute an innocent man”. The controversy over Todd Willingham’s execution and Rick Perry’s cover-up of the investigation looking into whether the forensic evidence used to convict him was scientifically valid could hurt Rick Perry’s re-election prospects, but it depends how Perry’s opponents talk about the controversy in their own campaigns. Judith SimonContinue readingA Sarah Palin Supporter Who Won’t Vote for Rick Perry Because He Believes Perry Allowed Innocent Person to be Executed

Today, we learned about more misbehavior by John Bradley. He tried to interfere with a legislative hearing held Jan 11 by the Chair of the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence. As we said yesterday, John Bradley “should be removed as chair of the Texas Commission on Forensic Science. He has proven by his handling of the first meeting that his main goal was to cover-up and impede the investigation into whether Texas relied on faulty arson evidence to execute a person who did not kill anyone”. As reported by Gary Scharrer in The Houston Chronicle: Gallego had a committeeContinue readingHow Low Will John Bradley Stoop to Cover-up for Rick Perry?

Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle has a column today on how Rick Perry’s handpicked puppet/chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission violated the Texas Open Meetings Act (PDF) at Friday’s meeting, which was held in Harlingen. The Dallas Morning News’ Trailblazer blog first reported on Bradley’s violation of the TOMA. Bradley should be removed as chair of the Commission. He has proven by his handling of the first meeting that his main goal was to cover-up and impede the investigation into whether Texas relied on faulty arson evidence to execute a person who did not kill anyone. One ofContinue readingRemove Bradley for Violating Open Meetings Act at Forensic Science Commission Meeting