Former head of Texas forensics panel probing 1991 fire says he felt pressured by Gov. Perry aides

[struggle4progress]

Source: Chicago Tribune

Cameron Todd Willingham:
Former head of Texas forensics panel probing 1991 fire says he felt pressured by Gov. Perry aides
Ousted head of inquiry into blaze that led to execution says Perry

By Steve Mills Tribune reporter
October 12, 2009

Just months before the controversial removal of three members of a state commission investigating the forensics that led to a Texas man's 2004 execution, top aides to Gov. Rick Perry tried to pressure the chairman of the panel over the direction of the inquiry, the chairman has told the Tribune.

Samuel Bassett, whom Perry replaced on the Texas Forensic Science Commission two weeks ago, said he twice was called to meetings with Perry's top attorneys. At one of those meetings, Bassett said he was told they were unhappy with the course of the commission's investigation.

"I was surprised that they were involving themselves in the commission's decision-making," Bassett said. "I did feel some pressure from them, yes. There's no question about that."

A Tribune investigation in 2004 raised the possibility that Perry, who was governor when Cameron Todd Willingham was executed, approved the lethal injection of an innocent man. That story revealed fundamental flaws in the arson theories used to convict Willingham ...



Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-arson-williinghamoct12,0,7089579.story

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Some related DU threads:

Trial by Fire Did Texas execute an innocent man?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=485244

Report: Faulty Fire Investigation Led to Execution
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4034286

Perry removes panel appointees before hearing on flawed arson inquiry; new chair delays session
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4085449

Fourth member replaced on Texas panel probing execution
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4099335

Perry's office quiet on expert's arson report
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=488335

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. Perry refuses to release execution report

Arson analysis was sent to governor 88 minutes before inmate was put to death.

Gov. Rick Perry's office is refusing to release information about how it reviewed an attorney's attempt to stop an execution based on an arson expert's report, arguing that staff comments and analyses of the report aren't public records.

The Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that it tried unsuccessfully to obtain documents that might show whether Perry reviewed or his staff discussed the report. It was faxed to the governor just 88 minutes before Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in February 2004.

The newspaper cited records it did obtain that showed Perry's office got the five-page faxed report at 4:52 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2004. The newspaper reported that it was unclear from the records whether Perry had read the arson report that day.

A statement from Perry spokesman Chris Cutrone, sent to the Chronicle late Friday, said that "given the brevity of (the) report and the general counsel's familiarity with all the other facts in the case, there was ample time for the general counsel to read and analyze the report and to brief the governor on its content."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/10/12/1012arson.html

[struggle4progress]

3. In the 80s, Texas executed 33 people; in the 90s, 166; and from 00 to 08, 224. This summer,

the number of executions under Perry himself crossed the 200 mark: he's even beat W's grisly old record

It's unfortunate to see this wholesale return of the old frontier philosophy: Somebody's gotta pay for this, so we mays well hang this here loser: he's easy to grab, and ain't nobody'll miss him. Lynchings under official color aren't a new thing, of course: anybody who doubts it should review what's happened recently with Henry Wade's convictions. But Perry seems to have taken it to a new level, and now it sure looks like he's involved in a cover-up

[MidwestTransplant]

2. Does the DOJ have any jurisdiction of this charade?

[struggle4progress]

4. Here's a blogger who thinks Perry violated USC 18.1001:

http://www.dogcanyon.org/2009/10/02/perrys-crime/

[Wizard777]

5. I think the DOJ needs to conduct their own investigation of the execution and any resulting cover up...

[pnorman]

6. That's a wonderful website. Thanks for tipping me off to it.

n/t

pnorman