The Blood on Rick Perry's Hands

[LuvNewcastle]

On Frontline tonight, they examined the case of Todd Willingham, who was sentenced to death in Texas for the supposed arson of his home in which his three children perished.

Rick Perry appointed a commission to investigate the case and the top arson expert in the state declared that the fire was not arson. Rick Perry disregarded the expert's opinion and refused to grant a stay of execution. Willingham was put to death in 2004.

Since the execution, Perry has fired those on the commission who agreed with the findings. He ran for a new term as Governor as a tough-on-crime candidate.

People such as Perry do well in Texas politics, in part because they uphold the unjust penal system in that state. As long as the Governors of Texas continue to ignore the injustice there and capitalize on the brutality of many of it's citizens, I don't think that anyone who holds that office is fit to be President of the United States.

Rick Perry has blood on his hands. He belongs in prison, not in the White House.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/

[Zyzfyx]

1. Recs are good

But ya gotta combine 'em with Kicks! ;-)

[Indydem]

2. His wife has another perspective.

"Todd murdered Amber, Karmon and Kameron. He burnt them," she said. "He admitted he burnt them to me, and he was convicted for his crime. That is the closest to justice that my daughters will ever get."

[LuvNewcastle]

3. Watch the show.

She said on the show that no matter how he treated her, and he was abusive to her, she didn't believe he would hurt those kids. At any rate, fire investigators all over the country have determined that the fire wasn't arson. The supposed "pour trails" in the home were actually common patterns that are left after a flash fire. There was probably a short in the wiring, but the original investigators didn't even look for it. Sloppy investigations and pre-drawn conclusions = Texas justice.

[Indydem]

6. The quote was made 13 days before the show aired.

If that's what she says in public, that's what I believe.

The rest of the evidence is irrelevant if his own wife, and the mother of the victims, says he is guilty by confession.

[LuvNewcastle]

7. If the fire wasn't arson, her testimony

must be wrong. She was there at his execution and his last words to her were "I hope you fucking rot in Hell." Clearly, there was some discrepancy regarding her testimony.

[Indydem]

9. What kind of person says, to the mother of his dead children:

"Willingham said, "I hope you rot in hell, bitch; I hope you fucking rot in hell bitch; You bitch; I hope you fucking rot, cunt. That is it." and then attempted to maneuver his hand, strapped at the wrist to the execution gurney, into an obscene gesture."

Sounds like just the kind of guy who would NEVER murder his children in a sick twisted vendetta against their "cunt" mother.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. If someone lied to get me executed,

I doubt I'd have anything nice to say to them. But look at the evidence. Scientific evidence trumps the testimony of a single witness.

[Indydem]

12. She did not testify against him.

Her opinion changed after he was convicted and he confessed to her.

[LuvNewcastle]

15. Regardless of what she says, there is scientific

evidence. Am I supposed to take the word of professionals or the word of an estranged wife?

[Indydem]

16. I think a man who makes no effort to rescue his children burning to death...

Is probably not a life worth defending.

Science or no science there was a hell of lot of other evidence of his guilt, including psychological evaluations, eyewitness testimony, and his own unwillingness to take the stand in his defense.

You say there was no scientific evidence of arson, I say that if they had dropped the science and just gone witht he rest of it, he's have still been convicted.

[LuvNewcastle]

19. It was a flash fire. In a flash fire, everything

in a room that is combustible catches fire all at once. It's like an explosion. It's easy to judge someone in a situation you've never been in. Yes, if they had left out the scientific evidence, he might still have been convicted. But would that have been acceptable, either?

[indepat]

22. Can anyone corroborate that confession?

:shrug:

[Selatius]

10. But the scientific evidence says it wasn't arson.

Are you going to believe his wife over the impartial fire experts who concluded it wasn't arson? Really???

[jmowreader]

29. They were using electric space heaters in the girls' room

Those have burned down a lot of houses--defective heaters, old heaters with blankets thrown near them, several things.

What we know is we're looking at an accidental fire that happened in Texas. Anyone know if the Navarro County district attorney was re-elected after Willingham's case?

[Hoopla Phil]

4. Oh jeez. Please people, understand that NO governor of Texas has the power

to grant a stay of execution.

[LuvNewcastle]

5. Frontline said so.

They said that he could have granted a 30 day stay of execution, but he refused. One of the Texans interviewed said that "no one gets elected Governor in Texas by granting stays of execution."

[Indydem]

8. And what good would 30 days have done?

"The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Willingham a writ of habeas corpus a month before his execution."

[LuvNewcastle]

13. There could have been further investigation.

There could have been appeals with new evidence to either exonerate the man or at least get a new trial. But we're going back to your original post. I thought you said that Texas Governors can't grant stays of execution. Can they or can't they?

[Indydem]

14. That wasn't me who said that.

I know the governor of Texas can grant a stay, but not clemency.

[LuvNewcastle]

18. I apologize.

Another month could have made a big difference, though. I wonder if he would have gotten his stay if Perry hadn't wanted to look tough to the voters.

[Hoopla Phil]

25. No, they cannot grant a stay of execution. They can delay it one time

for 30 days but they cannot stop an execution (ie. grant a stay).

[Hoopla Phil]

24. If you really think a one time 30 day extension would have made a

difference that is your opinion, and you are entitled to it. But the fact remains that a Texas governor CANNOT grant a stay of execution. That power is specifically removed from the Texas governor.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

21. what? guess you are being sarcastic?

[Hoopla Phil]

23. No, that is the law in Texas.

The governor may grant a 30 delay but that is all (s)he can do.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

26. Yes, but if he wants someone not executed he can get around it

http://www.txexecutions.org/primer.asp

At the same time that the defense is exhausting its legal appeals, it may file a petition with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. The members of the parole board are appointed by the governor. The board has the power to recommend everything from a 120-day reprieve, to a commuted sentence, to a full, unconditional pardon. The board does not meet as a body; rather, each member considers the case and faxes his or her vote to the governor. The governor may also request that the board members issue a certain ruling, but they do not have to comply.

All he has to do is keep staffing the board with people who will do what he wants.

[Hoopla Phil]

27. The Governor has NO authority to commute a death sentence. Period.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

28. wow...you are missing the point. technically yes. but in reality no. All he has

to do is persuade the board that HE APPOINTS to commute a sentence. If he really wanted a stay
or a commutation ALL he has to do is find people who want to do it/will do it and seat them
on the parole board.

simple as pie

[Hoopla Phil]

30. Interesting you bring "pie" into this, because your view is not reality

but pie in the sky belief, nothing more. You may want to do a bit more research into the area. I suggest you start with "Pa" Ferguson (sp?). The reality is, technically and in reality, that the Texas Governor cannot stop an execution. This was crafted into law for a reason. I know you do not WANT to believe it (your reason is your own) but it is reality. I'm done with this, you will not see the law for what it is but what you want it to be. I've outgrown such childishness.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hoopla Phil]

32. No the governor can NOT stop it as it the law is carefully crafted to prohibit it.

You tell me to "give up" say we have to agree to dis agree and the go on to insult me. Sounds like you know how thin the ice is you are on. Did you do any research into former Governor "Pa" Ferguson? I doubt it. People with their minds made up seldom have an open mind to new information. Say, as a side quest for information, how about you take a look at what former Governor Ann Richards had to say/do about the death penalty in Texas? Maybe you will accuse her of being a W staffer too.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Nye Bevan]

17. Remember when Bill Clinton executed some mentally retarded guy during his campaign?

Southern Governors who want to be President love to execute people, as they think it makes them look tough on crime.

[LuvNewcastle]

20. Southern Governors do that to impress

Southern voters, many of whom are a bunch of bloodthirsty fundies. It's the same sort of old time campaigning in which the politician who yelled "nigger" the loudest would win the race.