Corsicana —
One of the relatives of Cameron Todd Willingham filed a petition Wednesday in Austin that Willingham be given a posthumous pardon by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Willingham was the Corsicana man convicted and executed for killing his three small children in a house fire in 1991. Since his execution he has become a poster-child for the Innocence Project, which wants to do away with the death penalty in Texas. The New York-based group claims the evidence doesn’t support Willingham’s conviction.
Corsicana fire and police detectives who investigated the death of the three little girls have repeatedly defended their handling of the case — and the 1992 conviction. Willingham was executed in 2004, after a dozen years of appeals.
Filing the petition is just the beginning of the process, according to Harry Battson, spokesman for the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
“We received the application today,” Battson confirmed, adding that it won’t be an overnight decision. “Our clemency people tell us the average is months, not weeks. We’re looking at a period of time before it comes to a vote.”
Before that, the investigators, and the children’s mother will all be asked to file a statement on whether or not Willingham’s name should be cleared.
“They will have an opportunity and time period to input their thoughts on the application,” Battson explained. After all the statements are compiled, then the file will be submitted to each of the board members one at a time.
“They don’t actually vote at a meeting,” Battson said. “They sequentially review the file. Each member reviews it then casts a vote, then it goes to the next board member.”
If a majority of the seven board members vote in favor of granting the posthumous pardon then it will be sent to the governor’s office. The governor doesn’t have to grant the pardon, regardless of how the board votes.
“The board makes a recommendation to the governor,” Battson said.
Prior to Willingham’s execution by lethal injection in 2004, his supporters asked Gov. Rick Perry for a stay which would have delayed the execution but it was refused. In 2009, when an arson expert who disagreed with the arson findings in the case was supposed to testify before the Texas Forensic Science Commission, the governor changed the make-up of the commission, putting a stop to the expert’s testimony. When Perry made his recent run to be the Republican nominee for president, Willingham’s case became nationally famous as an example of Perry’s conservatism.
In filing the petition, Willingham’s cousin and stepmother said it would have been Willingham’s wish to have his named cleared.
“It was Todd’s last wish that we help to clear his name. We owe that to Todd and to all the other people who might have been convicted based on the same faulty evidence,” said Eugenia Willingham, Willingham’s stepmother.
Patricia Willingham Cox, Willingham’s cousin added, “We weren’t able to save Todd’s life, but thanks to the help of many of the nation’s renowned arson experts who reviewed the evidence in his case, we now know that Todd was wrongly convicted. It’s time for the state to own up to its mistake and give Todd the justice he deserves.”
A copy of the petition can be viewed on the Innocence Project’s website at www.innocenceproject.org/willingham.
—————
Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jjacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “sound off” to this article? E-mail: Soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
News
Petition requests Willingham posthumous pardon
- News
-
-
City proposes route changes for Clean-Up Day
For more than 10 years, Navarro County and the City of Corsicana have co-hosted a county-wide clean-up day. For most residents, it means an opportunity to take their bulk trash to the city’s landfill for free.
-
City to consider rules for airport, swear in new attorney
The Corsicana City Council will swear in the new city attorney, and consider requests for money from local charities when the group meets in regular session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers of the Government Center, 200 N. 12th St. The new city attorney will be Kerri Anderson Donica. She ran unopposed for the position, along with Municipal Judge Mike Russell.
-
CISD to hire architects for new campus
The Corsicana ISD Board of Trustees will consider selecting an architectural firm for the new middle school when the group meets in regular session at 6 p.m. Monday, 601 North 13th Street.
-
New pocket park planned
A former plumbing supply shop that has since become nothing more than one wall and one partial wall, is going to become the latest city park in Corsicana.
-
Navarro College students to attend prestigious piano academy
They’re different as daylight and dark — she loves soccer and history, he loves math and science. She hails from Flower Mound, he from Malaysia. She is bubbly, outgoing and excited; he is a bit shy, somewhat reserved.
-
Police Beat
• A woman was arrested for trying to interfere in the serving of two felony warrants around noon Thursday at an apartment at 4301 W. Highway 31.
-
Local Beat
May 15 to July 31
The Navarro Council of the arts presents "With Six You Get Eggrolls" A Fine Art Exhibit featuring the works of Helen Albritton, Barbara Jones, Gladys Espenson, Deb Miller, Stephanie Ford, and Margie Taylor at the Warehouse Gallery from May 15 to July. Exhibit is free and open to the public daily. -
Monday jury for Judge Lagomarsino dismissed
Jury for District Court Judge James Lagomarsino for Monday, May 20, 2013 has been dismissed.
-
Texas residents missing after tornadoes found safe
People who were missing in the wake of the destructive tornadoes in North Texas have been found safe, officials said Friday, but they didn't indicate when residents of one hard-hit neighborhood will be allowed to return to survey damage to their homes.
-
Police department open house Tuesday
The renovation of the Corsicana Police Department got a bit more involved than it was originally intended to. An error with some concrete resulted in water flooding city hall, and forcing replacement of carpeting and flooring. As well, the renovations quickly led to renovations of the municipal court, as well.
- More News Headlines
-
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
