By Raymond Linex II
The name Cameron Todd Willingham resonates locally, and for good reason. The deaths of his children, his ensuing trial, and — in 2004 — his execution weigh heavily on minds in a small town.
Like it or not, fair or not, regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, Cameron Todd Willingham’s name is coming back, and likely with a roar.
Last week, through an Associated Press piece, we reported that a state commissioned expert found serious flaws in the arson investigation that led to Willingham’s conviction, and eventually his execution. This week, New Yorker magazine published a 16,000 word story on Willingham, further punching holes in that investigation and casting some doubt on his guilt, thus begging the question: Did the state of Texas execute an innocent man?
This is a question, and a story, that likely will be around for quite some time.
Last week’s story from the AP, one in which we solicited local comment for unsuccessfully, did draw a few responses, mostly negative. “Why would you bring that back up?” Understand, as a news outlet, as a distributor of information, we have a duty to report the news, good or bad, regardless of who wants it and who does not.
Retired Judge John Jackson’s subsequent rebuttal in Sunday’s paper has reached far and wide. We have received a number of rebuttals to it, some from as far away as Europe, where the death penalty is as much a Texas thing as cowboy hats and horses.
One more reason of understanding, please; to be a fair news outlet, we intend to run some of those rebuttals, including one received from the Innocence Project, which appears on the opinion page of today’s paper.
Also understand this; it is not our intent to retry Cameron Todd Willingham in the Corsicana Daily Sun. It’s not our intent to prove his innocence, or reaffirm his guilt. What we will do is report on the ongoing facets of his post-execution existence, more so from a local aspect than any other.
Few people like all of the news that papers and TV outlets produce. Still, there are stories that have to be told, and this is one of them.
Perhaps it will be a short story, but next year, the state will release its findings from the commissioned study. The story will resurface.
And as it does, as it has in this case, you can bet Corsicana is going to be on more radars than ever before.
Don’t be surprised if it becomes the epicenter of the debate on the death penalty.
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