(08-04-92) Venue change request denied

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September 4, 2009

Originally published Aug. 4, 1992

By Cleo Beard of the Daily Sun Staff The Corsicana Daily Sun Fri Sep 04, 2009, 07:29 PM CDT

A request for a change of venue for the capital murder trial of Cameron Todd Willingham was denied by the 13th District Court Monday.

District Judge Kenneth “Buck” Douglas ruled that based upon evidence presented at the hearing, media coverage had not been so much as to make it impossible to conduct a fair trial in Navarro County.

The 33 year old Willingham is accused of deliberately setting a blaze at his residence at 1200 W. 11th Ave. in Corsicana on Dec. 23 of last year. The fire caused the deaths of Willingham’s three daughters, Amber, 2, and one-year-old twins, Kameron and Kamron.

Willingham, who was at home at the time, sustained some burns in the incident and maintains that he was attempting to save the children.

The mother of the three girls Stacey Kuykendall Willingham, was at the Salvation Army getting Christmas gifts for the family during the fire.

The fire was originally thought by authorities to have been accidental but further investigation revealed lighting fluid had been used to start the blaze in at least three different locations in the five-room wood-frame structure.

Willingham was arrest Jan. 8 of this year. Police suspect the motive for the alleged crime may have been the $5,000 life insurance policies taken out by relatives in the names of each of the children.

District Attorney Pat Batchelor, who represented the state at the hearing, said he is pleased with the judge’s decision not to move the trial to another county. Batchelor presented several witnesses at the hearing related to Willingham who stated that they believed the suspect could receive a fair trial here.

“They (defense attorneys) put on a number of witnesses and we put on a number of witnesses and the judge declined the request, ruling there had not been too much publicity,” Batchelor said.

Defense attorney David Martin said that he and Willingham’s other court-appointed attorney, Rob Dunn, will again attempt to get the trial moved to another location during jury selection.

“Everybody I’ve talked to has already formed and opinion,” Martin said. “So if a panel can’t be found (during jury selection) I’m sure the judge will reconsider the change of venue request.”

Jury selection for the case is scheduled to begin Aug. 10.

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The Willingham Files

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(08-04-92) Venue change request denied

Originally published Aug. 4, 1992

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