Case of the Month: Forensic arson detection and its role in wrongful convictions feature in April. Cameron Todd Willingham In 2004, Cameron Todd Willingham was executed by the state of Texas for the 1991 fire that killed his three daughters: Amber (2) and the 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron. The prosecution argued that the fire […]
Cameron Todd Willingham
Sum it Up! #40
Sum it Up! #40 There are a few cases that I am watching: The Italian Supreme Court heard arguments today re Amanda Knox. The story on CNN is here. The issue of extradition will most likely fail since the US Constitution prohibits that someone faces another prosecution on substantially the same charges (double jeopardy). Note […]
David Lee Gavitt free after 30 years!
From PBS Frontline comes fantastic news! David Lee Gavitt is free after modern forensic arson detection determined there was no arson but an accidental fire. Gavitt is amongst several who have had their cases re-examined and thankfully, have been freed from prison and some from death row. Alas, all this comes too late for Willingham. […]
#CCLiveChat recap Feb 10, 2012
In this CCLiveChat, Andrew Wade who introduced us to fire investigations. Andrew is a world renowned forensic scientist with over 30 years experience as a practitioner. He joined the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory in the chemistry section where he reported on numerous cases as a court going officer. In 1989 he transferred internally to the […]
Prep #cclivechat with Andrew Wade
This Friday, we will be joined by Andrew Wade for #cclivechat and I have some burning questions for him. We have seen many cases re-investigated in the USA where forensic arson detection plays a role. I pointed you to the case of Han Tak Lee in my previous Sum it up! and now we have […]
Sum it up! #36
The first Sum it up! for 2012 and I got a lot to share with you. First of all, another police department has decided to place all their cold cases online with information for the public. The Syracuse Police Department and the Criminal Investigations Division have established the Cold Case Unit with an email address and a telephone […]
Update 1989 Hina Murders
Update Hina Murders: A New Hampshire fire investigator says he doesn’t believe a lit cigarette started the fire that killed a Keene family of four in an adjacent apartment in 1989. Lawyers for 54-year-old David McLeod are in court challenging evidence prosecutors say shows that McLeod set the fire that killed a newlywed couple, their 4-month-old daughter […]
Update 1989 Hina Murders
The papers report that “Prosecutors and defense attorneys last week filed a request for jury selection in David B. McLeod’s trial to begin Aug. 1, according to Senior Assistant Attorney General N. William Delker. McLeod was indicted last year on four counts of murder, accused of setting a blaze that killed Carl R. Hina, 49, Lori M. […]
Sum it up! #3
Week 3: Sum it up! We saw a mixed bag of information this week about cold cases, DNA, forensic labs, testing and of course, funding. DNA was instrumental in cracking the 1994 throat slashing murder of Theresa Whetstone (Buffalo, NY) and the 1985 murder of Candace Derksen (Elmwood, Canada). At the same time, we see DNA backlogs […]
Sum it up! #1
The biggest issue for me for this Sum it Up! are the Cameron Todd Willingham hearings. The 3rd Court of Appeals, an Austin based appellate court, ruled last Tuesday that state District Judge Charlie Baird abused his discretion in handling an inquiry into the case of Cameron Todd Willingham. The 3rd Court of Appeals found that […]
Happy New Year!
A post with “Happy New Year” wishes to all my readers! We have an exciting year ahead of us. For the first time in history, the Zeigler case will be open to students from Penn State CSI. I look forward to hearing their discussions. This collaboration between Penn State CSI, Defrosting Cold Cases, and the Zeigler legal defense team is […]
Stephen Saloom: Texas science panel chairman John Bradley is biased
Stephen Saloom, the policy director of the New York-based Innocence Project, said prosecutor John Bradley shows “a critically important lack of objectivity” in his approach to the case of Cameron Todd Willingham. Bradley has publicly called Willingham a “guilty monster.” Bradley is the chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, which is investigating whether fire […]
Willingham court of inquiry postponed until Oct 14, 2010
The district attorney of Navarro County sought the recusal of state District Judge Charlie Baird in a high-profile court of inquiry that was set to start today to determine whether Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully executed by the state of Texas for the deaths of his three daughters. The motion raised the possibility that the two-day hearing […]
“The petition warrants a hearing,” Judge Baird
The inquiry into the Willingham case will be held in his courtroom on Oct. 6-7, but Judge Baird said that it could be extended if necessary. Supporters of Cameron Todd Willingham hailed the Austin district judge’s decision last Monday to open a two-day court of inquiry next month. He will determine whether Willingham was wrongfully convicted and […]
Political meddling and apathy in Willingham case
Political meddling and apathy in Willingham case has me despondent. A Texas state board said last Friday that arson investigators in the Willingham case used flawed science but were not negligent in an investigation that led to a controversial 2004 execution. The panel also said that investigators did not commit misconduct. Cameron Todd Willingham was […]
The 2004 Willingham execution
Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in 2004 for a fire that killed his three daughters. Prosecutors argued that Willingham deliberately set the 1991 blaze — but three reviews of the evidence by outside experts have found the fire should not have been ruled arson. The last of those reports was ordered by the Texas Forensic […]
Arson Case Not on Agenda
Arson Case Not on Agenda as Texas Panel Reconvenes: the Innocence Project Online reports that after a long hiatus and months of national controversy, the Texas Forensic Science Commission will meet on Friday January 29, but the controversial case of Cameron Todd Willingham is not on the agenda. New commission chair John Bradley said he […]
In my humble opinion
In my humble opinion we need to follow Judge Cataldo’s lead and ensure that justice will finally be more about the truth than about ‘closing’ a case. As much as we need procedure to bring a case to court, procedure can also stand in the way of bringing a case to court. We should be […]