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 […]
Texas
More information on Trey Noah
One suspect arrested this month in the slaying of Kendalia resident Trey Noah claimed his co-defendant shot Noah in the back on Nov. 30, 2009 following an argument, records released last Monday show. The body of Noah, 20, was found in April off Doebbler Road in eastern Gillespie County, Texas. An affidavit by Gillespie County Sheriff’s […]
Was Claude Jones Wrongly Executed?
A state judge has ordered East Texas prosecutors to hand over key evidence from a 1989 murder case to the Innocence Project and The Texas Observer for DNA testing—analysis that may prove for the first time that Texas executed an innocent man. The Innocence Project and the Observer filed suit in 2007 to obtain a […]
Arrest in Trey Noah case
Murder charges have been filed against two acquaintances of Trey Noah who vanished in November 2009 and whose remains were found five months later in Gillespie County, Texas. Gillespie County Sheriff Buddy Mills said Shelby C. Moore, 19, of Kendalia was arrested late Thursday at the Sheriff’s Office in Fredericksburg, and that Brandon L. Harber, 19, was […]
Guilty Plea in 1980 murder of William Cooke
In July 1980, William Cooke (49) was found stabbed to death in the Ramada Inn, Lafayette, Indiana. Police took an ashtray with a cigarette butt with them as evidence. In 1980, DNA testing was unavailable. Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Steve Kohne said that the case went cold a few days after the murder. He even […]
The Skinner jury: what we know now…
If they knew then what we know now…read about the thoughts and feelings of the original Skinner jury! “In light of new developments that have surfaced in the 15 years since Skinner’s trial, several of the original jurors are no longer sure of his guilt. Five say they might have had reasonable doubt at the […]
Arrest in 1984 murders of Buckels and McMahan
Thanks to DNA we now have an arrest in the 1984 murders of Buckels and McMahan. Seldon Wayne Colvin (58) was arrested for the murders of John Robert Buckels (38)and Janis Petkas McMahan (37). On Sept 28, 1984, the badly decomposed bodies of Buckels and McMahan, both of Houston (Texas), were found along Old Highway […]
Cert Granted in the Skinner Case
The USSC granted the writ of Certiorari in the case of Hank Skinner. Today’s order list included the decision Skinner has been waiting for. Now what does this mean? Read here what the Skeptical Juror writes: “First and foremost, Texas will not be able to execute Hank Skinner until the Supremes have ruled on his petition. That […]
Update Hank Skinner Case
The United States Supreme Court Justices put off a decision in the Hank Skinner case. It is from Texas, a state that executes more prisoners per year than any other state. Hank Skinner made an actual innocence claim, demanding DNA testing on other evidence gathered at the crime scene. The justices had issued a stay just before […]
DNA: a civil right?
The Houston Chronicle has an interesting article related on DNA as related to the Skinner case. It discusses that the United States Supreme Court (USSC) must consider if inmates’ requests for DNA testing can be handled as civil rights claims — a question that has split the nation’s top federal courts. The USSC on Thursday […]