Even though I live in Texas, the first I heard or read about a case that is now getting nation-wide attention was at The Moderate Voice (TMV).
Two weeks ago, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, TMV’s Deputy Managing Editor, published a guest voice by Elijah Sweet bringing to our attention the disturbing news that Texas Governor Rick Perry had, on Wednesday, September 30, “without prior notice” replaced three of the members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission that was reviewing the case of Todd Willingham’s conviction and subsequent execution, in 2004, for the “arson” related deaths of his children.
This past Monday, Dr. Estés wrote an update to that article (“Execution Texas Style – Guilt Optional“) with another guest article by Mr. Elijah Sweete, where we were told that
Texas Gov. Perry has now replaced a fourth member of the commission investigating death row inmate, C.T. Willingham’s, potential innocence. The Governor has now in the last month, removed four persons from the investigative commission, raising the dark question about whether a sitting Governor is attempting to silence a report from an independent group regarding execution, evidences and other matters in this capital punishment case… where though the accused may be accused, he may also be, not guilty.
As I mentioned, this issue is now receiving lots of national scrutiny.
I am sure that we will get more updates from Dr. Estés and from Mr. Sweete, and it is not my intent to preempt such.
I just want to convey to our readers a little bit of the flavor added to this story by my hometown newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman.
In this morning’s edition, this story is prominently featured. But also prominently featured are Perry’s efforts to “shift the debate away from his role in shaking up the leadership of a state commission examining the case and back onto solid ground for political candidates in Texas, which executes more prisoners than any other state and where polls consistently show strong support for the death penalty.”
I personally find it distasteful that the fact that Texas executes more prisoners than any other state and that Texas’ strong support for the death penalty would be “solid ground,” for political candidates in our state, and that part of Perry’s defense strategy relies on such. But that’s neither here nor there.
Several studies, as pointed out in Dr. Estés posts, have found major flaws in the way Texas has handled death penalty cases in general and specifically in the arson investigation that led to Willingham’s conviction and the possible execution of an innocent man. Perry, however, instead of addressing such studies and evidence, is instead attempting to turn attention away from the possibly faulty investigation to the executed suspect himself by describing Willingham as a “monster,” which he may very well be, if in fact he was guilty.
However, we may never know because of Perry’s manipulations.
And what does Perry’s leading GOP challenger for the Texas governorship, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, have to say?
Well, knowing Texans’ strong support for the death penalty and aware of the “distinction” that Texas executes more prisoners than any other state, she has to tread very carefully on this issue. According to the Statesman:
“I think the majority of Texans believe the death penalty is an appropriate punishment for the crimes that are the state law for the death penalty. I think everyone of the people who believe in the death penalty would want to know we are using DNA evidence and the best technology in all the fields to determine if a person is rightfully convicted,” Hutchison told the Associated Press in Houston on Wednesday.
Talk about a cautious Texas Two-Step.
