Every wrongful conviction is terrible. But one of the most terrible I ever heard of was Todd Willinghams case. A father who lost his entire family in a fire, was executed based on faulty fire expertise, and later exonerated after he had joined his children in death. He refused a guilty plea that would have given him a life sentence but required him to admit to the crime. Even as he was executed he proclaimed his innocence. Here, an excerpt of how peoples perceptions about others change. In essence, no matter what you do, how you act, it can be perceived of as suspicious. Police and fire investigators canvassed the neighborhood, interviewing witnesses. Several, like Father Monaghan, initially portrayed Willingham as devastated by the fire. Yet, over time, an increasing number of witnesses offered damning statements. Diane Barbee said that she had not seen Willingham try to enter the house until after the authorities arrived, as if he were putting on a show. And when the children’s room exploded with flames, she added, he seemed more preoccupied with his car, which he moved down the driveway. Another neighbor reported that when Willingham cried out for his babies he “did not appear to be excited or concerned.” Even Father Monaghan wrote in a statement that, upon further reflection, “things were not as they seemed. I had the feeling that [Willingham] was in complete control.”
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:03:16 +0000
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