Rick Perry today “strenuously defended” the execution of  Cameron Todd Willingham against the “supposed experts” who have concluded that Willlingham was innocent of the arson murder of his children. Those “supposed experts” include the Texas Forensic Science Commission. Considering the governor’s stance toward science in general, it is not surprising that he chooses to ignore it in this case in particular. After all, what could forensic science possibly have to tell us about murder?
Perry says he read the court record before refusing to postpone Willingham’s execution, and that was good enough for him. He obviously has not read David Grann’s excellent New Yorker article that shows how Willingham was railroaded, how poorly his court-appointed attorney defended him, and how arson investigators relied on ‘old wives’ tales’ to mount the case against him. The court record has been demolished, Governor. Got anything else to make you feel better?
