Jimmie Hensley, a police detective, and Douglas Fogg, the assistant fire chief who both investigated the fire told Grann that they had never believed that the refrigerator was part of the arson plot. What are now being described as Willinghams inconsistencies dont come from Willingham at all they are recollections from hearsay witnesses, virtually none of whom testified at trial or were cross-examined. The couple's three children died in a fire Dec. 23, 1991, at the family's Corsicana, Texas, home. It is also tasked with determining what corrective action, if any, is needed to ensure that forensic analysis in cases like this is reliable. Testimony from fire investigators was the primary evidence against Willingham. [3] Both were sharply critical of Beyler. His testimony has been criticized as contentious for several reasons. Throughout his time on death row, he always maintained his innocence. October 27, 2009, 12:00 AM, CDT. Corsicana Daily Sun He wanted her help in his appeal for clemency and also to say goodbye. SYNOPSIS. But the investigators' conclusions have been strongly challenged by several fire experts. Documentary Feb 14, 2021 42 min. S9 E1: Some say Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully convicted, and the court put an innocent man to death. He was a guy who murdered his three children, who tried to beat his wife into an abortion so that he wouldn't have those kids. The Huntsville Unit where the executions take place . They married a few months before the fire and were a significant part of each others lives. In his letter, Willingham insisted that he was innocent: I hope that after I am gone that some day, some how the truth will be known and my name cleared.. However, he insisted that he would not admit to a crime he claimed he didnt commit, so he was sentenced to die by lethal injection. She said, If I said it, then its true., In the course of reporting my story, I also spoke to John Jackson, who prosecuted Willingham. Aftermath of the fire [Texas State Fire Marshal's Office] On December 23, 1991, fire gutted the home where Cameron Todd Willingham, then 23, lived with his wife, Stacy Kuykendall, and the couple's three daughters: two-year-old Amber Kuykendall and one . Yesterday, Willingham's former wife, Stacy Kuykendall, released a statement to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram saying that he secretly confessed to killing their three daughters, who . His wife Stacey was out Christmas shopping at the time. She noted that he had an inadequate defense, saying of one of his lawyers, "He's not a good lawyer. On 23 December 1991, the Corsicana home of Cameron Willingham burned. This is because Willingham was anything but that; he regularly verbally abused and beat his wife, and in some of these instances, the police was called. TV-14. All concluded that the original investigators relied on outdated theories and folklore to justify the determination of arson. At a local bar, where a fundraiser was held for the Willingham family, he placed an order for a replacement set, stating that "money was not a problem now. Hurst speculated that it was likely that water sprayed by firefighters had spread the lighter fluid from the melted container. If he had pleaded guilty, he would most likely have been sentenced to life in prison. Application of the Law is not perfect in the UK either, but Todd would still be alive if hed lived here, and would probably have been exonerated. "[1] A sample of burned material near the doorway of the house tested positive for mineral spirits, indicating the presence of lighter fluid. Willingham's statement and eyewitness accounts had detailed rescue attempts. a husband returns home to find his wife dead on the living room floor; he tells first responders she committed suicide . Deleted member 31923. By John Schwartz. This was taken as evidence that the accelerant was poured by Willingham as he left the house. Stacy Kuykendall said she believed for over a decade her husband, Cameron Todd Willingham, didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters. (Thompson later received an award from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association for this motion and appeal. The Fire That Started & Ended It All. Willingham's three children -- 2-year-old Amber Kuykendall and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron Willingham, died of smoke inhalation. On seeing neighbor Diane Barbee, Willingham began to shout at her to call 911, shouting "My babies are in there! On December 23, 1991, a fire destroyed the family home of Cameron Todd Willingham in Corsicana, Texas. He's just not.". stacy willingham married. [3] A 2011 documentary, Incendiary: The Willingham Case, also explored the case. Cameron Todd Willingham - Wikipedia. [15] The prosecutor claimed that the fire that killed the children was the third attempt by Willingham to kill them, and that he had attempted to abort each of his wife's two pregnancies by kicking her in order to cause miscarriages. She said he would not have hurt the children. Two medical experts confirmed the theory. During the penalty phase of the trial, she testified under oath. Willingham's three children -- 2-year-old Amber Kuykendall and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron Willingham, died of smoke inhalation. The opinions of a state fire official in the case were "nothing more than a collection of personal beliefs that have nothing to do with science-based fire investigation," Beyler wrote. "[30], The Texas Forensic Science Commission was scheduled to discuss the report by Beyler at a meeting on October 2, 2009, but two days before the meeting, Texas Governor Rick Perry replaced the chair of the commission (Sam Bassett) and two other members (Alan Levy and Aliece Watts). His wrists and hands were blackened with smoke. But she never mentioned a confession. Willingham's Stepmother Responds. The family of Cameron Todd Willingham has asked a judge to posthumously clear his name, arguing that he was put to death based on "junk science." . "I spent years not knowing, but Todd gave me that. [31], In October 2009, the city of Corsicana released two affidavits that included statements from Ronnie Kuykendall, the former brother-in-law of Willingham, originally made in 2004. . [18] During his trial in August 1992, he was offered a life term in exchange for a guilty plea, which he turned down, insisting he was innocent. Killed in the fire were Willingham's three daughters: two-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall and one-year-old twins Karmon Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham. After the fire, the police investigation determined that the fire had been started using some form of a liquid accelerant. The only other evidence of significance against Willingham was twice-recanted testimony by another inmate, who testified that Willingham had confessed to him. Death' says license won't be affected by allegations", "Execution Report: Cameron Willingham Page 1", "Jackson: Guest Commentary Willingham guilt never in doubt", "David Grann" The Prosecution Defends Itself", "A timeline of the Cameron Todd Willingham case", "Document USA (Texas): Further Information on Death penalty, Cameron Todd Willingham", "Inmate maintains innocence as execution approaches", "Man executed for fire that killed children", "Texas man executed for setting fire that killed his 3 young children", "Gerald Hurst | Death By Fire | FRONTLINE | PBS", "Dare Devils: Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Death Panel", "Texas Gov. The science commission was set to hear testimony from Beyler last year. His then-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, was, too, convinced of his innocence until ultimately believing he was guilty. I miss them so much., While Kuykendall was in Willinghams corner and also persistent about his innocence for years, she changed her stance shortly before his execution.I read that Todds stepmom and cousin are asking the governor for a pardon. Neighbors later told the police how they had seen Willingham crouching on the lawn outside his house as the building went up in smoke. Willingham was not charged with spousal abuse; he was charged with murder. Also, the prosecution relied heavily on the testimony of convict Johnny Webb, who testified that Willingham had confessed to him. It didnt take this long. Based on a 2009 investigative report by David Grann in The New Yorker, Trial by Fire concerns Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texan man who was convicted for the murder of his three children by arson . On Sunday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported, "Stacy Kuykendall's statement about the 1991 fire." Stacy Kuykendall, the ex-wife of Cameron Todd Willingham, offers her first detailed account of the 1991 fire that claimed the lives of her three daughters and led to Willingham's execution in 2004. According to a tape recording of the conversation, Kuykendall made it clear that she still believed that Willingham was innocent and that he had no motive to hurt their children. Rick Perry, others don't align with facts", "Convict in disputed execution was guilty, ex-wife says", "Third Court Rules in Willingham Case: Matter must be referred to Judge Stubblefield", "Bar Files Disciplinary Case Against Ex-Prosecutor", "Prosecutor accused of misconduct in disputed Texas execution case", https://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/update-jury-rules-in-jacksons-favor-in-civil-judicial-misconduct-trial/article_cdcf8856-35e7-11e7-81dd-2ba5db18fbeb.html, "Jack O'Connell, Laura Dern Star For Ed Zwick In 'Trial By Fire', "Tune in Tonight: Scheck on "The Good Wife", Faulty Testimony Sent 2 to Death Row, Panel Finds, "Texas Execution Information: Cameron Willingham", City of Corsicana Response to Beyler Report, 29 September 2009, "Media Advisory: Cameron Todd Willingham Scheduled For Execution", Analysis of the Fire Investigation Methods and Procedures Used in the Criminal Arson Case Against Ernest Ray Willis and Cameran Todd Willingham Craig L. Beyler, Willingham Files A collection of all stories published by the Corsicana Daily Sun, Media Advisory: Cameron Todd Willingham Scheduled For Execution, PBS portal on the Cameron Todd Willingham case including original documents, a shorter summary of the Cameron Todd Willingham case a slide show presentation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cameron_Todd_Willingham&oldid=1137586879, 21st-century executions of American people, People executed by Texas by lethal injection, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 12:27. Myth: 982 Followers, 33 Following, 49 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Stacy Kuykendall Willinghamgirlslivesmattered (@willinghamgirlslivesmattered) Its hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didnt say., Your email address will not be published. 1. Kuykendall has acknowledged that Willingham had asked to see her to help him in his bid for clemency. [2] The Corsicana Fire Department disputes the findings, stating that the report overlooked several key points in the record. Stacy Kuykendall said she believed for over a decade her husband, Cameron Todd Willingham, didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters. Cameron Todd Willingham's Ex-Wife Stacy Kuykendall Says Texas Shouldn't Pardon Him [EXCLUSIVE] | HuffPost . Since her ex-husbands execution, Stacy Kuykendall has remained completely under the radar. She reversed herself shortly before his 2004 execution, declaring that she now considered him guilty for murdering their 2-year-old daughter and her 1-year . The new chair, John Bradley, canceled the meeting, sparking accusations that Perry was interfering with the investigation[4] and using it for his own political advantage. Even if the analysts didnt know it was wrong at the time, they surely should have known it in the years following and should have brought it to the attention of courts and prosecutors long before the 11th-hour efforts that preceded Willinghams execution. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The case will resume Oct. 14. When Willingham was arrested, he vigorously professed his innocence. Our justice system has become who can twist a believable story, not the truth. Then, after he had been sentenced to death and executed, other people began to say Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully convicted and that the court put an innocent man to death. When Willingham exited his bedroom, the hallway was not yet on fire; the fire was contained in the childrens bedroom. Other witnesses at Willinghams trial provided contradictory statements about Willinghams behavior after the fire, but those statements were not evidence that a crime had taken place. In 2004, Stacy Kuykendall told the Chicago Tribune that he never confessed, and she said the same to The New Yorker in 2009. "He was polite, and he seemed to care," she said. Follow the links to read about more murders profiled on Evil Lives Here. "[17] The testimony at trial of Johnny Webb, a jailhouse informant, suggested that Willingham had set the fire in order to cover up an injury or death of one of the children due to his wife's actions. They said somebody had poured a combustible accelerant on the floor throughout the house. No clear motive was found, and Willingham's wife denied that the couple had been fighting prior to the night of the fire. On Sunday, Stacy Kuykendall the ex-wife of Cameron Todd Willingham gave her first public statement in years. The arson finding that led to his 1992 conviction has been disputed by numerous fire experts. Cameron Todd Willingham, shown with his then-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, and their daughters, was executed in 2004. In January 2004, the forensic evidence in the case was looked at by an established fire . [20] While on death row, Willingham was initially incarcerated in the Ellis Unit,[1] and later in the Polunsky Unit.[21]. [42] According to the complaint, "During a pretrial hearing on July 24, 1992, [Jackson] told the trial court that he had no evidence favorable to Willingham. [35] For example, earlier in 2009, Kuykendall supported her 2004 contradiction of her brother's affidavit (saying that there had been no confession) and had previously always maintained that things had been amicable between her and Willingham before the fire. Her statement is curious. March 9, 2015. Rick Perry in what many viewed as a political move to bury new evidence that cast doubt on Willingham's guilt. I recently finished The Lost City of Z, David Grann's account of the British explorer Percy Fawcett's final journey in the Amazon basin, where . He said that Kuykendall, who had divorced Willingham while he was on Death Row, had recently visited him, then gathered the family to say that he had confessed. Church recalls, I point-blank asked Kuykendall, Did he confess his guilt? And she said, No.. [6] But none of the girls were found at the time of death to have physical injuries that were still distinguishable after the effects of the fire. AUSTIN, Tex. But she said in an interview that was untrue. VASQUEZ: Did he get angry at you for any reason? Stacey Kuykendall divorced her husband not long after the deaths of her children, and she professed that Willingham had been abusive towards her, but not the children. He added that Willingham's Led Zeppelin poster of a fallen angel was "many times" an indicator of "cultive-type" activities. For years, Stacy Kuykendall advocated for Cameron Todd Willingham, stating repeatedly that she believed he didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters in 1991. Emily Meade as Stacey in "Trial By Fire.". Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to convict him of arson and murder. If the judge clears Willingham, it will mark the first time an official in the nation's most active death penalty state has formally declared that someone was wrongly executed. But Stacy Kuykendall knew Todd better than anyone, and she's convinced that he was a monster who was guilty as charged and deserved to die. Cameron Todd Willingham lying in his cell in 1994. LEFT: A photo after the 1991 fire at the Corsicana, Tex., home of Willingham and his wife, Stacy, killed . Please avoid sharing any personal information in the comments below and join us in making this a hate-speech free and safe space for everyone. [1], Willingham was charged with murder on January 8, 1992. "[1], Webb and Jackson consistently denied that Webb was offered a sentence reduction in return for his testimony against Willingham. Willinghams statements about the fire were inconsistent. Menu. Willingham escaped the home with only minor burns. Wilinghams last words reinstated his innocence, but given Kuykendalls last public words about him, it seems that wherever she is, she still doesnt believe him. The investigators also found charring under the aluminum front doorjamb, which they believed was a further indication of a liquid accelerant and tested positive for such an accelerant in the area of the front door. American justice (in many cases) is flawed. "[12] At trial, Willingham's conduct at the scene was described as oscillating between collected and hysterical at times screaming for assistance and at other times calmly pushing his car back from the flames that were engulfing his house. Website by MADEO. Something doesnt, No , the murder happened in Ohio . Baird has twice sat on courts considering Willingham's appeal and once won an award from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Bradley was appointed to the science commission post by Gov. Over time, she has alternated between claiming she believes her former husband is guilty and innocent. They didnt care who. She said, I dont think he did it. Therefore, I believe that there is no way he could have possibly committed this crime. However, her letter didn't work and within a year shed filed for divorce. Within 5 kilometers of your location. Rick Perry defends 2004 execution despite questions about evidence, calls convict 'a monster', "Perry's denial of stay could become campaign issue", "CNN's Anderson Cooper to Air Report on Cameron Willingham Tonight", "Is Texas Governor Rick Perry Trying to Cover Up Execution of Innocent Man on His Watch", "Stacy Kuykendall's statement about the 1991 fire", "Death penalty case: Ex-wife says convicted killer confessed", "Texas execution: Statements by Gov. . [5] However, there was no evidence of child abuse. On December 23, 1991, a fire enveloped the home of Todd and Stacey in Corsicana, Texas. Equal parts murder mystery, forensic investigation and political drama, the film meticulously reviews the arson evidence used to convict Willingham, and immerses audiences in contemporary struggles over the case. The late Texas native was arrested, tried, convicted, and executed for the murders of his three toddler daughters by arson in their family home on December 23, 1991. By Maurice Possley, The Marshall Project. In a rebuttal, Grann wrote, "If the arson investigators had concluded that there was no scientific evidence that a crime had occurred as the top fire investigators in the country have now determined Willingham's words at the funeral would surely be viewed as a sign that he was tormented by the fact that he had survived without saving his children. [1], Jackson contradicted Willingham's account by claiming blood gas analysis at Navarro Regional Hospital shortly after the fire revealed that Willingham had not inhaled any smoke. "[16] Grann, however, said fire investigators who reviewed the case told him that "Willingham's first-degree and second-degree burns were consistent with being in a fire before the moment of 'flashover' that is, when everything in a room suddenly ignites. Before the trial, he even refused to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. There has been serious doubt expressed over the validity of Willinghams conviction. Around two weeks before the execution, Kuykendall went to see Willingham. On 23 December 1991, the Corsicana home of Cameron Willingham burned. Craig Beyler, the chairman of the International Association of Fire Safety Science, wrote in a report last year that investigators didn't follow standards in place at the time and did not have enough evidence to make an arson finding. [citation needed] Willingham was executed by lethal injection on February 17, 2004, at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville. Webb later recanted his recantation. [citation needed], In addition to the arson evidence presented at the trial, a jailhouse informant named Johnny Webb testified at that time. AUSTIN Nine days before Cameron Todd Willingham was to be executed for setting a house fire that killed his three daughters, his ex-wife called her family together to tearfully recount a . [7] Webb later told David Grann, a reporter for The New Yorker that he might have been mistaken. Video image from KVUE-TV Stacy Kuykendall, at right, tells reporters in Austin Wednesday that ex-husband Cameron Willingham confessed to setting the 1991 fire that killed the couple's three children. The Texas Forensic Science Commission is going to determine whether Willingham was innocent. Ken Light. "[17], An August 2009 Chicago Tribune investigative article concluded, "Over the past five years, the Willingham case has been reviewed by nine of the nation's top fire scientists first for the Tribune, then for the Innocence Project, and now for the commission. All rights reserved, Man Shot by Fort Worth Officer After Reaching for Gun in Waistband: Police, Fort Worth Music Festival Happening at Fort Worth Stockyards, Novak Djokovic Denied' US Entry Ahead Of Indian Wells, Joe Biden Asked To Intervene, Barbara Corcoran Says Meeting Mark Cuban Was Her Most Embarrassing Moment' on Shark Tank' Here's Why, 3 Children Killed, 2 Wounded in Ellis County Home; 1 in Custody: Sheriff. cemeteries found in Simpson, Marshall County, Oklahoma, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list.. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list.. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list.. Willingham's case and the investigative techniques were criticized by a 2004 Chicago Tribune article. In the following days, Willingham returned to the house with some family and friends. One of the most fascinating yet heartbreaking events in Americas legal system history is brought to the big screen with Trial By Fire. Mar 11, 2015 at 10:07 am. Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to . Willingham's ex-wife tearfully reiterated her contention Wednesday that he confessed his guilt to her. Daily Sun) CORSICANA . We are evil when it comes to justice. Stacy Kuykendall Willinghamgirlslivesmattered is on Facebook. Willingham had escaped the fire with bare feet and no burn marks. The case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in Texas in 2004 and whom I wrote about for The New Yorker last month, has taken another strange twist. Commissioners last month rejected Bradley's efforts to close the case and conclude that fire investigators did not commit professional misconduct. In 2009, an investigative report by Grann[1] drew upon analysis by arson investigation experts and advances in fire science since the 1992 investigation; he suggested that the evidence for arson was unconvincing. . Neighbors described this group as having an odd levity, which was seen to turn somber on the arrival of authorities. Gary Green stabbed his wife, Lovetta Armstead, Alexander Watson was arrested after an armed robbery turned into a murder. "[1] Bebe Bridges, a former judge who was often on the "opposite side" of Willingham in the legal system, and who had sent him to jail for stealing, said that she could not imagine him killing his children. (For example, she now claims the couple fought the night before the fire, but she clearly said the opposite in various official statements over the years.). Beyler said key testimony from a fire marshal at Willingham's trial was "hardly consistent with a scientific mind-set and is more characteristic of mystics or psychics."[1][2]. . Si quieres saber en qu se convierte Stacy Kuykendall hoy, Sigue leyendo! Willingham himself escaped the home with only minor burns. https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.investigationdiscovery.com%2Ftv-shows%2Fevil-lives-here%2Ffull-episodes%2Fwhat-if-he-was-innocent%3Ffbclid%3. Rick Perry had done all he could to justify the 2004 execution of inmate Cameron Todd Willingham . Yesterday, Possley, who is now an investigative researcher for the Northern California Innocence Project, at Santa Clara University School of Law, told me that he had no doubt that what he and Mills reported is accurate. Bradley subsequently canceled the meeting amid accusations that Perry was interfering with the inquiry. Oct. 14, 2010. This week on Reasonable Doubt, the team takes on the Raul and Cathy Sarinana were sentenced to death for abusing Would love your thoughts, please comment. "I think about my girls every day and I miss them," she said. He was eventually transported to the hospital for treatment, in handcuffs."[13]. "[16] There were two refrigerators in the Willingham house. The case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in Texas in 2004 and whom I wrote about for The New Yorker last month, has taken another strange twist .
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