willingham court case, who was his lawyer

What was the Willingham case and why was it controversial?

Prosecutors had successfully argued that Willingham had set the blaze intentionally to cover up child abuse. Controversy surrounded the case early on, but it has since grown more intense in the wake of Willingham’s death by lethal injection.

Who was honored for his work in the Willingham case?

"Thompson honored for Willingham work". Corsicana Daily Sun. Retrieved July 20, 2018. ^ Smith, Jordan (December 21, 2010). "Third Court Rules in Willingham Case: Matter must be referred to Judge Stubblefield". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2016. ^ Possley, Maurice (August 3, 2014). "Fresh doubts over a Texas execution".

Who is Warren Willingham and when was he charged with murder?

Willingham was charged with murder on January 8, 1992. 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.

What happened to John Willingham and how did he die?

Willingham was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville on February 17, 2004. Months after Willingham was executed, the Chicago Tribune published an investigative report that raised questions about the forensic analysis.

Who is Johnny Webb?

A letter has surfaced from Johnny E. Webb, the jailhouse informant who testified in the trial, to the lead prosecutor in the case, reminding him to comply with his promise to reduce the sentence in Webb's own criminal case in exchange for his testimony.

Do you believe that the state proved its case that Willingham was guilty of murdering his three children by arson?

Cameron Todd Willingham (January 9, 1968 – February 17, 2004) was an American man who was convicted and executed for the murder of his three young children by arson at the family home in Corsicana, Texas, on December 23, 1991....Cameron Todd WillinghamConviction(s)3 counts of capital murder, arsonCriminal penaltyDeath8 more rows

What happened to Stacy Willingham?

In 1992, Willingham was convicted of arson-related triple homicide and was executed 12 years later by the death penalty after his three daughters were killed in a 1991 house fire.

Is trial by fire a true story?

The true-crime film starring Laura Dern is now available to view on Netflix. Trial by Fire, the 2018 film based on the true story of a man claiming wrongful imprisonment has come to Netflix.

Who got the death penalty but was innocent?

On June 23, 2000, Gary Graham was executed in Texas, despite claims that he was innocent. Graham was 17 when he was charged with the 1981 robbery and shooting of Bobby Lambert outside a Houston supermarket.

Is Elizabeth Gilbert paralyzed?

Shortly before Willingham's execution in February, 2004, Gilbert was in a car accident and was paralyzed from the neck down.

What was Todd's last request?

For the first time in 12 years, she visited Todd in prison. He asked her not to come to the execution. And he had one last request. EUGENIA WILLINGHAM, Stepmother: He asked her if he could be buried by the children, and she refused.

What happens if someone is wrongfully executed?

With no money, housing, transportation, health services or insurance, and a criminal record that is rarely cleared despite innocence, the punishment lingers long after innocence has been proven. States have a responsibility to restore the lives of the wrongfully convicted to the best of their abilities.

Who is trial by fire based on?

Trial by Fire: True story of innocent dad executed for killing his three children. Was Cameron Todd Willingham a cold-hearted killer who burned his own three children to death?

What was the ending of trial by fire?

On February 17, 2004, Wilingham was executed by way of lethal injection. His exact final words are repeated in the movie: "The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do."

What is the plot of trial by fire?

Cameron Todd Willingham, a poor, uneducated heavy metal devotee who has a violent streak and a criminal record, is convicted of arson-related triple homicide in 1992. During his 12 years on death row, Elizabeth Gilbert, an improbable ally, uncovers questionable methods and illogical conclusions in his case and battles with the state to expose suppressed evidence that could save him.Trial by Fire / Film synopsis

Is the trial worth watching?

The Trial is a good looking, well-acted show. But it starts out so shaky that even if it improves, the hoops that it jumps through to get to the trial in the title puts the rest of the series in doubt.

Why was Willingham arrested?

Police arrested Willingham for murder. Prosecutors alleged he set the fire to cover up evidence of child abuse — despite no evidence of previous child abuse ever having been reported. Willingham did, however, have a history of domestic violence and run-ins with the law.

What did Hurst say about the Willingham case?

To assemble the report, Hurst said he conducted and recorded an experiment for each piece of evidence that had originally been presented. He then presented his findings, which he said systematically proved each original conclusion wrong. Hurst’s final ruling was, “Todd Willingham's case falls into that category where there is not one iota of evidence that the fire was arson. Fundamentally, this was a classic accidental fire.”

Why did Willingham tell Webb he wanted the blaze?

Webb said Willingham told him he intended the blaze to cover up an injury inflicted on one of the girls by his wife. None of the girls’ remains, however, displayed any signs of abuse. In 2014, Webb recanted his testimony, saying he'd agreed to say what John Jackson wanted him to in exchange for reduced prison time.

Why was Cameron Todd Willingham executed?

On February 17, 2004, the State of Texas executed Cameron Todd Willingham for triple homicide, specifically regarding a 1991 fire that killed his three daughters. Prosecutors had successfully argued that Willingham had set the blaze intentionally to cover up child abuse.

When did the innocence project take up Willingham's name?

In 2006, The Innocence Project took up the cause of clearing Willingham’s name.

Did Willingham die by lethal injection?

Controversy surrounded the case early on, but it has since grown more intense in the wake of Willingham’s death by lethal injection. Expert testimony, multimedia analysis, an acclaimed work of investigative journalism, an award-winning documentary, and a dramatic Hollywood film have all argued that Texas authorities may have gotten their decision wrong.

Who was the prisoner who confessed to setting the fire to Willingham?

After Texas forensics experts presented evidence of arson, the most powerful testimony came from Johnny Webb, a prison inmate who claimed Willingham had confessed setting the fire to him.

What is Cameron Todd Willingham's case?

Cameron Todd Willingham’s case raises strong opinions on many different levels, but some who defend his conviction and execution are distorting aspects of the case, and some of those distortions are being repeated or reported as fact. Myth:

Did the National Fire Protection Association issue guidelines before Willingham's trial?

Facts: • The National Fire Protection Association had issued guidelines several months before Willingham’s trial that directly contradicted the analysis the experts used (and testified about at the trial).

Who was the prosecutor in the Willingham trial?

John Jackson, the prosecutor in the 1992 trial of Cameron Todd Willingham, poses for a photo on Oct. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman, W. Gardner Selby)

Who was the prisoner who testified that Willingham had started the fire?

Specifically, the bar said that Jackson kept quiet about a deal he struck with his star witness: a prisoner named Johnny Webb, who testified that Willingham told him he had started the fire. Up until his death, Willingham had always maintained his innocence.

When was Willingham charged?

Willingham was charged with murder on January 8, 1992. 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.

Where was Willingham executed?

Huntsville Unit, where Willingham was executed. Willingham had the Texas Department of Criminal Justice number 999041. While on death row, Willingham was initially incarcerated in the Ellis Unit, and later in the Polunsky Unit.

Why did Willingham set the fire?

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 . The prosecutor also claimed that Willingham was a serial wife abuser, both physically and emotionally.

How many fire scientists reviewed the Willingham case?

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.

Why did Willingham kill his children?

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.

What happened to Cameron Willingham's daughters?

On December 23, 1991, a fire destroyed the family home of Cameron Todd Willingham in Corsicana, Texas. Killed in the fire were Willingham's three daughters: two-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall and one-year-old twins Karmen Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham. Willingham himself escaped the home with only minor burns.

What was the controversy surrounding Willingham's execution?

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. Willingham's case and the investigative techniques were criticized by a 2004 Chicago Tribune article.

When did the Willingham case come to a hearing?

On October 14 , Texas Judge Charlie Baird held a hearing in the Willingham case to determine whether to hold a court of inquiry. And on October 15, the Texas Forensic Science Commission discussed the case in depth at its regular meeting. On April 15, 2011, the TFSC issued its final report in the Willingham / Willis cases.

When was Willingham executed?

Willingham was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville on February 17, 2004. Months after Willingham was executed, the Chicago Tribune published an investigative report that raised questions about the forensic analysis.

Why was Ernest Willis exonerated?

In that case, Ernest Willis was exonerated and freed from prison because the forensic evidence was not valid. In 2008, the Texas Forensic Science Commission agreed ...

Why was Cameron Todd Willingham executed?

Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in Texas in 2004 for allegedly setting a fire that killed his three young daughters 13 years earlier. He always claimed his innocence, and the arson investigation used to convict him was questioned by leading experts before Willingham was executed. Since 2004, further evidence in the case has led to the inescapable conclusion that Willingham did not set the fire for which he was executed.The Texas Forensic Science Commission issued its report on the convictions of Cameron Todd Willingham and Ernest Willis on April 15, 2011 recommending more education and training for fire investigators and implementing procedures to review old cases (the commission issued an addendum to the report on October 28, 2011.

What evidence was used against Willingham?

The 16,000-word article by David Grann shows that all of the evidence used against Willingham was invalid, including the forensic analysis, the informant’s testimony, other witness testimony and additional circumstantial evidence.

What happened to Cameron Todd Willingham?

Case Summary. On December 23, 1991, a fire destroyed the Corsicana, Texas, home Cameron Todd Willingham shared with his wife and three daughters, killing the three girls. Willingham, who was asleep when the fire started, survived. His wife was at the Salvation Army buying Christmas presents for the girls. At Willingham’s 1992 trial, prosecutors ...

When did Abbott issue his opinion?

In July 2011, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued an opinion in response to questions from the commission about jurisdiction and authority. The opinion prohibits the commission from investigating “specific items of evidence that were tested or offered into evidence prior to” September 1, 2005.

Background

Tom is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and has two adult children. His daughter, Gracie, is an attorney practicing law in New York and his son, John, is a Pediatric Resident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Notable Cases

Takata Corporation, a manufacturer of airbag inflators, and Honda had hidden for years that defective Takata airbags explode and sent metal shrapnel throughout the vehicle resulting in injuries and deaths to vehicle occupants.

Professional Associations

Tom is a Board Member of the Attorneys Information Exchange Group, which is a nationwide group of Plaintiff lawyers who actively prosecute automotive defect cases. This group collectively pulls information and testing to assist their members in handling these extraordinarily complex and expensive cases.

Awards and Recognitions

Tom has been recognized as an AV Preeminent Rated attorney by Martindale Hubble. This is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Education

Tom completed his undergraduate study at Mercer University, graduating with a B.A. in 1984. He earned his law degree at Samford University Cumberland School of Law in 1987.