Program Note: Tune in tonight for more on the Willingham case from Randi Kaye. Tonight AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.
The Innocence Project
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has removed a fourth member of a state commission charged with investigating claims that an innocent man may have been executed, his office said. The Texas governor has now replaced all of the four members that, under law, he is allowed to appoint to the commission. The remaining five members are appointed by the state's lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Innocence Project Co-Director Barry Scheck called the move “troubling."
The Innocence Project ("IP") was established in 1992 at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law by civil rights attorneys Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld and is dedicated to exonerating the innocent through post-conviction DNA testing. Since its inception, more than 215 people in the United States have been exonerated, including 16 who were at one time sentenced to death. In many of these DNA exonerations, the Innocence Project either was the attorney of record or consulted with the defendant's attorneys.
| alex lyrics |
October 13th, 2009 7:18 pm ET amazing that peoople are dying and in prison who are not guilty. It must be the loneliest position in the world. |
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| P zelenka |
October 13th, 2009 10:42 pm ET The recent actions by the govenor of Texas look very bad. The details of this case must be reviewed and responded to by all involved. |
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| Joe |
October 13th, 2009 10:43 pm ET It's great to see you cover the politics of one of the largest states in the union. It's also obvious to see that Gov Rick Perry dismissed a man's life and then tried to cover it up by abusing his authority. |
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| David |
October 13th, 2009 10:44 pm ET I live in Dallas and it seems every week we hear about another innocent man being set free. You would think, with all the people we convict, then set free, that Mr Perry could at least take 10 minutes to read a fax or at least have someone read it to him. I think Mr Perrys term is up. |
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| Tim McGuire |
October 13th, 2009 10:45 pm ET Governor Perry's actions and statements in the Willingham case show more than just poor judgment. The governor's behavior has created a stench that can't be dissipated even in the large state of Texas. |
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| esteridia |
October 13th, 2009 10:49 pm ET Good reporting! There are those of us in Texas who are very concerned about how Perry is removing from higher education boards several regents who have chosen to support his opponent in the upcoming election. He is blatantly using political appointments for his political gain but this situation is the most troubling of all. |
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| Bill Thornhill |
October 13th, 2009 10:50 pm ET The Innocence Project on the Willingham case, This is just crazy how thay can get away with this, he was 100% inocent, I am from Canada and it is not hard to see the truth, But as always nothing will happen to the covenor. That is just not right, Bill Thornhill from Canada |
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| sergio |
October 13th, 2009 10:50 pm ET Governor Rick Perry is trying to cover up the execution of an innocent man. Cases of prisoners on death row whose guilt is in doubt In Texas should be further investigated for possible innocence. The state of Texas has always been too willing to execute prisoners, and as everybody knows they lead all states in the United states in the execution of death row prisoners. When George W. Bush once claimed that all death row executions in Texas while he was governor were justified, was not believable. |
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| Darlene Veliz |
October 13th, 2009 10:51 pm ET My heart goes out for this family...I believe this was murder and just like all the real criminals in the world the governer of Texas needs to stand trial for hidding evidence that could have saved an innocent mans life, instead the governer deliberatly witheld. If you allow the governer to get away with this the statement to the public would become cridical.He should be remover from office imedeantly pending an investagation |
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