By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-863367.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Tarrant County Prosecutor Alan Levy says he was surprised and disappointed when Governor Rick Perry dismissed him and two others from a state commission. It happened Tuesday just days before the Texas Forensic Science Commission was to take up a politically sensitive report. KERA's Shelley Kofler has details.
Governor Perry's new appointee has now cancelled the Friday meeting where Alan Levy and other members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission were to hear from Craig Beyler. Beyler is an arson expert. The commissioners hired him to study evidence that lead to the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham.
The Corsicana man was convicted of intentionally setting a fire in 1991 that killed his three daughters. He was given the death penalty and executed five years ago.
Two previous reviews of the case found no evidence of arson. Levy says Beyler's recent report again raises grave concerns about the investigation that lead to Willingham's execution.
Levy: I would say it was very disturbing. The individual who had authored the report is a very distinguished scientist from what I can tell. He raised some serious issues about the investigation and the conclusions that were drawn, that the fire had been incendiary or arson. And there were questions that needed to be answered about the quality of science that needed to be done.
Governor Perry has generally dismissed Beyler's report saying there was "clear and compelling" evidence Willingham murdered his children.
Levy said the Governor's office didn't cite the Beyler report or any other reason for dismissing him.
Austin defense attorney Sam Bassett, the commission chair, says the Governor's office also dismissed him without giving a reason though the political sensitivity of the commission's inquiry was clear.
Bassett: It was obviously a very charged issue because of the nature of the case. But in my view the nature of a case should not affect whether a Forensic Science Commission does an investigation.
Bassett and Levy hope the commission will continue to examine the Willingham investigation.
Levy: If the accusation is made that we've executed a person who was not guilty that would cause anyone concern. I'm a proponent of the death penalty but when someone makes that accusation we need to look at it.
And if poor science or shoddy forensic work lead to a man's wrongful execution, Levy says the state needs to adopt standards to ensure it never happens again.