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Governor's Mansion Fire: What's your alibi?

Proving your innocence in the face of false accusations may be a lot harder than it seems. For instance, just before 2 p.m. on Sunday morning an arsonist set fire to Texas' antebellum Governor's mansion in downtown Austin. I can prove I was in New Orleans when it happened, though no one else was with me at precisely that time. If you were wrongly accused of this crime, would you have an alibi? Can you prove where you were at 2 a.m. Sunday morning? The last time I asked a similar question, 20% of Grits readers said they could not.A corollary question: Is your alibi a family member or close personal friend? If so, investigators and a jury may disbelieve them anyway.UPDATE: Fort Worth Star Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy interviews an arson investigator who thinks the fire may have been accidental...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on June 09, 2008 (boomark / email).