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Appeals Court Rules in Willingham Court of Inquiry Recusal Issue

By Steve Hall

Jordan Smith posts, "Third Court Rules in Willingham Case," at the Austin Chronicle. The Third Court of Appeals has ruled that the region's presiding administrative judge must consider whether to grant recusal of Travis Co. District Judge Charlie Baird in case of executed inmate Cameron Todd Willingham.In October, Baird heard testimony of fire experts, brought by lawyers for Willingham, during a proceeding seeking to posthumously clear Willingham's name. Baird was also asked to consider whether cause exists to initiate a court of inquiry into the actions (or inaction) of state officials prior to Willingham's death. At issue there is whether state officials (likely the State Fire Marshals Office and Gov. Rick Perry) relied on faulty science (and ignored new evidence) to conclude that Willingham set the 1991 fire at his Corsicana home that killed his three young children...continue to full post

Full post as published by StandDown Texas Project on December 21, 2010 (boomark / email).