Friday, May 07, 2010

ABC News investigates disputed Texas arson case

The title of this post is the headline to a piece from the Texas Observer blog informing us that:
The ABC News program 20/20 will broadcast a report this Friday night about people wrongly convicted of arson.

The segment—which airs at 9 p.m. central time—will feature the case of Curtis Severns, who was convicted in 2006 of starting a fire in his Plano gun shop. He remains in federal prison in Beaumont for a crime he likely didn’t commit.

The Observer first reported Severns’ case last year as part of our series on false arson convictions. As in other cases, Severns was convicted by what some of the top fire experts in the country now say is flawed forensic evidence.

Leading into Friday’s broadcast, the ABC News site is featuring several online stories about discredited arson evidence this week. You can read those pieces here and here.
Set your DVRs accordingly.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey dude, let's sneak out at midnight and go to the red rock. Just make a sound like a barking dog.

den parser said...

And just try to solve such case like arson. - torture the arsonists.

Jackie said...

Oh, oh, this article has brought out the vigilante gang stalkers. I used to get that same type of spam in my 'respond to' box on my website.
All at the same time that my son and I were harassed (including sexually) and intimidated. Then I was arrested on the morning of my birthday because someone didn't like my website.
So glad to be out of Texas. Big cockroaches dude ! Creepy sh*t.

ckikerintulia said...

I recorded that program, and watched it today. The woman in Louisiana escaped a possible death penalty because the arson investigator who originally called it arson reviewed the sentence and withdrew his original opinion, but only after a new prosecutor in the case decided to call him up. Of course Todd Willingham is beyond reprieve. If you haven't seen this program, try to find a way to see it.

Anonymous said...

Todd Willingham confessed.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:20

Really? Then let's hear the tape or see the film, if that wouldn't be too much trouble. :~)

ckikerintulia said...

anon 12:17, "Todd Willingham confessed." As Grits often says, "You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts." This is strictly your opinion. Allegations that he confessed are unproven.