Shouting from the Rooftops

In 2006, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that there has not been "a single case - not one - in which it is clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit. If such an event had occurred in recent years, we would not have to hunt for it; the innocent's name would be shouted from the rooftops."

We knew then, though, that innocents had been executed. So we issued a report titled “Innocent and Executed: Four Chapters in the Life of America’s Death Penalty.” In that report, we told the stories of four such men: Ruben Cantu, Carlos De Luna, Larry Griffin and Cameron Todd Willingham.

Now, the story of Cameron Todd Willingham has garnered even more national attention, thanks to a recent article, "Trial by Fire," published in the September 7th edition of the New Yorker.  The reporter, David Grann, lays out the powerful story of Willingham's conviction and execution, and demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt what we have known all along: That Cameron Todd Willingham was innocent, and he was executed. 

As Justice Scalia asked, we are now SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS that this man was innocent.  But we need your help to get the message out. 

Here are seven things you can do:

1. Read the New Yorker article on Cameron Todd Willingham.  You can also read other reports and media accounts of the Willingham case at the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty's website, or read a recent piece in Newsweek titled, "Innocent Until Executed." 
2. Tell your friends about Willingham's innocence by sending them an e-mail. 


3. Learn how to make a video in which you "shout from the rooftops" that an innocent person has been executed.   


4. Write a letter to the editor about Cameron Todd Willingham, calling for an end to the death penalty. 


5. Read our report, "Innocent and Executed: Four Chapters in the Life and Death of America's Death Penalty," and tell a friend about it.


6. Support NCADP's work by clicking here.  Your gift enables us to reach out to more people and helps our voices grow louder.


7. Put the "Shouting from the Rooftops" banner on your web page or blog.  Click here for the html code.

BREAKING NEWS: September 30, 2009 - Gov. Perry of Texas stops formal process to examine Willingham case. Click HERE for updated, breaking news.

NEWS UPDATE: April 23, 2010 - Texas Forensic Science Commission to finally investigate Willingham case -- but does not set timeline for completion. Click HERE for more in the Willingham case news section.

NEWS UPDATE: July 23, 2010 - The Texas Forensic Science Commission met today to discuss the Willingham case, but took no concrete action except to say that a fire investigator whose testimony played a significant role in Willingham's conviction -- and whose forensic investigation and findings were among those characterized in the Craig Beyler report as stemming from "junk science" -- was not at fault. The Commission is scheduled to meet on the case again on September 17. Meanwhile, some members of Willingham's family say the Commission's review of the flawed fire science investigation leading to his conviction and execution is moving too slowly.  See the Willingham case news section for details.

You can also learn more at CNN and MSNBC.