SYNOPSIS. Her statement is curious. Myth: 2023 Innocence Project. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Willingham a writ of habeas corpus a month before his execution. Stacy Kuykendall Now: Where is Cameron Todd Willingham's Ex-Wife Today . It's very difficult to review this case, as there, The FBi has been murdering people for years since their, Clearly its hard for some people to understand that although, What is taking so long? (Thompson later received an award from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association for this motion and appeal. Willingham was subsequently executed for the crime; however, some individuals have expressed serious doubt about his conviction and wonder if the state killed an innocent man. The Innocence Project is affiliated with Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. Yet Kuykendall continued to give the same version of events long after the fire and after she and Willingham were divorced. Kuykendall played a major role in Willinghams life and fate, but in the movie version she is quite prominent. Its hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didnt say., Your email address will not be published. [citation needed], In addition to the arson evidence presented at the trial, a jailhouse informant named Johnny Webb testified at that time. Rick Perry defends 2004 execution despite questions about evidence, calls convict 'a monster', "Perry's denial of stay could become campaign issue", "CNN's Anderson Cooper to Air Report on Cameron Willingham Tonight", "Is Texas Governor Rick Perry Trying to Cover Up Execution of Innocent Man on His Watch", "Stacy Kuykendall's statement about the 1991 fire", "Death penalty case: Ex-wife says convicted killer confessed", "Texas execution: Statements by Gov. He said that Willingham confessed to burning her twice with a piece of "wadded up" paper in an effort to make it appear as though the children were "playing with fire. On seeing neighbor Diane Barbee, Willingham began to shout at her to call 911, shouting "My babies are in there! LEFT: A photo after the 1991 fire at the Corsicana, Tex., home of Willingham and his wife, Stacy, killed . Stacy Kuykendall read a prepared statement to reporters outside the Travis County courthouse. Rick Perry, others don't align with facts", "Convict in disputed execution was guilty, ex-wife says", "Third Court Rules in Willingham Case: Matter must be referred to Judge Stubblefield", "Bar Files Disciplinary Case Against Ex-Prosecutor", "Prosecutor accused of misconduct in disputed Texas execution case", https://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/update-jury-rules-in-jacksons-favor-in-civil-judicial-misconduct-trial/article_cdcf8856-35e7-11e7-81dd-2ba5db18fbeb.html, "Jack O'Connell, Laura Dern Star For Ed Zwick In 'Trial By Fire', "Tune in Tonight: Scheck on "The Good Wife", Faulty Testimony Sent 2 to Death Row, Panel Finds, "Texas Execution Information: Cameron Willingham", City of Corsicana Response to Beyler Report, 29 September 2009, "Media Advisory: Cameron Todd Willingham Scheduled For Execution", Analysis of the Fire Investigation Methods and Procedures Used in the Criminal Arson Case Against Ernest Ray Willis and Cameran Todd Willingham Craig L. Beyler, Willingham Files A collection of all stories published by the Corsicana Daily Sun, Media Advisory: Cameron Todd Willingham Scheduled For Execution, PBS portal on the Cameron Todd Willingham case including original documents, a shorter summary of the Cameron Todd Willingham case a slide show presentation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cameron_Todd_Willingham&oldid=1137586879, 21st-century executions of American people, People executed by Texas by lethal injection, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 12:27. Descubre qu pasa hoy con Stacy Kuykendall, ex esposa de Cameron Willingham! According to the affidavits, Willingham's ex-wife had told Ronnie that Willingham confessed to her that he had set the fire. "[12], The prosecution claimed that Willingham may have been motivated by a desire to rid himself of unwanted children. I dont blame Todds stepmom for fighting for her son, she continued to The Huffington Post in 2012. Stacy Kuykendall is known for Evil Lives Here (2016). The 2011 documentary Incendiary: The Willingham Case also explored the case. Based on a 2009 investigative report by David Grann in The New Yorker, Trial by Fire concerns Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texan man who was convicted for the murder of his three children by arson . Willingham himself escaped the home with only minor burns. [26] Neither responded to Willingham's appeals. Jimmie Hensley, a police detective, and Douglas Fogg, the assistant fire chief who both investigated the fire told Grann that they had never believed that the refrigerator was part of the arson plot. He admitted that he exaggerated having gone inside the babies room (he said he wanted to sound brave and feared that people would think he was a coward for not going into the burning room). Also, the prosecution relied heavily on the testimony of convict Johnny Webb, who testified that Willingham had confessed to him. In 2004, Stacy Kuykendall told the Chicago Tribune that he never confessed, and she said the same to The New Yorker in 2009. Cameron Todd Willingham's Ex-Wife Stacy Kuykendall Says Texas Shouldn't Pardon Him [EXCLUSIVE] | HuffPost. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports the . At the time of the trial, she said she had believed in her husbands innocence, but over the years, after studying the evidence and the trial testimony, she became convinced he was guilty. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS. Mar 11, 2015 at 10:07 am. . How Did Cameron Todd Willingham Die? Some say Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully convicted, and the court put an innocent man to death. [16], But journalist David Grann reported that "there is evidence that Willingham hit his wife, even when she was pregnant, but there were no police reports or medical evidence indicating that Willingham had tried to abort or kill his children." of Criminal Justice . Cameron Todd Willingham Just when it seemed Gov. [16], Consistent with typical Navarro County death penalty practice, Willingham was offered the opportunity to eliminate himself as a suspect by polygraph examination, which Willingham rejected, according to Jackson. She was out shopping for Christmas presents at a thrift shop. I told him yes I did say that. If the judge clears Willingham, it will mark the first time an official in the nation's most active death penalty state has formally declared that someone was wrongly executed. All concluded that the original investigators relied on outdated theories and folklore to justify the determination of arson. But Stacy Kuykendall knew Todd better than anyone, and she's convinced that he was a monster who was guilty as charged and deserved to die. On December 23, 1991, a fire destroyed the Willingham family home in Corsicana, Texas. Willinghams former probation officer and a judge both directly refute any notion that he was a sociopath. But tragically, their three young children were killed in the . a husband returns home to find his wife dead on the living room floor; he tells first responders she committed suicide . October 26, 2009. Navarro County District Attorney R. Lowell Thompson is seeking Baird's removal. Willingham'sex-wifetearfully reiterated her contention Wednesday that he confessed his guilt to her. As the fire took hold, Willingham was driven out through the front door of his house, where he crouched down near the entrance. However, he insisted that he would not admit to a crime he claimed he didnt commit, so he was sentenced to die by lethal injection. He burnt them. stacy willingham married. Therefore, I believe that there is no way he could have possibly committed this crime. However, her letter didn't work and within a year shed filed for divorce. "What they are interested in is finding the poster boy for the abolition of the death penalty," Bradley said. In the following days, Willingham returned to the house with some family and friends. "[36], A four-person panel of the Texas Forensic Science Commission investigating evidence of arson presented in the case acknowledged on July 23, 2010, that state and local arson investigators used "flawed science" in determining that the blaze had been deliberately set. Sad when people cant just tell the truth. "[12] At trial, Willingham's conduct at the scene was described as oscillating between collected and hysterical at times screaming for assistance and at other times calmly pushing his car back from the flames that were engulfing his house. [1] Grigson had served as an expert witness for the prosecution in murder trials across the state of Texas. Cameron Todd Willingham (January 9, 1968 - February 17, 2004) was an American man who was convicted and executed for the murder of his three young children by arson at the family home in Corsicana, Texas, on December 23, 1991.Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to . After the fire, the police investigation determined that the fire had been started using some form of a liquid accelerant. He did not. Mills, who is still at theTribune, confirms Possleys account. Stacy Kuykendall read a prepared statement to reporters outside the Travis County courthouse . There has been serious doubt expressed over the validity of Willinghams conviction. Hes just not. She also said the prosecution was motivated to find anyone to blame. The investigators concluded that the fire had been started deliberately. She said, firmly, that Willingham had never done so. Questions persist surrounding Cameron Todd Willingham's conviction and death sentence, but according to Stacy Kuykendall, who knew him better than anyone, Cameron is a monster who was guilty as charged and deserved to die. The neighbors said he seemed more concerned about damage to his property, such as his car than the welfare of his children. When Willingham exited his bedroom, the hallway was not yet on fire; the fire was contained in the childrens bedroom. Menu. David Grann: Stacy Speaks: News Desk : The New Yorker. Willingham's three children -- 2-year-old Amber Kuykendall and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron Willingham, died of smoke inhalation. His wife Stacey was out Christmas shopping at the time. Willingham's Stepmother Responds. Myth: On Jan. 8, the night before Willingham's 24th birthday, he was arrested by a SWAT team. "My ex-husband murdered my daughters . According to The New Yorker article, Willingham had been unfaithful, drank heavily, and would physically assaulted his partner, even while she was pregnant. January 9, 1968 - February 16, 2004 . Emily Meade as Stacey in "Trial By Fire.". [1] This coverage suggested that the arson evidence was misinterpreted. In that article, Kuykendall made it clear that she did not believe Willinghams version of events. On December 23, 1991, a fire enveloped the home of Todd and Stacey in Corsicana, Texas. While its now clear that the forensic analysis was wrong, we couldnt have known that with the science at the time. Many of those hearsay witnesses statements evolved and hardened once they knew Willingham was a suspect in the case. The science commission was set to hear testimony from Beyler last year. Willingham's attorneys were not notified. Webb later recanted his recantation. Application of the Law is not perfect in the UK either, but Todd would still be alive if hed lived here, and would probably have been exonerated. Willingham was accused of arson . A later study into the causes of the fire stated that it might not have been arson. "[30], The Texas Forensic Science Commission was scheduled to discuss the report by Beyler at a meeting on October 2, 2009, but two days before the meeting, Texas Governor Rick Perry replaced the chair of the commission (Sam Bassett) and two other members (Alan Levy and Aliece Watts). There is credible and reliable new information that Willingham confessed to his ex-wife. Her statement directly contradicts numerous previous statements she has made: in interviews with police and fire investigators; in testimony during the trial; in letters to public officials and Willinghams lawyers; and in her comments to the press. She said that during her visit with Willingham in prison, he maintained that the fire was accidental and that their daughter Amber had likely caused it: Willingham laid out the same theory to Kuykendall that he suggested during the Daily Sun interviewthat Amber had accidentally set the fire. AUSTIN Nine days before Cameron Todd Willingham was to be executed for setting a house fire that killed his three daughters, his ex-wife called her family together to tearfully recount a . In their final meeting, however, he did not confess, she told the Tribune. . Throughout the process, Stacy Kuykendall, Willingham's former wife and the mother of the three victims, has maintained that he was guilty of the murders. Stacy Kuykendall, his then-wife, played a . John Bradley, the top prosecutor in Williamson County who also chairs the Texas Forensic Science Commission, said he believes the effort to have Willingham declared innocent is not about justice -- or even the guilt or innocence of Willingham. The only other evidence of significance against Willingham was twice-recanted testimony by another inmate, who testified that Willingham had confessed to him. "[16] Grann, however, said fire investigators who reviewed the case told him that "Willingham's first-degree and second-degree burns were consistent with being in a fire before the moment of 'flashover' that is, when everything in a room suddenly ignites. American justice (in many cases) is flawed. Willingham's ex-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, has . Willingham was executed in 2004. A judge has postponed a hearing in Austin until next week in the case of a Texas man executed for setting fire to his home and killing his three daughters. The Big Little Lies actress, 52, plays Elizabeth Gilbert in Trial by Fire, the real-life ordinary citizen who took on the case of Cameron Todd Willingham as he sat on death row. His wife Stacey was out Christmas shopping at the time. Hurst said in December 2004 that "There's nothing to suggest to any reasonable arson investigator that this was an arson fire. Over time, she has alternated between claiming she believes her former husband is guilty and innocent. We asked her, Did he confess in that conversation? She said, No. Note to Stacy and Family: Many accounts refer to Amber as having lastname of Kuykendall and Willingham. That was until she spoke to him shortly before his execution. According to Brandice Barbee, "All I could see was smoke. He said that a picture of a fist punching through a skull signified violence and death. Baird has twice sat on courts considering Willingham's appeal and once won an award from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Willingham didnt try to save his children (his wounds were superficial, he stood outside while the house burned, he moved his car, etc). [12] All twenty of the indications listed by Vasquez of an accelerant being used were rebutted by Hurst,[1] who concluded there was "no evidence of arson" the same conclusion reached by other fire investigators. Movies. Prosecutors are fighting that effort, which is being led by the Innocence Project, a New York legal center. Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to . [6], The prosecutor also said that Willingham was a serial wife abuser, both physically and emotionally. . Documentary Feb 14, 2021 42 min. Nine nationally renowned, independent experts have reviewed the case in the last five years and found that the forensic analysis was wrong. Mothers love their children and always will, no matter what happens in their lives I understand why she does not want to face the facts of what he did to our girls.. On 23 December 1991, the Corsicana home of Cameron Willingham burned. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Chronicle sues Perry over clemency report, Freed death row inmate calls on Perry to halt executions | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com Houston Chronicle. Cameron Todd Willingham's Real Last Words. Willingham was accused of arson . He was executed in 2004, after Perry turned down his final appeal despite evidence from a renowned fire expert that there was not enough evidence to support the arson determination. Questions persist surrounding Cameron Todd Willingham's conviction and death sentence, but according to Stacy Kuykendall, who knew him better than anyone, Cameron is a monster who was guilty as charged and deserved to die. If Stacy will advise, I will be happy to make correction. Prosecutors charged that Willingham set the fire and killed the children in an attempt to cover up the abuse of the children and wife. "And they want to make Willingham that poster boy. Daily Sun) CORSICANA . Cameron Todd Willingham's case raises strong opinions on many different levels, but some who defend his conviction and execution are distorting aspects of the case, and some of those distortions are being repeated or reported as fact. When Willingham was arrested, he vigorously professed his innocence. In February 2014, The New York Times reported that the Innocence Project investigators said that they had discovered a handwritten note in Webb's files indicating that such a deal was in play. Two prosecution experts who testified that Willingham was a sociopath had never met him; one was expelled from his professional association three years later for unethical behavior. Uno de los eventos ms fascinantes pero desgarradores en la historia del sistema de justicia estadounidense se lleva a la pantalla grande con Prueba de fuego. "[27], But Hurst said, "The whole case was based on the purest form of junk science. Myths and Facts about the Willingham Case. "He admitted he did it and told me why," she said. In fact, on the same day that her brother claimed she had told him Willingham confessed in that meeting, a local media outlet ran an interview with Stacy Kuykendall where she said Willingham maintained his innocence during the meeting (even though she thought he was guilty). Tessa Thompson Talks Going To Couples Therapy With Michael B. Jordan, Everything I Know About Romantic Love, I Learned From Bollywood Movies, Christina Milian Loves Making Rom-Coms & We Cant Get Enough of Them, These Romantic Movies Are Guaranteed To Make You Cry, The Greatest Romantic Comedies That Youll Watch On Repeat. On October 25, Stacy Kuykendall told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that during a final prison meeting just weeks before he was put to death, Willingham admitted setting the fire in response to Stacy's alleged threats of divorce the night before. That is the closest to justice that my daughters will ever get. [35] For example, earlier in 2009, Kuykendall supported her 2004 contradiction of her brother's affidavit (saying that there had been no confession) and had previously always maintained that things had been amicable between her and Willingham before the fire. Willingham's three children -- 2-year-old Amber Kuykendall and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron Willingham, died of smoke inhalation. While I was reporting myNew Yorker article, I tried to talk to Stacy Kuykendall, but she said that she no longer wanted to discuss the case. The case was discussed again in a 2009 investigative report in The New Yorker. Yesterday, Willinghams former wife, Stacy Kuykendall,released a statement to the Fort WorthStar-Telegram saying that he secretly confessed to killing their three daughters, who died in a fire on December 23, 1991. Scientific experts have conducted experiments with identical fires and Willinghams burns are normal for this type of fire. Kuykendall claims in the . Several witnesses testified for the prosecution. [1], In 2009, John Jackson, the prosecutor at the trial, stated that burns suffered by Willingham were "so superficial as to suggest that the same were self-inflicted in an attempt to divert suspicion from himself. A spokeswoman for Governor Perry said he had weighed the "totality of the issues that led to (Willingham's) conviction." "I spent years not knowing, but Todd gave me that. After the fire, police and fire investigators interrogated Kuykendall. Stacy Kuykendall, Self: Evil Lives Here. Throughout his time on death row, he always maintained his innocence. For years, Stacy Kuykendall advocated for Cameron Todd Willingham, stating repeatedly that she believed he didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters in 1991. Unfortunately, by then, Kuykendall had been swayed by the other court documents and findings. [16] Against the advice of his own counsel, Willingham declined a life sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. According to a tape recording of the conversation, Kuykendall made it clear that she still believed that Willingham was innocent and that he had no motive to hurt their children. Around two weeks before the execution, Kuykendall went to see Willingham. Incendiary: The Willingham Case is a 2011 documentary film by Steve Mims and Joe Bailey, Jr. that explores the conviction and execution of Cameron Todd Willingham for arson murder. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. She also previously campaigned for his release and wrote to the governor of Texas, I know him in ways that no one else does when it comes to our children. By Maurice Possley, The Marshall Project. David Grann: Stacy Speaks: News Desk : The New Yorker. Stacy Kuykendall said she believed for over a decade her husband, Cameron Todd Willingham, didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters. His wrists and hands were blackened with smoke. Here are five crucial facts about the case. All rights reserved, Man Shot by Fort Worth Officer After Reaching for Gun in Waistband: Police, Fort Worth Music Festival Happening at Fort Worth Stockyards, Novak Djokovic Denied' US Entry Ahead Of Indian Wells, Joe Biden Asked To Intervene, Barbara Corcoran Says Meeting Mark Cuban Was Her Most Embarrassing Moment' on Shark Tank' Here's Why, 3 Children Killed, 2 Wounded in Ellis County Home; 1 in Custody: Sheriff. The Texas Forensic Science Commission is going to determine whether Willingham was innocent. The order comes at the end of a day of testimony. Willinghams statements about the fire were inconsistent. Within 5 miles of your location. The Huntsville Unit where the executions take place . [3] A 2011 documentary, Incendiary: The Willingham Case, also explored the case. Cameron Todd Willingham: Wrongfully Convicted and Executed in Texas - Innocence Project. [7] Webb later told David Grann, a reporter for The New Yorker that he might have been mistaken. [24], This left only the chemical testing for accelerant. I recently finished The Lost City of Z, David Grann's account of the British explorer Percy Fawcett's final journey in the Amazon basin, where . He admitted he burnt them to me, and he was convicted for his crime. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His then-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, was, too, convinced of his innocence until ultimately believing he was guilty. Killed in the fire were Willingham's three daughters: two-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall, and one-year-old twins, Karmen Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham. Willingham had escaped the fire with bare feet and no burn marks. The film, based on the 2009 New Yorker article also title Trial By Fire, chronicles events around late Texas native Cameron Todd Willingham. Willingham escaped the home with only minor burns. This is because Willingham was anything but that; he regularly verbally abused and beat his wife, and in some of these instances, the police was called. While Willingham always insisted he was innocent, later evidence suggested he was wrongly convicted and executed.