Death-row inmate freed after 17 years

[Ferocious]

click

 

[sandorski]

wow

 

[chess9]

WOW! I wish they had told us what the concealed evidence was. Some deputy sheriff must have pulled a fast one.

-Robert

 

[AFB]

This is why you should sit on death row a long time. A life sentance would be better considering it is always reversable. It's kind of hard to bring back the dead.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Even though no physical evidence tied Willis to the crime and he had no violent criminal past, he was sentenced to death in 1987 for setting fire to a house in Iraan that killed two women. Prosecutors mocked him as a "satanic demon," mostly because throughout the trial he sat in an expressionless daze, and his inexperienced lead lawyer was little help, rarely objecting to the prosecutors' portrayal of Willis and declining to put any character witnesses on the stand during the trial's punishment phase. Several years later an investigation by Willis's appellate lawyers revealed that their client had unwittingly been given daily doses of powerful anti-psychotic drugs during his trial by someone working for the police or the prosecutors?which explained his bizarre countenance?and that a psychological report that said Willis presented no danger to society had been withheld by prosecutors.

There's significant class bias here in Texas, it's much better than when he was convicted, nearly 20 years ago.

He's the first death row inmate released since 1997.

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: amdfanboy
This is why you should sit on death row a long time. A life sentance would be better considering it is always reversable. It's kind of hard to bring back the dead.

But if the guy had a life sentance do you think he would have gotten it as much help in getting it over turned?

 

[chess9]

Yes, reminscent of the Hargrove murder trial in Ohio, when the police gave sodium pentothal to Gene Hargrove (my next door neighbor) to get him to admit where he had thrown the murder weapon. The case was dismissed even though he was clearly guilty. (He killed his lover's husband on Christmas Eve, about 1959/60. But, unbeknownst to him she had been sleeping with all the town politicians and businessmen. The police found her little black book. She was a wild and crazy girl!)

By 1986 one would have thought the police had gotten the message.

-Robert

 

[GoPackGo]

This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

I can pretty well guarantee that will happen. Serves them right. Imagine spending 17 years on death row for a crime you didn't commit - it really boggles the mind.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

I can pretty well guarantee that will happen. Serves them right. Imagine spending 17 years on death row for a crime you didn't commit - it really boggles the mind.

Don't they have governmental immunity or something close?

 

[AFB]

Originally posted by: Infohawk

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

I can pretty well guarantee that will happen. Serves them right. Imagine spending 17 years on death row for a crime you didn't commit - it really boggles the mind.

Don't they have governmental immunity or something close?

Yep. I think they have to give out something like 2G for each year you were there, but that is still not even close .

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: amdfanboy

Originally posted by: Infohawk

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

I can pretty well guarantee that will happen. Serves them right. Imagine spending 17 years on death row for a crime you didn't commit - it really boggles the mind.

Don't they have governmental immunity or something close?

Yep. I think they have to give out something like 2G for each year you were there, but that is still not even close .

Yeah that's what I dont' like limits on liabilities, for governments or doctors. You can never be sure how bad people will screw things up.

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

they should fight to let this guy donkey punch the wife of everything single person envolved

 

[b0mbrman]

...why I'm against the death penalty

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
...why I'm against the death penalty

At the very least I am happy he didnt get murdered

 

[classy]

Wow, I am speechless

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

Originally posted by: SirStev0

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
This guy should be calling a lawyer and sue the state for millions.

they should fight to let this guy donkey punch the wife of everything single person envolved

The wives of the people involved, eh? You should keep your sexual practices private between you and your boyfriend, misogynist.