Texas State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado stands by his agency’s role in error-filled fire investigation that led to Willingham’s conviction
The Texas Fire Marshal’s Association is holding its 12th Annual Texas Fire Marshals’ Conference Oct 18-22 in Austin at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
It will be interesting to see if any of their members will criticize State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado for writing a letter to the Texas Forensic Science Commission standing by his agency’s role in the error-filled fire investigation that led to the conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham.
Maldonado is scheduled to speak Monday at 9 AM to welcome attendees and again on Thursday Oct 21 from 1-1:50 to give an update from the State Fire Marshal’s Office (see the full schedule here).
The Texas Tribune reported that during the Court of Inquiry last Thursday ”(Barry) Scheck asked fire expert John Lentini to explain current fire marshal Paul Maldonado’s continued support of Vasquez’s investigations. “He is misinformed,” Lentini said, adding that Maldonado’s position “cannot be explained in terms of valid science or logic.”
Read more here.
Categories: Forensics, Miscarriages of Justice
Tags: Actual Innocence, Arson Detection, Autopsy, Cameron Todd Willingham, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, Death Row, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Forensics, Identification, Miscarriage of Justice, Police, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, Victim, Wrongful Convictions