This Week’s Topic: When Science & Justice Collide

In response to the possibility that the State of Texas put an innocent man to death, we ask, what happens when scientific evidence conflicts with a jury’s verdict? In 2004, Governor Perry decided not to grant a “stay of execution” for Cameron Todd Willingham (convicted of the murder of his three daughters) even though many feel that the newest forensic evidence proved his innocence. To complicate matters, the Governor recently replaced all four of his appointees on the Texas Forensic Science Commission, who had been re-examining evidence in the case. That action caused the investigation to stall with the possibility that the evidence would never be heard. As national media attention focuses on the Governor and his decisions, we ask: When should new scientific procedures overrule a jury decision? What does happen when Science and Justice intersect? Share your thoughts...