An Innocent Murderer: The Flaws of Capital Punishment

What would you do if you were suddenly arrested for a crime that you didn’t commit? What if you were taken to the station, interrogated, and booked for murder? Would you stick to your innocence, or possibly take a plea bargain just to get out of the mess? Would you write letters to others while in prison to try and prove your innocence? During the course of many years, this has happened to numerous people. Many people have been ripped from their daily lives and thrown into a cell just waiting for the day when someone will find a way to prove they are innocent. In the past 39 years, 117 people who were serving time on death row have been proved innocent and released from prison (Daily 36). Over time, critics have presented flaws in the judicial system that are leading many to question the use of capital punishment.

One of the most fundamental pieces of a trial are eyewitnesses statements. However, eyewitness statements can contribute flaws to the judicial system because they often change over time. The case of Cameron Todd Willingham in Corsicana, Texas revolved around the idea that Willingham started a fire that killed his own children, making him a murderer. One of the eyewitnesses of the fire, Diane Barbee, a woman who lived on the same street as Willingham, first told authorities that Willingham seemed absolutely “hysterical” and that the front of the house exploded during the fire. However, after learning that fire investigators were suspecting Willingham of murder, Barbee’s testimony began to change. Barbee then told authorities that the smoke coming from the house was minimal and not very thick. As critics looked back at the case, they also noticed that Diane Barbee testified in the case that Willingham didn’t even att...

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