10 People Who Were Probably Wrongly Executed

3. Cameron Todd Willingham

Cameron Todd Willingham was executed on 17th February 2004 after he was convicted of murdering his three young children in their family home in Corsicana, Texas. 2 year old Amber Louise Kuykendall and 1 year old twins Karmon Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham were all killed after a fire blazed through their home on 23rd December 1991.

Their mother, Stacy Kuykendall, was not home at the time of the fire and their father, Cameron Todd Willingham managed to escape with only minor injuries. After police investigations took place, Cameron Todd Willingham was arrested when it was discovered that liquid accelerant had apparently caused the fire. In addition to this, eyewitnesses claimed that after they had pleaded with Willingham to return to the house to rescue his children, he chose to move his car away from the blaze and made no attempt to go back inside.

During his trial, Willingham was offered a life sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. He refused, maintaining his innocence, and was sentenced to death. Before Willinham's execution, chemical testing was performed to see if in fact an accelerant had been the cause of the fire. The report concluded that there was no evidence of arson. After sending the report to the Governor of Texas and the Board of Pardons and Paroles, his appeals were still rejected and Cameron Todd Willingham was executred on 17th February 2004.

"The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do. From God's dust I came and to dust I will return so the Earth shall become my throne."