On Dec 7, 1989, Carlos De Luna was executed in Texas for a murder in Corpus Christi. But a Chicago Tribune investigation has uncovered evidence he was not the killer.
Click here to see The Chicago Tribune’s preview of the story they will report this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The link contains a short video preview of the story.
To learn more watch ABC’s Nightline Friday, June 23, 2006.
A moratorium on executions has been endorsed by the following media outlets in Texas: Abilene Reporter-News, Austin American-Statesman, Bryan-College Station Eagle, Corpus Christi-Caller-Times, Dallas Morning News, El Paso Times, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Galveston County Daily News, Houston Chronicle, KPRC Channel 2 NBC Houston, San Antonio Express News, Victoria Advocate, Wichita Falls Times Record News. Read the endorsements on the TMN website.
The Chicago Tribune reported in November 2004 that Cameron Willingham was also probably innocent despite being executed by Texas in 2004. Willingham had been sentenced to death for an arson fire that killed his three daughters. Willingham’s last words were: “I am an innocent man, convicted of a crime I did not commit,” Willingham said angrily. “I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do.”
In November 2005, The Houston Chronicle reported that Ruben Cantu, who was executed by Texas in 1993, was also probably innocent. Sam Millsap, Bexar Co. district attorney at the time of Cantu’s conviction – has said that he was the man “who is at least partially responsible for the execution of the 1st innocent man in the State of Texas”.
The Texas Democratic Party endorsed a moratorium on executions in its 2004 and 2006 platforms. The Travis County Commissioners Court has also passed a resolution calling for a moratorium.
Rep. Harold Dutton of Houston has introduced legislation to establish a moratorium on executions in every regular session of the Texas Legislature since 2001.