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63-524: An informer , or informant, is a person who provides privileged information to an agency. Informer may also refer to: Informer In the United States , a confidential informant or "CI" is "any individual who provides useful and credible information to a law enforcement agency regarding felonious criminal activities and from whom the agency expects or intends to obtain additional useful and credible information regarding such activities in

126-460: A money loop also called a kickback . Informers in some countries receive a percentage of all money recovered by their government. The ancient Roman historian Lactantius described a judiciary case which involved the prosecution of a woman suspected to have advised another woman not to marry Maximinus II : "Neither indeed was there any accuser, until a certain Jew , one charged with other offences,

189-716: A writ of habeas corpus a month before his execution. Willingham was executed by lethal injection on February 17, 2004, at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville . According to Michelle Lyons , an American crime reporter, author and then Public Information Director for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice who known for witnessing almost 300 executions in Texas including Willingham's own execution, Willingham's last words and statement

252-562: A 2004 Chicago Tribune article. The case was discussed again in a 2009 investigative report in The New Yorker . This coverage suggested that the arson evidence was misinterpreted. According to an August 2009 investigative report by an expert hired by the Texas Forensic Science Commission , the original claims of arson were doubtful. The Corsicana Fire Department disputes the findings, stating that

315-406: A fallen angel was "many times" an indicator of "cultive-type" activities. The other medical expert, psychiatrist James Grigson , known by the moniker "Dr. Death" for his repeated testimony as an expert witness in which he recommended the death penalty, said that a man of Willingham's criminal history was an "extremely severe sociopath" and was incurable. Grigson had served as an expert witness for

378-444: A guilty plea, which he turned down, insisting he was innocent. At trial, the fire investigator Vasquez testified there were three points of origin for the fire, which indicated that the fire was "intentionally set by human hands." A sample of burned material near the doorway of the house tested positive for mineral spirits, indicating the presence of lighter fluid. Willingham had escaped the fire with bare feet and no burn marks. This

441-505: A life sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. He insisted he would not admit to something he had not done, even if it meant sparing his life. During his trial, Willingham did not testify; the defense called only one witness, the Willinghams' babysitter, who stated that she believed that Willingham could not have killed his children. Willingham had the Texas Department of Criminal Justice number 999041. While on death row, Willingham

504-440: A monster. He was a guy who murdered his three children, who tried to beat his wife into an abortion so that he wouldn't have those kids. Person after person has stood up and testified to facts of this case that quite frankly you all aren't covering." But Hurst said, "The whole case was based on the purest form of junk science . There was no item of evidence that indicated arson." A spokeswoman for Governor Perry said he had weighed

567-742: A new identity. Informants, and especially criminal informants, can be motivated by many reasons. Many informants are not themselves aware of all of their reasons for providing information, but nonetheless do so. Many informants provide information while under stress, duress, emotion and other life factors that can affect the accuracy or veracity of information provided. Law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, judges and others should be aware of possible motivations so that they can properly approach, assess and verify informants' information. Generally, informants' motivations can be broken down into self-interest, self-preservation and conscience. A list of possible motivations includes: Corporations and

630-568: A piece of "wadded up" paper in an effort to make it appear as though the children were "playing with fire." Prosecutor John Jackson noted that Webb was considered unreliable, but he later supported an early release from prison for Webb. Webb later sent Jackson a "Motion to Recant Testimony", which declared, "Mr. Willingham is innocent of all charges." Willingham's attorneys were not notified. Webb later recanted his recantation. He later asked, "The statute of limitations has run out on perjury , hasn't it?" Webb and Jackson consistently denied that Webb

693-463: A skull and serpent fit the profile of a sociopath. Two medical experts confirmed the theory. One of those experts, a psychologist who had not published any research in the field of sociopathic behavior, but only held a master's degree in marriage and family issues was asked to interpret Willingham's Iron Maiden poster. He said that a picture of a fist punching through a skull signified violence and death. He added that Willingham's Led Zeppelin poster of

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756-439: A two-inch burn injury on his right shoulder, but the prosecution highlighted the absence of any evidence of smoke inhalation. His wrists and hands were blackened with smoke. He was eventually transported to the hospital for treatment, in handcuffs." According to their sworn statements, both Brandice Barbee and Diane Barbee urged Willingham to return to the house to rescue his children. According to Brandice Barbee, "All I could see

819-481: Is a cenotaph . In 2004, fire investigator Gerald Hurst examined the arson evidence compiled by state deputy fire marshal Manuel Vasquez. Hurst individually discredited each piece of arson evidence, using publicly supported experiments backed by his re-creation of the elements in question, the most notable being the Lime Street fire , which created the unique 3-point burn patterns flashover . This left only

882-414: Is evidence that Willingham hit his wife, even when she was pregnant, but there were no police reports or medical evidence indicating that Willingham had tried to abort or kill his children." He wrote, "Willingham's wife insisted during the trial and under interrogation that Willingham had not physically abused the children." The trial testimony by Webb, a jailhouse informant, suggested that Willingham had set

945-710: Is in pretrial detention , usually in exchange for sentence reductions or other inducements, have been the focus of particular controversy. Some examples of their use are in connection with Stanley Williams , Cameron Todd Willingham , Thomas Silverstein , Marshall "Eddie" Conway , and a suspect in the disappearance of Etan Patz . The Innocence Project has stated that 15% of all wrongful convictions later exonerated because of DNA results were accompanied by false testimony by jailhouse informants. 50% of murder convictions exonerated by DNA were accompanied by false testimony by jailhouse informants. Slang terms for informants include: The term "stool pigeon" originates from

1008-554: The Navarro County DA, appeared at the hearing with a motion for Baird to recuse himself due to conflict of interest — Baird had once affirmed Willingham's conviction while sitting as a Criminal Appeals judge yet had also been recognized by an anti-death penalty group. When the recusal motion was denied, Thompson appealed to the Third Court of Appeals and had the proceedings stayed. (Thompson later received an award from

1071-742: The secret-police force Okhrana and later the Soviet militsiya or KGB . Officially, those informants were referred to as "secret coworker" ( Russian : секретный сотрудник , sekretny sotrudnik ) and often were referred by the Russian-derived portmanteau seksot . In some KGB documents has also been used the designation "source of operational information" ( Russian : источник оперативной информации , istochnik operativnoi informatsii ). [REDACTED] Media related to Informants at Wikimedia Commons Cameron Todd Willingham Cameron Todd Willingham (January 9, 1968 – February 17, 2004)

1134-404: The "totality of the issues that led to (Willingham's) conviction." The spokeswoman added he was aware of a "claim of a reinterpretation of (the) arson testimony." Since Willingham's execution, persistent questions have been raised as to the accuracy of the forensic evidence used in the conviction: specifically, whether it can be proven that an accelerant (such as the lighter fluid mentioned above)

1197-459: The 1992 investigation; he suggested that the evidence for arson was unconvincing. He suggested that, had this information been available at the time of trial, it would have provided grounds for Willingham's acquittal. The 2011 documentary Incendiary: The Willingham Case also explored the case. Willingham maintained his innocence up until his death and spent years trying to appeal his conviction. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Willingham

1260-741: The Texas District and County Attorneys Association for this motion and appeal.) In 2014, the Washington Post reported that new evidence emerged indicating Webb had said in taped interviews that he had lied on the witness stand in exchange for a prosecutor's help obtaining a reduced prison term and financial support from a rich rancher. On March 3, 2015, the Texas State Bar filed a disciplinary action, Commission for Lawyer Discipline v. Jackson , against Jackson for failing to disclose information on his deal with Webb. According to

1323-607: The Texas Forensic Science Commission, the prosecutor, John Jackson, and the City of Corsicana have both released formal responses to the Beyler Report on the investigation of the fire that killed Willingham's three children. Both were sharply critical of Beyler. In a 2009 article discussing the reasons why Willingham was found guilty, Jackson recalled witness statements establishing that Willingham

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1386-623: The antiquated practice of tying a passenger pigeon to a stool. The bird would flap its wings in a futile attempt to escape. The sound of the wings flapping would attract other pigeons to the stool where a large number of birds could be easily killed or captured. A system of informants existed in the Russian Empire and was later adopted by the Soviet Union . In Russia , such people were known as osvedomitel or donoschik , and secretly cooperated with law enforcement agencies, such as

1449-675: The blaze had been deliberately set. It also found insufficient evidence to prove that state Deputy Fire Marshal Manuel Vasquez and Corsicana Assistant Fire Chief Douglas Fogg were negligent or guilty of misconduct in their arson work. In 2010, the Innocence Project filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas, seeking a judgment of "official oppression." Judge Charlie Baird held an inquiry in September 2010 in Austin, but Lowell Thompson,

1512-445: The case told him that "Willingham's first-degree and second-degree burns were consistent with being in a fire before the moment of ' flashover ' — that is, when everything in a room suddenly ignites." Commenting on the condition of the house, Jackson added, "Any escape or rescue route from the burning house was blocked by a refrigerator, which had been pushed against the back door, requiring any person attempting an escape to run through

1575-466: The chemical testing for accelerant. The front porch was the only place where an accelerant was verified by laboratory tests, and a photograph taken of the house before the fire showed that a charcoal grill was there. Hurst speculated that it was likely that water sprayed by firefighters had spread the lighter fluid from the melted container. All twenty of the indications listed by Vasquez of an accelerant being used were rebutted by Hurst, who concluded there

1638-486: The city of Corsicana released two affidavits that included statements from Ronnie Kuykendall, the former brother-in-law of Willingham, originally made in 2004. According to the affidavits, Willingham's ex-wife had told Ronnie that Willingham confessed to her that he had set the fire. On October 25, Stacy Kuykendall told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that during a final prison meeting just weeks before he

1701-468: The complaint, "During a pretrial hearing on July 24, 1992, [Jackson] told the trial court that he had no evidence favorable to Willingham. That statement was false." A jury later heard and rejected the claim that Jackson had hid evidence, finding in favor of Jackson. Incendiary: The Willingham Case , a 2011 documentary film covering the case and its aftermath, won the Louis Black Award at

1764-542: The conflagration at the front of the house." There were two refrigerators in the Willingham house. Jimmie Hensley, a police detective, and Douglas Fogg, the assistant fire chief — who both investigated the fire — told Grann that they had never believed that the refrigerator was part of the arson plot. "It didn't have [anything] to do with the fire," Fogg said. Jackson contradicted Willingham's account by claiming blood gas analysis at Navarro Regional Hospital shortly after

1827-625: The detective agencies that sometimes represent them have historically hired labor spies to monitor or control labor organizations and their activities. Such individuals may be professionals or recruits from the workforce. They may be willing accomplices, or may be tricked into informing on their co-workers' unionization efforts. Paid informants have often been used by authorities within politically and socially oriented movements to weaken, destabilize and ultimately break them. Informers alert authorities regarding government officials that are corrupt. Officials may be taking bribes or be participants in

1890-417: The effects of the fire. Webb later told David Grann , a reporter for The New Yorker , that he might have been mistaken. He said he was prescribed many medications at that point while being treated for bipolar disorder . At Willingham's trial, Webb offered an explanation for the individual, distinguishable burns found on Amber's forehead and arm. He said that Willingham confessed to burning her twice with

1953-458: The family home of Cameron Todd Willingham in Corsicana, Texas . Killed in the fire were Willingham's three daughters: two-year-old Amber Louise Willingham, and one-year-old twins, Karmen Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham. Willingham himself escaped the home with only minor burns. Stacy Kuykendall, Willingham's then-wife and the mother of his three daughters, was not home at the time of

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2016-407: The fire and five years after Willingham's execution, a report conducted by Dr. Craig Beyler, hired by the Texas Forensic Science Commission to review the case, found that "a finding of arson could not be sustained." Beyler said key testimony from a fire marshal at Willingham's trial was "hardly consistent with a scientific mind-set and is more characteristic of mystics or psychics." At the behest of

2079-473: The fire in order to cover up an injury or death of one of the children due to his wife's actions. The prosecutor also said that Willingham was a serial wife abuser , both physically and emotionally. Jackson said Willingham had abused animals and was a sociopath . However, those not associated with the case paint a different picture of Willingham. His former probation officer, Polly Goodin, said he had never demonstrated bizarre or sociopathic behavior and that "He

2142-413: The fire revealed that Willingham had not inhaled any smoke. Willingham's statement and eyewitness accounts had detailed rescue attempts. Consistent with typical Navarro County death penalty practice, Willingham was offered the opportunity to eliminate himself as a suspect by polygraph examination, which Willingham rejected, according to Jackson. Against the advice of his own counsel, Willingham declined

2205-459: The fire. In 2010, she declared, "Todd murdered Amber, Karmon, and Kameron. He burnt them. He admitted he burnt them to me, and he was convicted for his crime. That is the closest to justice that my daughters will ever get." A four-person panel of the Texas Forensic Science Commission investigating evidence of arson presented in the case acknowledged on July 23, 2010, that state and local arson investigators used "flawed science" in determining that

2268-449: The fire. She was out shopping for Christmas presents at a thrift shop. Prosecutors charged that Willingham set the fire and killed the children in an attempt to cover up abuse of the children and wife. However, there was no evidence of child abuse. Kuykendall told prosecutors that he had never abused the children. "Our kids were spoiled rotten," she said, insisting he would never harm their children, but according to Kuykendall, she herself

2331-537: The funeral would surely be viewed as a sign that he was tormented by the fact that he had survived without saving his children." An August 2009 Chicago Tribune investigative article concluded, "Over the past five years, the Willingham case has been reviewed by nine of the nation's top fire scientists — first for the Tribune , then for the Innocence Project , and now for the commission. All concluded that

2394-484: The future". Informants are extremely common in every-day police work, including homicide and narcotics investigations. Any citizen who provides crime-related information to law enforcement by definition is an informant. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies may face criticism regarding their conduct towards informants. Informants may be shown leniency for their own crimes in exchange for information, or simply turn out to be dishonest in their information, resulting in

2457-420: The help of a liquid accelerant. The investigators also found charring under the aluminum front door jamb, which they believed was a further indication of a liquid accelerant and tested positive for such an accelerant in the area of the front door. No clear motive was found, and Willingham's wife denied that the couple had been fighting prior to the night of the fire. In addition to the arson evidence presented at

2520-460: The individuals would engage in future violent acts." The prosecution sought to establish that Willingham's conduct at the time of the fire and in the days afterward was suspicious. As the fire took hold, Willingham was driven out through the front door of his house, where he crouched down near the entrance. On seeing neighbor Diane Barbee, Willingham began to shout at her to call 911, shouting "My babies are in there!" At trial, Willingham's conduct at

2583-450: The original investigators relied on outdated theories and folklore to justify the determination of arson. The only other evidence of significance against Willingham was twice-recanted testimony by another inmate, who testified that Willingham had confessed to him. Jailhouse informants are viewed with skepticism in the justice system, so much so that some jurisdictions have restrictions against their use." The Texas Forensic Science Commission

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2646-654: The prosecution in murder trials across the state of Texas. Prior to his death, he was expelled by the American Psychiatric Association and the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians for unethical conduct. The APA said that Grigson had violated the organization's ethics code by "Arriving at a psychiatric diagnosis without first having examined the individuals in question, and for indicating, while testifying in court as an expert witness, that he could predict with 100 per cent certainty that

2709-408: The report overlooked several key points in the record. A 2011 documentary, Incendiary: The Willingham Case , also explored the case. The case was complicated by allegations that Texas Governor Rick Perry impeded the investigation by replacing three of the nine Forensic Commission members to change the commission's findings; Perry denies the allegations. On December 23, 1991, a fire destroyed

2772-410: The scene was described as oscillating between collected and hysterical, at times screaming for assistance and at other times calmly pushing his car back from the flames that were engulfing his house. Willingham later said that he removed the car out of concern that it could explode and worsen the house fire. Eyewitnesses described Willingham as having "singed hair on his chest, eyelids, and head and had

2835-488: The time and money spent acquiring them being wasted. Informants are often regarded as traitors by their former criminal associates. Whatever the nature of a group, it is likely to feel strong hostility toward any known informers, regard them as threats and inflict punishments ranging from social ostracism through physical abuse and/or death. Informers are therefore generally protected, either by being segregated while in prison or, if they are not incarcerated, relocated under

2898-403: The trial, a jailhouse informant named Johnny Webb testified at that time. His testimony has been criticized as contentious for several reasons. Webb claimed that Willingham confessed that he set the fire to hide an injury or death of one of the girls, which was caused by his wife. But none of the girls were found at the time of death to have physical injuries that were still distinguishable after

2961-452: Was "no evidence of arson" — the same conclusion reached by other fire investigators. Hurst's report was sent to governor Rick Perry's office, as well as the Board of Pardons and Paroles along with Willingham's appeal for clemency. Neither responded to Willingham's appeals. In response to allegations that he allowed the execution of an innocent man, Perry was quoted as stating, "Willingham was

3024-400: Was abused by him. After the fire, the police investigation determined that the fire had been started using some form of a liquid accelerant. This evidence included a finding of char patterns in the floor in the shape of "puddles," a finding of multiple starting points of the fire, and a finding that the fire had burned "fast and hot," all considered to indicate a fire that had been ignited with

3087-445: Was an American man who was convicted and executed for the murder of his three young children by arson at the family home in Corsicana, Texas , on December 23, 1991. Since Willingham's 2004 execution , significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to convict him of arson and murder. Willingham's case and the investigative techniques were criticized by

3150-400: Was fixed to a gibbet, and then he disclosed the whole secret contrivance; and with his last breath he protested to all the beholders that the women died innocent." Criminal informant schemes have been used as cover for politically motivated intelligence offensives. Jailhouse informants, who report hearsay (admissions against penal interest) which they claim to have heard while the accused

3213-405: Was induced, through hope of pardon, to give false evidence against the innocent. The equitable and vigilant magistrate conducted him out of the city under a guard, lest the populace should have stoned him... The Jew was ordered to the torture till he should speak as he had been instructed... The innocent were condemned to die.... Nor was the promise of pardon made good to the feigned adulterer, for he

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3276-695: Was initially incarcerated in the Ellis Unit , and later in the Polunsky Unit . In 1993, Willingham's wife, Stacy Kuykendall, filed for divorce, which was granted. Willingham's case gained attention in December 2004, when Maurice Possley and Steve Mills of the Chicago Tribune published on poor investigative tactics. In 2009, an investigative report by Grann drew upon analysis by arson investigation experts and advances in fire science since

3339-414: Was not a problem now." The prosecution claimed that Willingham may have been motivated by a desire to rid himself of unwanted children. The prosecutor claimed the fire that killed the children was the third attempt by Willingham to kill them, and that he had attempted to abort each of his wife's two pregnancies by kicking her in order to cause miscarriages. Journalist David Grann reported that "...there

3402-477: Was offered a sentence reduction in return for his testimony against Willingham. Evidence of such a deal would have eliminated Webb's testimony. In February 2014, The New York Times reported that the Innocence Project investigators said they had discovered a handwritten note in Webb's files indicating that such a deal was in play. During the penalty phase of the trial, a prosecutor said that Willingham's tattoo of

3465-417: Was overheard whispering to his deceased older daughter at the funeral home, "You're not the one who was supposed to die." Jackson stated that Willingham's comment was an indicator of guilt. In a rebuttal, Grann wrote, "If the arson investigators had concluded that there was no scientific evidence that a crime had occurred — as the top fire investigators in the country have now determined — Willingham's words at

3528-479: Was probably one of my favorite kids." Bebe Bridges, a former judge who was often on the "opposite side" of Willingham in the legal system, and who had sent him to jail for stealing, said that she could not imagine him killing his children. "He was polite, and he seemed to care", she said. Willingham was charged with murder on January 8, 1992. During his trial in August 1992, he was offered a life term in exchange for

3591-682: Was put to death, Willingham admitted setting the fire in response to Stacy's alleged threats of divorce the night before. Journalists familiar with the case noted that Stacy Kuykendall's statement explicitly contradicted previous comments, legal testimony, and numerous published interviews before and after the execution. "It's hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didn't say", Willingham's prosecutor said. For example, earlier in 2009, Kuykendall supported her 2004 contradiction of her brother's affidavit (saying that there had been no confession) and had previously always maintained that things had been amicable between her and Willingham before

3654-429: Was scheduled to discuss the report by Beyler at a meeting on October 2, 2009, but two days before the meeting, Texas Governor Rick Perry replaced the chair of the commission (Sam Bassett) and two other members (Alan Levy and Aliece Watts). The new chair, John Bradley, canceled the meeting, sparking accusations that Perry was interfering with the investigation and using it for his own political advantage. In October 2009,

3717-421: Was seen to turn somber on the arrival of authorities. On returning to the scene of the fire with firefighter Ron Franks, in an effort to recover personal property (which was described as a very usual request at trial), Willingham was visibly dismayed at being unable to find a dart set. At a local bar, where a fundraiser was held for the Willingham family, he placed an order for a replacement set, stating that "money

3780-497: Was smoke." According to Brandice, he refused, and moved his car away from the fire before returning to sit on a nearby lawn, "not once attempting to go inside to rescue his children." Once the fire had reached flashover and the fire department arrived, Willingham became far more agitated, to the point of being restrained by emergency services. In the following days, Willingham returned to the house with some family and friends. Neighbors described this group as having an odd levity, which

3843-605: Was so vulgar and so directed towards his ex-wife Stacy and the witnesses that the warden of the prison started out the execution to shut him up, with Willingham flicking the middle finger in response shortly before dying. Willingham was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m., seven minutes after the lethal dose began flowing through his veins. He was 36 years old. After his execution, His body was cremated and his ashes secretly spread on his children's graves at Oakwood Cemetery by his parents. Willingham's gravestone in Rollins Cemetery

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3906-405: Was taken as evidence that the accelerant was poured by Willingham as he left the house. Several witnesses testified for the prosecution. In 2009, John Jackson, the prosecutor at the trial, stated that burns suffered by Willingham were "so superficial as to suggest that the same were self-inflicted in an attempt to divert suspicion from himself." Grann, however, said fire investigators who reviewed

3969-426: Was used to start the fatal fire. Hurst reviewed the case documents, including the trial transcriptions and an hour-long videotape of the aftermath of the fire scene. Hurst said in December 2004 that "There's nothing to suggest to any reasonable arson investigator that this was an arson fire. It was just a fire." In June 2009, the State of Texas ordered a re-examination of the case. In August 2009, eighteen years after

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