frie 4.1


 After viewing the ABC New Nightline report, and reading the New Yorker article on Cameron Todd Willingham, answer the following questions:

  1. What evidence did prosecutors use at trial to secure their conviction against Willingham?
  2. What is the counter-arguments presented in support of Willingham’s innocence? 
  3. What, if any, errors or inappropriate ideologies were used during the investigation? 
  4. DNA is an example of a recent discovery in the science of criminal justice. How should past convictions be handled when new scientific methods emerge to analyze evidence?
  5. How does the profession of Fire Investigation look when its methods are applied inappropriately?
  6. How can investigators ensure their conclusions are objective and scientifically sound?