Disir
Platinum Member
- Sep 30, 2011
- 28,003
- 9,610
Trial by Fire: Junk Science Sent Dad to Prison for Killing Wife, Kids - NBC NewsFor the 26 years David Lee Gavitt sat in a Michigan prison, he told everyone who would listen that he did not set the fire that killed his wife and two baby girls. Nearly 25 years would pass before some of the nations top fire experts would tell him they believed him.
Davids case was the classic example of a bad arson case, said John Lentini, a leading fire scientist who reviewed Gavitts case during the effort to get his conviction overturned. People jumped to conclusions.
Since Gavitts conviction in 1986, the field of fire investigation has been turned on its head. Scientists and investigators have discovered that features long considered signs of a fire intentionally set, in fact also occur during accidents. This has prompted the re-examination of arson convictions across the country that may have been based on bad science.
And at least one wrongfully convicted man that was put to death by Texas.
It's still junk science.