Texas_NP1 Governor_NN1 Defends_VVZ Shakeup_NN1 of_IO Commission_NN1 HOUSTON_NP1 --_NN1 Just_RR before_CS he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ executed_VVN in_II 2004_MC for_IF setting_VVG a_AT1 fire_NN1 that_CST killed_VVD his_APPGE three_MC children_NN2 ,_, Cameron_NP1 T._NP1 Willingham_NP1 declared_VVD ,_, "_" I_PPIS1 am_VBM an_AT1 innocent_JJ man_NN1 convicted_VVN of_IO a_AT1 crime_NN1 I_PPIS1 did_VDD not_XX commit_VVI ._. "_" 
Now_RT his_APPGE words_NN2 seem_VV0 to_TO be_VBI echoing_VVG in_II the_AT race_NN1 for_IF governor_NN1 of_IO Texas_NP1 ._. 
In_II what_DDQ some_DD opponents_NN2 say_VV0 looks_VVZ like_II a_AT1 political_JJ move_NN1 and_CC Gov_NN1 ._. 
Rick_NP1 Perry_NP1 says_VVZ was_VBDZ "_" business_NN1 as_RR21 usual_RR22 ,_, "_" the_AT governor_NN1 replaced_VVD the_AT head_NN1 of_IO the_AT Texas_NP1 Forensic_JJ Science_NN1 Commission_NN1 and_CC two_MC other_JJ members_NN2 on_II Wednesday_NPD1 ,_, just_RR 48_MC hours_NNT2 before_II the_AT commission_NN1 was_VBDZ to_TO hear_VVI testimony_NN1 from_II an_AT1 arson_NN1 expert_NN1 who_PNQS believes_VVZ that_CST Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 was_VBDZ convicted_VVN on_II faulty_JJ testimony_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 conclusion_NN1 that_CST has_VHZ been_VBN supported_VVN by_II other_JJ experts_NN2 in_II the_AT field_NN1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 's_GE decision_NN1 to_TO shake_VVI up_RP the_AT commission_NN1 and_CC put_VVD one_MC1 of_IO his_APPGE political_JJ allies_NN2 in_II charge_NN1 has_VHZ ,_, at_II the_AT least_RRT ,_, delayed_VVD the_AT inquiry_NN1 into_II the_AT Willingham_NP1 case_NN1 ._. 
While_CS Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 says_VVZ he_PPHS1 has_VHZ no_AT political_JJ motive_NN1 for_IF the_AT move_NN1 ,_, his_APPGE opponents_NN2 have_VH0 called_VVN for_IF the_AT commission_NN1 to_TO finish_VVI its_APPGE inquiry_NN1 ._. 
"_" If_CS a_AT1 mistake_NN1 was_VBDZ made_VVN in_II this_DD1 case_NN1 ,_, we_PPIS2 need_VV0 to_TO know_VVI it_PPH1 ,_, "_" Tom_NP1 Schieffer_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 Fort_NP1 Worth_NP1 businessman_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 Democratic_JJ candidate_NN1 for_IF governor_NN1 ,_, said_VVD in_II a_AT1 statement_NN1 ._. 
"_" No_PN121 one_PN122 in_II public_JJ life_NN1 should_VM ever_RR be_VBI afraid_JJ of_IO the_AT truth_NN1 ._. "_" 
Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 's_GE opponent_NN1 in_II the_AT Republican_NN1 primary_NN1 ,_, Senator_NNB Kay_NP1 Bailey_NP1 Hutchison_NP1 ,_, also_RR questioned_VVN what_DDQ harm_VV0 the_AT hearing_NN1 could_VM do_VDI ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 am_VBM for_IF the_AT death_NN1 penalty_NN1 ,_, "_" Ms._NNB Hutchison_NP1 told_VVD The_AT Dallas_NP1 Morning_NNT1 News_NN1 ,_, "_" but_CCB always_RR with_IW the_AT absolute_JJ assurance_NN1 that_CST you_PPY have_VH0 the_AT ability_NN1 to_TO be_VBI sure_JJ ,_, with_IW the_AT technology_NN1 that_CST we_PPIS2 have_VH0 ,_, that_CST a_AT1 person_NN1 is_VBZ guilty_JJ ._. "_" 
Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 denied_VVD Thursday_NPD1 that_CST the_AT changes_NN2 he_PPHS1 had_VHD made_VVN at_II the_AT commission_NN1 were_VBDR intended_VVN to_TO quash_VVI the_AT investigation_NN1 ._. 
At_II a_AT1 news_NN1 conference_NN1 for_IF his_APPGE re-election_NN1 campaign_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, "_" Those_DD2 individuals_NN2 '_GE terms_NN2 were_VBDR up_RP ,_, so_CS we_PPIS2 're_VBR replacing_VVG them_PPHO2 ._. "_" 
He_PPHS1 said_VVD the_AT commission_NN1 was_VBDZ "_" going_VVGK to_TO take_VVI a_AT1 look_NN1 at_II any_DD new_JJ information_NN1 that_CST anybody_PN1 has_VHZ ,_, "_" adding_VVG that_DD1 "_" to_TO make_VVI a_AT1 statement_NN1 now_CS21 that_CS22 it_PPH1 was_VBDZ not_XX arson_NN1 is_VBZ a_RR21 little_RR22 premature_JJ ._. "_" 
The_AT governor_NN1 was_VBDZ in_II office_NN1 when_CS Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 was_VBDZ executed_VVN on_II Feb._NPM1 17_MC ,_, 2004_MC ._. 
He_PPHS1 denied_VVD the_AT condemned_JJ man_NN1 a_AT1 reprieve_NN1 even_RR after_II a_AT1 detailed_JJ report_NN1 by_II an_AT1 arson_NN1 expert_NN1 said_VVD the_AT evidence_NN1 that_CST Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 had_VHD set_VVN the_AT fire_NN1 was_VBDZ flimsy_JJ and_CC inconclusive_JJ ._. 
Last_MD month_NNT1 ,_, Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 expressed_VVD confidence_NN1 that_CST Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 was_VBDZ guilty_JJ and_CC played_VVD down_RP reports_NN2 casting_VVG doubt_NN1 on_II the_AT original_JJ investigation_NN1 ,_, calling_VVG the_AT authors_NN2 "_" supposed_VVD experts_NN2 ,_, "_" while_CS making_VVG a_AT1 quotes_NN2 gesture_NN1 with_IW his_APPGE fingers_NN2 ._. 
Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 ,_, facing_VVG the_AT primary_JJ challenge_NN1 from_II Ms._NNB Hutchison_NP1 ,_, has_VHZ been_VBN working_VVG to_TO shore_VVI up_RP his_APPGE support_NN1 among_II conservatives_NN2 ,_, who_PNQS usually_RR decide_VV0 the_AT Republican_NN1 primary_NN1 here_RL ._. 
Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 unemployed_JJ auto_NN1 mechanic_NN1 with_IW a_AT1 history_NN1 of_IO petty_JJ crime_NN1 ,_, was_VBDZ convicted_VVN of_IO setting_VVG his_APPGE house_NN1 in_II Corsicana_NP1 on_II fire_NN1 in_II 1991_MC ._. 
His_APPGE three_MC small_JJ daughters_NN2 died_VVD in_II the_AT blaze_NN1 ,_, and_CC he_PPHS1 maintained_VVD right_RR up_II21 to_II22 his_APPGE death_NN1 that_CST he_PPHS1 had_VHD tried_VVN to_TO save_VVI them_PPHO2 ._. 
The_AT police_NN2 doubted_VVD his_APPGE story_NN1 partly_RR because_CS his_APPGE bare_JJ feet_NN2 had_VHD not_XX been_VBN burned_VVN ._. 
Local_JJ arson_NN1 investigators_NN2 testified_VVD at_II his_APPGE trial_NN1 that_CST ,_, judging_VVG by_II the_AT charring_NN1 and_CC fracture_NN1 patterns_NN2 of_IO broken_JJ glass_NN1 left_VVN by_II the_AT blaze_NN1 ,_, someone_PN1 had_VHD poured_VVN a_AT1 flammable_JJ liquid_NN1 under_II the_AT children_NN2 's_GE beds_NN2 ,_, along_II the_AT hallway_NN1 and_CC out_RP the_AT front_JJ door_NN1 ._. 
The_AT jury_NN1 took_VVD less_DAR than_CSN an_AT1 hour_NNT1 to_TO convict_VVI Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 ._. 
In_II 2004_MC ,_, however_RR ,_, Gerald_NP1 L._NP1 Hurst_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 Austin_NP1 scientist_NN1 and_CC fire_NN1 investigator_NN1 working_VVG in_II Mr._NNB Willingham_NP1 's_GE behalf_NN1 ,_, reviewed_VVD the_AT evidence_NN1 and_CC determined_VVD the_AT investigators_NN2 had_VHD relied_VVN on_II several_DA2 outdated_JJ and_CC discredited_JJ methods_NN2 to_TO reach_VVI their_APPGE conclusions_NN2 ._. 
Most_DAT of_IO the_AT evidence_NN1 could_VM be_VBI explained_VVN by_II an_AT1 accidental_JJ fire_NN1 ,_, Dr._NNB Hurst_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
That_DD1 conclusion_NN1 was_VBDZ confirmed_VVN six_MC weeks_NNT2 ago_RA by_II an_AT1 independent_JJ arson_NN1 expert_NN1 hired_VVN by_II the_AT Forensic_JJ Science_NN1 Commission_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ was_VBDZ created_VVN in_II 2005_MC to_TO investigate_VVI mistakes_NN2 in_II crime_NN1 laboratories_NN2 after_II scandals_NN2 rocked_VVD the_AT one_PN1 in_II Houston_NP1 ._. 
The_AT expert_NN1 ,_, Craig_NP1 L._NP1 Beyler_NP1 ,_, of_IO Baltimore_NP1 ,_, said_VVD in_II his_APPGE August_NPM1 report_NN1 that_CST "_" the_AT investigators_NN2 had_VHD a_AT1 poor_JJ understanding_NN1 of_IO fire_NN1 science_NN1 "_" and_CC that_CST the_AT evidence_NN1 they_PPHS2 cited_VVD did_VDD not_XX support_VVI a_AT1 finding_NN1 of_IO arson_NN1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Beyler_NP1 was_VBDZ to_TO testify_VVI before_II the_AT commission_NN1 in_II Dallas_NP1 on_II Friday_NPD1 ._. 
But_CCB the_AT newly_RR appointed_VVN chairman_NN1 ,_, John_NP1 M._NN1 Bradley_NP1 ,_, the_AT district_NN1 attorney_NN1 in_II Williamson_NP1 County_NN1 ,_, canceled_VVD the_AT hearing_NN1 ,_, saying_VVG he_PPHS1 did_VDD not_XX know_VVI enough_RR about_II the_AT inquiry_NN1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 felt_VVD I_PPIS1 had_VHD been_VBN asked_VVN to_TO take_VVI a_AT1 final_JJ exam_NN1 without_IW having_VHG an_AT1 opportunity_NN1 to_TO study_VVI for_IF it_PPH1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
Mr._NNB Bradley_NP1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 did_VDD not_XX know_VVI if_CSW he_PPHS1 would_VM continue_VVI the_AT inquiry_NN1 into_II the_AT Willingham_NP1 conviction_NN1 that_CST his_APPGE predecessor_NN1 had_VHD started_VVN ._. 
He_PPHS1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 wanted_VVD to_TO consult_VVI with_IW the_AT lawmakers_NN2 who_PNQS created_VVD the_AT commission_NN1 about_II its_APPGE mission_NN1 ._. 
The_AT former_DA chairman_NN1 ,_, Sam_NP1 Bassett_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 Austin_NP1 lawyer_NN1 whom_PNQO Mr._NNB Perry_NP1 had_VHD twice_RR appointed_VVN to_II the_AT commission_NN1 --_NN1 and_CC could_VM have_VHI reappointed_VVN --_NN1 said_VVD the_AT governor_NN1 had_VHD not_XX told_VVN him_PPHO1 why_RRQ he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ replaced_VVN ._. 
Mr._NNB Bassett_NP1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 had_VHD hoped_VVN to_TO produce_VVI a_AT1 definitive_JJ report_NN1 on_II the_AT case_NN1 by_II next_MD spring_NN1 ._. 
