Jan. 6
TEXAS----television note
Texas judicial system under PBS scrutiny
Another accusing finger gets pointed at the Texas judicial system, and
this time it's David Brancaccio, host of the national PBS program Now,
doing the pointing.
Focusing on two cases lacking any physical evidence and hinging on
recanted testimony, Brancaccio puts the state's death penalty under the
spotlight.
Is it possible, he, in effect, asks, that Texas is infallible in deciding
and carrying out executions?
His report centers on the case of Ruben Cantu, who may have been innocent
when executed in 1993. The case was vividly recounted in a Houston
Chronicle story written recently by Lisa Olsen.
Olsen appears on tonight's show.
Another case involves Anthony Graves, who sits on death row, convicted of
aiding in the killings of 6 people. The man he has supposed to have
helped, now executed, had said Graves was not involved.
Brancaccio talks with attorneys and district attorneys involved with both
cases. Each is certain no mistakes have been made with either case.
But his implied question is this: How can they be so convinced?
(source: Houston Chronicle)
