The Failed Pacifist

Was Cantu Innocent When Executed?

There seems to be growing evidence that Reuben Cantu may have been innocent when he was executed in 1993, at age 19, for a crime which occurred two years earlier. According to this investigative piece by Lise Oslen in the Houston Chronicle, there was no physical evidence connecting Cantu to the crime, questionable actions by the police at the time, and now the primary witness is saying he identified the wrong man. Even the man most responsible for Cantu's execution seems to be having second thoughts.

Sam Millsap Jr., the former Bexar County district attorney who made the decision to charge Cantu with capital murder, says he never should have sought the death penalty in a case based on the testimony of an eyewitness who identified Cantu only after police officers showed him Cantu's photo three separate times.

"It's so questionable. There are so many places where it could break down," said Millsap, now in private practice. "We have a system that permits people to be convicted based on evidence that could be wrong because it's mistaken or because it's corrupt."

Indeed. And it seems Mr. Millsap played his part in a system which may have executed an innocent teenager. No word if Mr. Millsap or any other authorities will be charged with homicide if it is found that Ruben Cantu was innocent when the state killed him.

posted by Doran @ 2:59 PM