Dallas County Officials Declare Texas Black Man Innocent After 70 Years.
In a significant victory for justice, the Dallas County district attorney's office has officially declared Tommy Lee Walker innocent of murdering a white woman in 1953. Walker, who was executed in the electric chair 70 years ago, was subjected to a racial bias trial that relied heavily on false evidence and coercive interrogation tactics.
At the time of his execution, prosecutors claimed that Walker attacked and murdered Venice Parker, a store clerk on her way home from work. However, multiple witnesses disputed this account, stating that Parker "did nothing outside of convulsing and hemorrhaging excessive amounts of blood" after being attacked.
Walker's lawyers presented 10 witnesses who testified that they were with him and his girlfriend at the time of the murder, including the birth of their son Edward Lee Smith. However, these testimonies carried little weight due to the racist atmosphere in Jim Crow-era Dallas.
The Innocence Project and Northeastern University School's Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project conducted an extensive review of Walker's conviction, uncovering numerous flaws in his case. The district attorney acknowledged that the prosecution presented misleading and inadmissible evidence, emphasizing that racial injustice was deeply ingrained in the system at the time.
Walker's exoneration brings closure to his family, particularly his 72-year-old son Edward Lee Smith, who had long advocated for justice on his father's behalf. Smith expressed gratitude to journalist Mary Mapes, who initially began investigating Walker's case over a decade ago.
Commissioners unanimously passed a symbolic resolution declaring Walker wrongfully convicted and executed, acknowledging that his case represents "a profound miscarriage of justice." The declaration serves as a poignant reminder of the need for ongoing reform in the criminal justice system to prevent similar injustices.
In a significant victory for justice, the Dallas County district attorney's office has officially declared Tommy Lee Walker innocent of murdering a white woman in 1953. Walker, who was executed in the electric chair 70 years ago, was subjected to a racial bias trial that relied heavily on false evidence and coercive interrogation tactics.
At the time of his execution, prosecutors claimed that Walker attacked and murdered Venice Parker, a store clerk on her way home from work. However, multiple witnesses disputed this account, stating that Parker "did nothing outside of convulsing and hemorrhaging excessive amounts of blood" after being attacked.
Walker's lawyers presented 10 witnesses who testified that they were with him and his girlfriend at the time of the murder, including the birth of their son Edward Lee Smith. However, these testimonies carried little weight due to the racist atmosphere in Jim Crow-era Dallas.
The Innocence Project and Northeastern University School's Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project conducted an extensive review of Walker's conviction, uncovering numerous flaws in his case. The district attorney acknowledged that the prosecution presented misleading and inadmissible evidence, emphasizing that racial injustice was deeply ingrained in the system at the time.
Walker's exoneration brings closure to his family, particularly his 72-year-old son Edward Lee Smith, who had long advocated for justice on his father's behalf. Smith expressed gratitude to journalist Mary Mapes, who initially began investigating Walker's case over a decade ago.
Commissioners unanimously passed a symbolic resolution declaring Walker wrongfully convicted and executed, acknowledging that his case represents "a profound miscarriage of justice." The declaration serves as a poignant reminder of the need for ongoing reform in the criminal justice system to prevent similar injustices.
. I mean, can you even imagine having a family member wrongly accused and executed? The racial bias back then is still hard to believe - it's like, how could they not see the truth? 
. I'm also loving the fact that his son got to see some closure - 72 years old and finally getting some answers 
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can u imagine being sentenced to death based on flawed evidence & racist bias? it's wild to think about how edward lee smith, his son, had to deal with this for DECADES 
my heart goes out to walker's family and all the others who've been through similar trauma 
. im glad that finally justice has been served for Tommy Lee Walker & his family 
, its amazing how far weve come but still got a long way to go 
, its a testament to how strong family bonds can be 
. lets hope this case is a reminder for us to keep pushing for change & making sure no one else has to suffer like Tommy Lee Walker did 
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his family must've been living with so much pain and regret all these years it's just heartbreaking to think about how he was wrongly convicted and executed back then 
I'm not buying it... 70 years late to declare him innocent? It's like they're trying to spin this as some kind of redemption arc for Walker, but what about all the people who were wrongly convicted and executed during that time? It feels like a symbolic PR stunt to me 
. I'm all for a second look at past cases, but what about all the other innocent people out there who were wrongly convicted and imprisoned? When are we going to start seeing real change around here?! 