Perry Disables Forensic Commission

Three days before it was scheduled to review a report that concludes Texas probably executed an innocent man , the Texas Forensic Science Commission loses its chairman and two other members on orders of Gov. Rick Perry.

The commission was scheduled to meet Friday in Irving to examine, among other matters, the case of Cameron Todd Willingham. Willingham was executed in 2004 after being convicted of a 1991 arson fire in Corsicana that killed his children.

• Report: Read Analysis of Forensic Fire Investigation (PDF)

A nationally respected fire engineer issued a scathing report to the commission that disputed the findings of the original fire investigation .

However, Perry has publicly dismissed the findings of what he called "supposed experts" and said that nothing he has seen would cause him to question Willingham's execution.

He dismissed commission chairman Sam Bassett, Tarrant County District Attorney prosecutor Alan Levy and Aliece Watts, a scientist employed by Integrated Forensic Laboratories in Euless.

"I'm extremely disappointed at the timing," Watts said.

Levy said he and Bassett were removed "without explanation."

It could be months before the re-organized commission can get back to the probe.