126 innocent people have walked off U.S. death rows in the modern era after spending up to 33 years condemned to death. Eight Death Row inmates in Texas have been fully exonerated and released. An innocent man named Ernest Willis walked off death row in Texas on October 6, 2004. There are several people currently on Death Row in Texas with credible claims of innocence. There have also been reports in major media that three people executed in Texas were probably innocent, Ruben Cantu, Cameron Todd Willingham and Carlos DeLuna.

Carlos Deluna

On Dec 7, 1989, Carlos De Luna was executed in Texas for murder. But a Chicago Tribune investigation has uncovered evidence he was not the killer.

Click here to see The Chicago Tribune's main page for the story, which contains a short video introduction to the story.

Read Part One of the Tribune series

Part 2 of the Tribune Series on Carlos De Luna

Read Part 3 of the series

TDCJ Info on Carlos De Luna

Cameron Willingham

The Chicago Tribune reported in November 2004 that Cameron Willingham was also probably innocent despite being executed by Texas in 2004. Willingham had been sentenced to death for an arson fire that killed his three daughters. Willingham’s last words were: "I am an innocent man, convicted of a crime I did not commit," Willingham said angrily. "I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do."

Ruben Cantu

In November 2005, The Houston Chronicle reported that Ruben Cantu, who was executed by Texas in 1993, was also probably executed. Sam Millsap, Bexar Co. district attorney at the time of Cantu's conviction – has said that he was the man "who is at least partially responsible for the execution of the 1st innocent man in the State of Texas”.