A Dallas County grand jury formally exonerated Tommy Lee Walker nearly 70 years after he was put to death for the rape and murder of a White woman in 1953. The conviction was based on coerced confessions from hundreds of Black men, who were questioned solely due to their race. Walker's only living descendant has stated that his father maintained his innocence until the end.
Walker, then 21 years old, was wrongfully convicted by an all-White jury and sentenced to death for the murder of Venice Parker, a 31-year-old White woman. He confessed to the crime after being interrogated for hours without an attorney, claiming he would face the death penalty unless he did so.
New evidence has revealed that the state allowed misleading evidence during Walker's trial, with the prosecutor taking the stand as a witness and telling the jury that Walker was guilty. The case is now recognized as one of the oldest assigned to the Dallas County DA’s Conviction Integrity Unit, which reviews wrongful convictions and seeks justice for victims.
Walker's son, Ted Smith, stated that his father told him "You give me the chair that belongs to someone else. I am innocent" just before his execution in 1956. This revelation has brought closure to Walker's family, who have been seeking justice for their loved one for decades.
A resolution passed by the Dallas County commissioners formally acknowledges Walker's innocence and affirms the county’s commitment to justice for all individuals, living or deceased. The resolution states that "justice has no statute of limitations" in this case, with many still reeling from the revelation that a Black man was wrongly executed for the murder of a White woman.
This is not an isolated incident; hundreds of Black men were questioned solely due to their race and coerced into confessions during Walker's trial. This tragic episode highlights ongoing issues related to racial bias in the justice system, which continue to affect many communities today.
The exoneration of Tommy Lee Walker serves as a poignant reminder that even decades after an event, truth and justice can still be achieved through perseverance and advocacy.
Walker, then 21 years old, was wrongfully convicted by an all-White jury and sentenced to death for the murder of Venice Parker, a 31-year-old White woman. He confessed to the crime after being interrogated for hours without an attorney, claiming he would face the death penalty unless he did so.
New evidence has revealed that the state allowed misleading evidence during Walker's trial, with the prosecutor taking the stand as a witness and telling the jury that Walker was guilty. The case is now recognized as one of the oldest assigned to the Dallas County DA’s Conviction Integrity Unit, which reviews wrongful convictions and seeks justice for victims.
Walker's son, Ted Smith, stated that his father told him "You give me the chair that belongs to someone else. I am innocent" just before his execution in 1956. This revelation has brought closure to Walker's family, who have been seeking justice for their loved one for decades.
A resolution passed by the Dallas County commissioners formally acknowledges Walker's innocence and affirms the county’s commitment to justice for all individuals, living or deceased. The resolution states that "justice has no statute of limitations" in this case, with many still reeling from the revelation that a Black man was wrongly executed for the murder of a White woman.
This is not an isolated incident; hundreds of Black men were questioned solely due to their race and coerced into confessions during Walker's trial. This tragic episode highlights ongoing issues related to racial bias in the justice system, which continue to affect many communities today.
The exoneration of Tommy Lee Walker serves as a poignant reminder that even decades after an event, truth and justice can still be achieved through perseverance and advocacy.
. The idea that hundreds of Black men were coerced into confessions just because of their skin color is just unacceptable. It's like they were treated as suspects before even being proven guilty... it's wild to think about how many innocent lives were ruined in the process.
it's like we're still living in a different era. and now, finally, justice has been served to his family 
but the real question is how many more people are out there who were wrongly accused and executed? we need to make sure this kind of thing never happens again 
this is just so messed up what kinda trial was that 
but now justice has been served and that's all that matters i hope this brings closure to the family of ted smith, tommy lee walker's son. we gotta keep pushing for truth and justice in our system, no matter how long it takes 
... the fact that hundreds of black men were questioned solely due to their race and coerced into confessions is just heartbreaking 
... it's like, we thought we'd moved past all this racism stuff but clearly we haven't 
... Walker's family has been fighting for justice for decades and it's about time someone listened 
... this exoneration might not undo the harm that was done but at least it's a start 
... can you imagine if your ancestor had to go through all this injustice? it's a travesty 
I feel so bad for his family, like they've been carrying around this weight of injustice for like, what, 70 years now? 
.
it's like something straight outta The Exonerated (2005) - a true crime drama that'll make you wanna scream "justice for all!" 
the fact that hundreds of Black men were coerced into confessions just 'cause they were Black is, like, totally messed up 
Ted Smith's quote about his dad saying "You give me the chair that belongs to someone else" is so powerful