Judge Weighs Freedom for Detroit Man Wrongly Convicted of Murder 15 Years Ago
A two-month hearing has concluded in a Detroit court, leaving the fate of Mario Willis, a man who spent 15 years behind bars for a murder he claims to have not committed, hanging in the balance. Willis's lawyers and supporters are now waiting anxiously for a written decision from Judge Margaret Van Houten on their client's petition for exoneration.
The case centers around the 2008 death of firefighter Walter Harris, who died after being set on fire by Darian Dove, a handyman hired by Willis to clean his house. However, during the investigation, Dove recanted his statement, claiming that Detroit Police detectives coerced him into saying he was paid by Willis to set the fire.
On Monday, the final day of proceedings began, with Judge Van Houten hearing testimony from one of two attorneys who previously represented Willis. The attorney, Elizabeth Jacobs, told Willis's lawyer Craig Daly that she had filed motions on his behalf through the Michigan Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court to expose lies told by Dove.
The defense team is arguing that Willis was denied effective representation due to several "oversights" made by his trial lawyer Wright Blake, including neglecting to secure a fire-causation specialist and failing to secure a forensic expert who could dispute the ruling of Harris's death as a homicide. They claim these oversights prejudiced the jury against Willis.
During Monday's hearing, testimony revealed that Willis denied any involvement in setting the fire, stating he had not planned for Dove to set it on fire. Arson investigator Charles "Chuck" Simms also testified, referencing an interview with him that hadn't been made available to his defense team at the time of the 2010 trial.
The prosecution has raised questions about Willis's alibi, citing phones belonging to Willis that "pinged" off cellular towers near the house on East Kirby Street the night of the fire. However, the defense argues that these findings don't necessarily indicate that Willis was involved in the crime.
Willis's supporters, who attended parts of the hearing, include past and current members of the Detroit Police Commission, advocacy groups like Emergent Justice and the Organization of Exonerees, as well as local churches.
In 2023, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed Willis's case but denied his request for exoneration. Now, with Judge Van Houten poised to issue a written opinion on Willis's petition, many are holding out hope that justice will finally be served.
A two-month hearing has concluded in a Detroit court, leaving the fate of Mario Willis, a man who spent 15 years behind bars for a murder he claims to have not committed, hanging in the balance. Willis's lawyers and supporters are now waiting anxiously for a written decision from Judge Margaret Van Houten on their client's petition for exoneration.
The case centers around the 2008 death of firefighter Walter Harris, who died after being set on fire by Darian Dove, a handyman hired by Willis to clean his house. However, during the investigation, Dove recanted his statement, claiming that Detroit Police detectives coerced him into saying he was paid by Willis to set the fire.
On Monday, the final day of proceedings began, with Judge Van Houten hearing testimony from one of two attorneys who previously represented Willis. The attorney, Elizabeth Jacobs, told Willis's lawyer Craig Daly that she had filed motions on his behalf through the Michigan Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court to expose lies told by Dove.
The defense team is arguing that Willis was denied effective representation due to several "oversights" made by his trial lawyer Wright Blake, including neglecting to secure a fire-causation specialist and failing to secure a forensic expert who could dispute the ruling of Harris's death as a homicide. They claim these oversights prejudiced the jury against Willis.
During Monday's hearing, testimony revealed that Willis denied any involvement in setting the fire, stating he had not planned for Dove to set it on fire. Arson investigator Charles "Chuck" Simms also testified, referencing an interview with him that hadn't been made available to his defense team at the time of the 2010 trial.
The prosecution has raised questions about Willis's alibi, citing phones belonging to Willis that "pinged" off cellular towers near the house on East Kirby Street the night of the fire. However, the defense argues that these findings don't necessarily indicate that Willis was involved in the crime.
Willis's supporters, who attended parts of the hearing, include past and current members of the Detroit Police Commission, advocacy groups like Emergent Justice and the Organization of Exonerees, as well as local churches.
In 2023, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed Willis's case but denied his request for exoneration. Now, with Judge Van Houten poised to issue a written opinion on Willis's petition, many are holding out hope that justice will finally be served.
. I mean, back in my day we had a TV show called "Unsolved Mysteries" where they'd try to figure out if someone was innocent or not. Now it's like we got actual cases like this comin' up! 
Mario Willis's story is just heartbreaking - the guy's life was ruined and now he's stuck in limbo waitin' for a decision from that judge. I hope she sees the evidence and gives him the justice he deserves, 'cause 15 yrs is way too long to be locked up 
.
and coerced witnesses 
. It's like something straight outta The Sopranos, you know? 
Will Mario Willis finally get his freedom now that the judge has heard all this evidence? Fingers crossed 
, I mean who wouldn't want to give a dude a second chance after 15 long years of living behind bars? Prison time is just so harsh 
, you had to fight for justice like we did with Martin Luther King Jr. 
and Malcolm X 
. Anyway, I hope this case gets resolved soon so Mario can finally put his past behind him 
.
The defense team is trying to argue that Willis was denied effective representation and that's what put him behind bars in the first place. Now it's up to Judge Van Houten to weigh the evidence and decide if justice can be served after all these years 
I'm crossing my fingers for Mario, hoping he gets his freedom back 
i mean can you even imagine being wrongly convicted of murder and spending 15 years in prison 
she's gotta weigh the evidence now & make a decision that'll free this guy 
it shows you that even after all these years, new info can come to light & change everything 
. He's been locked up for 15 years and now it seems like he might actually get a chance to prove his innocence. The fact that Darian Dove recanted his statement after being pressured by the cops is just ridiculous 
. It makes me wonder how many other innocent people are behind bars because of similar miscarriages of justice.
. The fact that he didn't plan for Dove to set the fire and that there's still some doubt about his alibi makes me think he should be free. Fingers crossed that Judge Van Houten makes the right decision 
.
especially w/ that new testimony from arson investigator simms comin in 
its crazy how darian dove changed his story from sayin he was paid by willis 2 sayin the cops did it 2 u 
especially when we dont even no all the facts 
the prosecution is tryna say he was involved cuz of phones that showed his location but thats not conclusive at all 
i mean, can u tell me where you were last nite? 
they got ppl from the police commishun & advocacy groups on their side 
Can you believe this guy Mario Willis has been locked up for 15 years and now it's like he's still trying to get free from the shackles of his own life LOL! I mean, 15 years is a looong time, dude. He must've had some serious withdrawal symptoms by the time he got out. Anyway, on a more serious note (just for a sec), it's crazy that this guy was wrongly convicted and now we're waiting to see if justice will finally be served. 
the prosecution just wants to keep the narrative going as is, doesn't want to have to deal with the fallout of admitting they messed up. 
like that's gonna make a difference... meanwhile, Mario Willis just wants his freedom back 