Wrongful Conviction Based on Discredited Evidence | Detroit News

A Detroit man, William Whateley, is suing Michigan after spending eight years in prison for a fire he claims he didn’t start—only to have charges dropped thanks to modern forensic revelations that shattered the original evidence. Once convicted on arson and stalking, his case unraveled when experts exposed outdated methods like “pour patterns” and a dog’s alert as scientifically invalid. A new investigation found procedural failures and even suggested the blaze may have been accidental, sparked by a smoker—the victim’s daughter. Prosecutors declined to retry him, and his legal team calls it one of the worst investigations they’ve ever seen—a chilling lesson on how flawed science can destroy lives. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/489e2f3e6d9101fd