Detroit's top fire official, Commissioner Charles "Chuck" Simms, has finally broken his silence on a high-profile case - the murder of Detroit firefighter Walter Harris in 2008. In a video recording that supports Mario Willis's claim of innocence, Simms verifies that Willis had told him about an alibi for the night of the blaze.
Willis, who was wrongly convicted of second-degree murder in 2010, has long maintained his innocence, citing inconsistencies in the investigation and a lack of evidence. The revelation comes three days after cross-examination of fire expert Marc Fennell, who had testified that Darian Dove's confession to setting the fire was credible.
Simms's interview with Willis took place eight months after the fire, but he validated what the couple had already told police, contradicting previous claims made by detectives. The interview was saved to a police department disc labeled "Megan," and the video camera was not turned off when Willis sat down with Simms in an empty interrogation room that neither man knew his wife had occupied.
This development raises questions about a possible Brady violation, where prosecutors hide evidence that could help a defendant. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed Willis's case last year but denied his request for exoneration.
Simms's response to the investigation has been met with skepticism by Willis and his supporters. "The prosecution rested on that," Willis said in an earlier phone interview. "One of the last things they said was that I tried to deceive the court by telling Megan to lie on the witness stand and say we were together that night."
Maxine Willis, Mario's mother, has long believed her son was wrongfully sentenced following the 2008 blaze that killed Walter Harris. She wrote a letter to Simms in 2023, directly appealing for his help, stating that she is sure he took an oath to accept responsibility for his actions and their consequences.
This case highlights the ongoing issue of wrongful convictions in the American judicial system. The Commission on Wrongful Convictions, a non-profit organization, reports that over 2,400 people have been exonerated since 1989 due to DNA evidence or other new evidence.
As the investigation continues, Simms's role in Willis's conviction is still unclear. The video recording and his subsequent statement may provide some answers, but it remains to be seen whether this development will lead to a re-examination of the case and potential exoneration for Mario Willis.
Willis, who was wrongly convicted of second-degree murder in 2010, has long maintained his innocence, citing inconsistencies in the investigation and a lack of evidence. The revelation comes three days after cross-examination of fire expert Marc Fennell, who had testified that Darian Dove's confession to setting the fire was credible.
Simms's interview with Willis took place eight months after the fire, but he validated what the couple had already told police, contradicting previous claims made by detectives. The interview was saved to a police department disc labeled "Megan," and the video camera was not turned off when Willis sat down with Simms in an empty interrogation room that neither man knew his wife had occupied.
This development raises questions about a possible Brady violation, where prosecutors hide evidence that could help a defendant. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed Willis's case last year but denied his request for exoneration.
Simms's response to the investigation has been met with skepticism by Willis and his supporters. "The prosecution rested on that," Willis said in an earlier phone interview. "One of the last things they said was that I tried to deceive the court by telling Megan to lie on the witness stand and say we were together that night."
Maxine Willis, Mario's mother, has long believed her son was wrongfully sentenced following the 2008 blaze that killed Walter Harris. She wrote a letter to Simms in 2023, directly appealing for his help, stating that she is sure he took an oath to accept responsibility for his actions and their consequences.
This case highlights the ongoing issue of wrongful convictions in the American judicial system. The Commission on Wrongful Convictions, a non-profit organization, reports that over 2,400 people have been exonerated since 1989 due to DNA evidence or other new evidence.
As the investigation continues, Simms's role in Willis's conviction is still unclear. The video recording and his subsequent statement may provide some answers, but it remains to be seen whether this development will lead to a re-examination of the case and potential exoneration for Mario Willis.
. The fact that Willis was wrongfully convicted in 2010 and now we're finding out that Simms knew about his alibi all along is huge 
. I don't think it's a coincidence that the prosecution rested on Darian Dove's confession without properly investigating Mario's claim of innocence. This whole thing reeks of a Brady violation - you know, where prosecutors hide evidence that could help a defendant 
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. It's only when a high-profile fire official comes forward that suddenly people care 
. I'm glad to see Simms speaking out, but we need to do more than just scratch the surface of this case. We need real answers and justice for Mario Willis 
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! So, the top fire official is finally speaking out and saying that Mario Willis had an alibi for the night of the blaze. This is HUGE 
! It's like, a total game-changer for Willis's case. I mean, he was wrongly convicted 12 years ago and has been fighting to prove his innocence ever since. This new video evidence could be the key to finally clearing his name 
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. And it just goes to show how flawed our justice system can be at times. It's like, we're supposed to be seeking truth and justice, but sometimes it feels like we're just chasing convictions for the sake of winning 
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. Maybe we'll finally see justice served and he can get his life back on track 
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This whole thing just stinks. Commissioner Simms finally comes clean after all these years and now we're supposed to believe he's telling the truth? I don't think so 
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2008 feels like, like, a lifetime ago... and now we've got this new video that could totally flip the script on Mario Willis's conviction. I mean, if Commissioner Simms was telling the truth about talking to Mario about his alibi, that changes EVERYTHING! 
I'm just so curious about how this all plays out now... will Mario get a second chance? 
The fact that the top fire official's interview with Willis was kept on a disc labeled "Megan" without his knowledge is a huge red flag 
It's like they were trying to hide something, and now Simms is coming forward to say he verified an alibi for Willis. This could definitely be a Brady violation 
. first of all, kudos to Commissioner Simms for speaking up and supporting Mario Willis's claim of innocence 
. it's wild that he was able to verify what Willis had told him back in 2008 
... i mean, you'd think we'd have more confidence in our law enforcement system by now 
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. Willis deserves justice, no matter how long it takes 
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it's wild that they didn't know about this before and now it's coming out all these years later. 
but on the other hand, if there really is evidence here that shows mario willis didn't do it... then we gotta see what happens next 
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been thinking about trying my hand at gardening again, I used to have a tiny herb garden on my windowsill when I was in college, but I never got around to maintaining it. i always loved watching those little sprouts grow into something useful. like, have you ever tried making your own basil from scratch? its so easy and delicious 
. I mean, 17 years is way too long to be behind bars without solid evidence. The fact that Chuck Simms came forward with this new info is a major bummer for the prosecution... wait, no, it's a total win for Mario and his fam 
. Maybe we'll finally see justice done for Mario and his family 
[a guy in a police uniform trying to remember something] OMG FORGETTING ALIBIS 
#JusticeForMario #WrongfulConvictions