Hero or Arsonist: Wrongful Conviction?

Last night, 60 Minutes told the story of Louis Taylor.  In 1970, Taylor was charged with setting the historic fire that led to the destruction of the Tuscon, Arizona landmark, the Pioneer Hotel.  The fire killed twenty-eight people including some who jumped to their deaths in order to avoid being burned alive.  That night, Taylor helped fireman by knocking on doors and alerting hotel guests of the fire.  The next morning, the sixteen-year-old Taylor was charged with twenty-eight counts of murder.  Although the evidence against Taylor was very weak, he was convicted on all counts.  

Subsequent investigation demonstrated that Taylor was likely “railroaded.”  Using new advancements in fire science, scientists who have reassessed the evidence of the Pioneer Hotel fire have determined that the fire was not the product of arson.   Also, the original fire investigator, a key witness at the trial, recently made some racially questionable statements that would appear to indicate that his investigation was tainted.  

The segment runs 13:04 minutes.