A man executed in 1956 after being convicted of a 1953 rape and murder near Dallas Love Field has been exonerated 70 years later. On Wednesday, the Dallas Commissioners Court declared Tommy Lee Walker innocent.
Walker, a 19-year-old Black man, was arrested for the murder of Venice Parker, a White store clerk who was sexually assaulted and stabbed while waiting for a bus. Though two witnesses placed Walker near the area, neither saw the crime. Parker was unable to speak before dying, but an officer claimed she identified her attacker as a Black man.
Walker had a strong alibi—he was present at the birth of his child, supported by more than 10 witnesses—but after hours of coercive interrogation and threats of the electric chair, he signed a confession he later recanted. No forensic or physical evidence was presented at trial, yet he was convicted and executed at age 21, maintaining his innocence until his death.
On January 21, Dallas County formally acknowledged Walker was wrongfully convicted and executed, recognizing the harm caused to him, his family, and the community. The declaration was attended by Walker’s son and Parker’s son, who met for the first time. District Attorney John Creuzot emphasized that injustice must be addressed, no matter how much time has passed.
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