Tennessee v. Claude Garrett—He Died Free but Just Barely

This chapter recounts the wrongful conviction of Claude Garrett for the death of his girlfriend, Lorie Lance, in a 1992 house fire. Garrett was convicted twice based on flawed fire investigation techniques and misconduct by investigators and prosecutors. Important issues included misinterpretation of low burn patterns as evidence of arson, contamination of evidence, and the false claim that Lance was locked in a utility room. The case gained attention in 2015 when Intercept journalist Liliana Segura began reporting on it. In 2020, the Davidson County Conviction Review Unit, led by Sunny Eaton, re-investigated the case. Fire experts, including the author and Dr. Greg Gorbett, provided evidence debunking the original investigation's conclusions. Following a lengthy legal process, Garrett's conviction was vacated in 2022, and he was released after 30 years of wrongful imprisonment. Tragically, Garrett passed away just five months after his release, before he could seek compensation for his wrongful conviction. The chapter demonstrates the importance of scientific fire investigation techniques, the need to actually follow legal precedents, and the persistence required to overturn wrongful convictions based on outdated methodologies.