Wayne County judge grants new trial to man imprisoned nearly nine years in Westland arson case – Detroit Metro Times

A Wayne County judge has granted a new trial to a man who spent nearly nine years in prison for a Westland mobile home fire after attorneys argued his conviction relied on outdated and unreliable fire science.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Chandra W. Baker-Robinson granted William Frederick Whateley’s motion for relief from judgment earlier this month, his lawyers announced Monday. 

“William lost nearly a decade of his life because the system failed to apply sound science,” said Jarrett Adams, co-founder of Life After Justice, a nonprofit that supports people who were wrongfully convicted. “This moment is about more than one case — it’s about accountability and ensuring that truth, not flawed assumptions, determines a person’s freedom.”

The judge’s decision reopens the case after attorneys argued the original conviction relied on flawed fire investigation methods.

Whateley was convicted of second-degree arson in 2017 for a fire that destroyed a vacant mobile home rented by his former girlfriend, Elisa Maldonado, in a Westland trailer park. The fire occurred on Jan. 23, 2017. No one was injured.

At trial, prosecutors argued the fire was intentionally set and pointed to testimony from a fire investigator who said he observed what he described as a “pour pattern” on the living room floor and relied on an accelerant-detection dog. Investigators did not collect samples from the scene for lab testing because the structure was considered too unstable to enter after the fire.

Police also searched Whateley’s green minivan and recovered an empty plastic gas can and a lighter. Witness testimony placed him near the trailer park around the time the fire started, though no witness identified him setting the fire.

Whateley has consistently denied setting the fire. During a police interview shortly after his arrest, he acknowledged being in the area but repeatedly told investigators he did not burn the trailer.

In his post-conviction motion, Whateley’s attorneys argued that the original investigation relied on outdated fire science and that modern standards show the cause of the fire cannot be reliably classified as arson. The court ultimately granted the motion for relief from judgment, allowing Whateley to seek a new trial.

“This ruling is a powerful step toward correcting a profound injustice,” Joi Adams, executive director of Life After Justice, said. “After years of advocacy and scientific review, the court has recognized serious concerns about the integrity of the evidence used to secure his conviction.”

A bail hearing is scheduled for March 27, when a judge will consider whether Whateley should be released while prosecutors decide whether to retry the case.

“This ruling shows the power of persistence and expert review,” Antione Day, co-founder of Life After Justice, said. “We are hopeful that William will soon walk out of prison and begin rebuilding his life.”

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