Maryland Repeals Death Penalty
This month, Maryland became the sixth state in six years to repeal the death penalty. With that said, the total number of states that have abolished capital punishment is now eighteen (18). For years, Maryland’s Governor, Martin O’Malley has championed the repeal of death penalty in his state. After signing the bill into law, Governor O’Malley said that the risk of executing an innocent person weighed heavily in his dedication to ending capital punishment in Maryland. The success of the repeal effort in Maryland has given momentum to repeal efforts in Delaware where an abolition bill was passed by the state Senate this week. The next step in Delaware is for the legislation to go before the House. The Delaware Governor, Jack Markell, has refused to say whether he favors the legislation.
The US criminal justice system is based on guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It’s the foundation of our justice system, built to serve and protect the wrongly accused. But in the case of Troy Davis and countless others on death row, it’s a principle that was defied, ignored, and trampled on. As Troy Davis wrote in a letter when he was facing execution in 2008 :” … no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe.
With the recent decision to abolish the death penalty in Maryland, we have moved one step closer to dismantling our unjust criminal justice system city by city, state by state and country by country. Amnesty International and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have been seeking to do just that for decades. Specifically, these organizations have been quite successful in raising awareness about the problems with criminal justice system and the need to end the death penalty. The number of persons supporting their work is growing as demonstrated in the case of Troy Davis. Their petition seeking clemency in the Troy Davis case was signed by almost one million persons. NAACP and Amnesty International have experienced steady progress in this important undertaking to end the death penalty. However, the Troy Davis case reminds us that more work needs to be done to end the death penalty across our nation.
The collective work done on Troy Davis’ case resounded with people all over the world. Next stop for the abolition of the death penalty nationwide is California, a state poised to make history this fall by ending its death penalty through a referendum. The struggle continues. But with each victory, we, as a nation, come closer to a world where human rights are respected, and executions are a thing of the past.
For further information on how you can get involved in efforts to end the penalty nationwide, please visit the websites for Amnesty International and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Equal Justice USA, and the Campaign to End the Death Penalty.
Sources: Delaware Senate approves repeal of death penalty, POLITICO, March 26, 2013, Associated Press. Amnesty International, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Innocence Project. The Campaign to End the Death Penalty.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Too Much Doubt: The Troy Davis Story
For twenty (20) years, Troy Davis sat on death row in Georgia for the murder of police officer, Mark Mac Phail. Amnesty provides a summary of the Troy Davis and it reads as follows: Troy Davis, a black man, was convicted primarily based on eye witness testimony of the murder of a Savannah, Georgia, white police officer, Mark MacPhail, and sentenced to death. Davis was on death row from 1991-2011. Since Troy Davis’ conviction, seven of the nine key eye witnesses against him recanted or changed their testimony. The United States Supreme Court ordered a new trial court hearing which took place in June 2010. At the trial, Davis was required to conclusively prove his innocence. The trial judge ruled that Davis did not meet this “extraordinarily high standard” of proof. The judge went on to criticize the credibility of of the eye testimony used to convict Davis. Davis did NOT have the benefit of scientific or physical evidence. But four (4) witnesses testified that they had lied at trial. A new eyewitness testified that his relative, not Davis, shot and killed Officer Mark Mac Phail. The judge did admit that the case against Davis was NOT “ironclad”.
Despite serious doubts about his guilt, Troy Davis’ execution was held late on the evening of September 21, 2011. The United States criminal justice system is based on guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It’s the foundation of our justice system, built to serve and protect the wrongly accused. But in the case of Troy Davis, it’s a principle that was defied, ignored, and trampled on. The petition seeking clemency in the Troy Davis case was signed by almost one million persons. Despite cries for clemency from persons around the world, the Georgia Board of Paroles denied Troy Davis’ request for clemency in his death row case. The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, designed specifically to ensure that executions never happen amidst so much doubt, allowed it to happen anyway. Additionally, Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm refused to ask the judge to withdraw Troy’s death warrant. Despite serious doubts about his guilt, Troy Davis’ execution was held on September 21, 2011. Many Davis supporters around the world assert that there was simply too much doubt for his execution.
As Troy Davis wrote in a letter when he was facing execution in 2008 :” … no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’ [across the nation on death row]. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.” Amnesty International and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have been seeking to do just that. Specifically, these organizations have been quite successful in raising awareness about the problems with criminal justice system and the need to end the death penalty. The number of persons supporting their work is growing as demonstrated in the case of Troy Davis. As stated previously, the petition seeking clemency in the Troy Davis case was signed by almost one million persons. NAACP and Amnesty International have experienced steady progress in this important undertaking to end the death penalty. However, the Troy Davis case reminds us that more work needs to be done to end the death penalty.
“Justices on the Georgia State Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court — men and women who know that our justice system is degraded when we allow someone to be executed even when the former warden [Dr. Allen Ault, retired Director of the Georgia Department of Corrections and former Warden of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison] of the very prison the inmate is in says there is too much doubt to proceed — cleared the way for the execution to be carried out anyway. These failures are the result of a system that gives the power of life and death, God-like powers, to humans who are as prone to error and susceptible to bias as any of us. Human nature won’t change, so the system must. This must never happen again.”
The execution of Troy Davis significantly undermines the credibility of the Georgia system of justice. It moved forward with an execution under a persistent cloud of doubts about guilt. This conduct shows a callous disregard for the very real possibility of putting an innocent person to death, and public faith in Georgia’s commitment to a fair justice system is shattered. Our criminal justice system is flawed as most recently demonstrated in the Troy Davis case. Because of the life or death consequences in states where the death penalty is permissible under the law, the criminal justice system must be flawless or there is a possibility that an innocent person could be executed. When justice is administered by humans, it susceptible to error. Under the afore-referenced circumstances, the death penalty must be eradicated nationwide.
Cerebral Motion Productions is producing a three part series entitled, Corruption: The Politics of Crime. The first in this series is TOO MUCH DOUBT: The Story of Troy A. Davis, which looks into the international campaign to stop his execution. It features Martina Davis Correia, Kim Davis, and other members of the Davis family. It also features Big Boi and prominent leaders in the campaign. The screening will take place on the 7th floor roof top. A Question & Answer session on the “Too Much Doubt” Documentary and the Death Penalty will take place starting at 8:15 PM. The screening of TOO MUCH DOUBT will be held on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at Tribute Lofts which is located at 480 John Wesley Dobbs in Atlanta, Georgia.
Source(s): Amnesty. Georgians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Campaign to End the Death Penalty. NAACP. Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art.
Troy Davis’ Execution Sparks Recommitment to Abolishing the Death Penalty
After valiant efforts to stop the execution of Troy Davis for more than two decades, late last night, more than one million people from all around the globe bid him “goodbye”.
After the execution of Troy Davis, Laura Moye at Amnesty International wrote in her action alert sent to members, “…My heart is heavy. I am sad and angry. The state of Georgia has proven what we already know. Governments cannot be trusted with the awful power over life and death… Georgia didn’t just kill Troy Davis; they killed the faith and confidence that many Georgians, Americans, and Troy Davis supporters worldwide used to have in our criminal justice system.”
It has been reported that, Troy Davis stated repeatedly that his case was about so much more than him. As a result, Troy’s words give those involved in seeking justice in the Davis case fodder to carry on and stay committed to this fight and the larger fight to make sure there will be no more Troy Davis’ in this nation.
Because of this case, many people from both ends of the political spectrum have been made aware of the countless flaws in the criminal justice system. As was stated in the action alert by Georgians For An Alternative to the Death Penalty, “…we need you to stay awake.” As people are in the early stages of mourning the execution of Troy Davis, it has been reported that the State of Georgia has issued a warrant for another death row inmate with an execution date between October 5-October 12, 2011. Opponents of the death penalty have recommitted themselves to fight against the relentless killing machine also known as the death penalty.
“As Troy Davis wrote in a letter when he was facing execution in 2008:
… no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the
death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.”
Toward that goal, I am signing Amnesty International’s pledge to fight the death
penalty and donating to the Innocence Project. If you are seeking a way to turn your disappointment over the outcome in the Troy Davis case into action, I hope that you will join me and countless others in signing the pledge and supporting the to free the staggering number of innocent people who are currently incarcerated. With that said, you can sign Amnesty International USA’s pledge here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=264324&id=31297-18765278-GwkN2Yx&t=1. Further, you can donate to the Innocence Project, a nonprofit committed to fight to “free the staggering numbers of innocent people who remain incarcerated,” below: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=264322&id=31297-18765278-GwkN2Yx&t=2
Sources: Amnesty International. Georgians For An Alternative to the Death Penalty. Moveon.org.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
6 Prison Wardens say to Georgia “Do NOT kill Troy Davis”
Conservatives, liberals, as well as opponents and proponents of the death penalty have asked the Georgia Parole Board to grant Troy Davis clemency. According to Georgian’s for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, over hundred thousand (800,000) people signed a petition requesting that the Georgia Parole Board grant clemency to Troy Case. The list of persons requesting clemency for Troy Davis includes but is not limited to: Former President Jimmy Carter, The Pope, Nobel Peace Prize-winner, Desmund Tutu as well as a host of conservatives and death row proponents such as former Congressman Bob Barr. The Former FBI Director also has called for clemency for Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis.
Most recently, six wardens asked the State of Georgia NOT to kill Troy Davis. The six retired corrections officials include Dr. Allen Ault, retired Director of the Georgia Department of Corrections and former Warden of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison where he oversaw executions for the state. According to the Law Office of the Southern Center for Human Rights, Dr. Allen Ault sent a letter to Georgia Corrections Officials and Governor Nathan Deal asking them to urge the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to reconsider the decision they made on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 to deny Troy Davis Clemency despite concerns about his guilt. The six wardens’ statement: “We write to you as former wardens and corrections officials who have had direct involvement in executions. Like few others in this country, we understand that you have a job to do in carrying out the lawful orders of the judiciary. We also understand, from our own personal experiences, the awful lifelong repercussions that come from participating in the execution of prisoners. While most of the prisoners whose executions we participated in accepted responsibility for the crimes for which they were punished, some of us have also executed prisoners who maintained their innocence until the end. It is those cases that are most haunting to an executioner.
We write to you today with the overwhelming concern that an innocent person could be executed in Georgia tonight. We know the legal process has exhausted itself in the case of Troy Anthony Davis, and yet, doubt about his guilt remains. This very fact will have an irreversible and damaging impact on your staff. Many people of significant standing share these concerns, including, notably, William Sessions, Director of the FBI under President Ronald Reagan.
Living with the nightmares is something that we know from experience. No one has the right to ask a public servant to take on a lifelong sentence of nagging doubt, and for some of us, shame and guilt. Should our justice system be causing so much harm to so many people when there is an alternative?
We urge you to ask the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to reconsider their decision. Should that fail, we urge you to unburden yourselves and your staff from the pain of participating in such a questionable execution to the extent possible by allowing any personnel so inclined to opt-out of activities related to the execution of Troy Anthony Davis. Further, we urge you to provide appropriate counseling to personnel who do choose to perform their job functions related to the execution. If we may be of assistance to you moving forward, please do not hesitate to call upon any of us.”
For the past two (2) weeks, I have posted about the Troy Davis case as his execution date (September 21, 2011 at 7:00PM) was fast approaching to encourage continued collective action to halt this travesty of justice. With that said, I ask that you please join me and the other now over one million (1,000,000) people from around the world that have asked for clemency for Troy Davis. Below is the most recent email alert related to the Troy Davis case from Georgians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty. The email implores us to continue to take action today to ensure that Georgia does not execute an innocent man.
“Friends,
We have only hours left to stop the execution of Troy Davis. We ask allof you to stay engaged, to stay active. Keep calling on the Parole Board to reconsider its decision, and on the Chatham County(Savannah) District Attorney Larry Chisolm to do the right thing by contactingthe Chatham County’s District Attorney’s office by phone/fax: Telephone: 912-652-7308. Fax: 912-652-7328.
Continue to send a send a letter to Dr. Carlo Musso at Rainbow Medical Associates and urge him torefuse to participate in the execution of Troy Davis. Rainbow Medical Associates is the medical team that assists with Georgia’s executions.
Dr. Carlo Musso, President, and Employees
CorrectHealth
9020 Peridot Parkway
Stockbridge, GA 30281
Fax: 770-692-4754
Here is a statement issued from corrections officials cautioning against the execution of Troy Davis because “living with the nightmares is something that we know from experience.” This statement is very moving and should give the officials in the Georgia criminal justice system pause when considering death row inmates particularly Troy Anthony Davis given the facts of his case. Please forward this statement far and wide. If you are use Twitter, please post one or all of these sample messages to help get the word out on the letter from the corrections officials: Corrections officials urge #TroyDavis #executioners against proceeding, warn of”nightmares” http://bit.ly/r0VFQ5#TooMuchDoubt; 6 Prison Wardens say to Georgia”Do not kill #TroyDavis” http://bit.ly/r0VFQ5#TooMuchDoubt; Prison wardens tell GA:”Living with the nightmares is something that we know from experience” – don’t #execute #TroyDavisbit.ly/r0VFQ5
We really appreciate the interest in coming out to support tonight. We strongly encourage you to stay in Atlanta and attend the vigil at the Capitol that the Open Door Community is leading. It is always moving and steeped in tenets of our social justice movement. The prison is going to be packed. Please stay in Atlanta (or attend a site near you) to show your support. Here is more information about vigils being held around Georgia: http://www.gfadp.org/vigils. Thank you for taking action!”
It is my hope that you will join me and countless others around the world seeking to make sure that justice is served in the Davis Case. It is important to act now to let the state of Georgia – and the world – know that you stand by Troy Davis in his fight for justice by joining the efforts undertaken by Amnesty, NAACP, and countless other organizations to halt this injustice. This is a matter of life and death, and time is running out.
Source: Georgians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty. The Law Office of the Southern Center for Human Rights.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
BREAKING NEWS: Troy Davis Denied Clemency
Georgia’s State Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected Troy Davis’ clemency petition. As a result, Troy Davis continues to face execution on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, at 7 pm EST. As aptly stated by Laura Moye, Director, Death Penalty Abolition Campaign, Amnesty International, the action of the Georgia’s State Board of Pardons and Paroles is astounding in the face of so much doubt in the case against Troy Davis. Last week, close to a million signatures were collected requesting clemency for Troy Davis and presented to the Georgia’s State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
In response to the adverse decision made by the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Parole, Amnesty International sent an action alert asking that the public request that: the Board reconsider its decision; and demand that Chatham County (Savannah) District Attorney Larry Chisolm seek a withdrawal of the death warrant and support clemency himself.
As you may recall, Troy Davis was convicted on the basis of witness testimony – seven of the nine original witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony. In its action alert, Amnesty reminded recipients that, “[Troy Davis] has survived
three previous execution dates, because people like you kept the justice system
in check! Let Georgia authorities know you oppose the death penalty for Troy Davis!” With that said, Amnesty International provides on its website opportunities to send an email to the District Attorney and the Georgia State Board of Pardons
and Paroles as well as to sign the clemency petition which has been signed by more
than 800,000 to date.
The email to the District Attorney reads as follows:
“I am writing to urge you to seek a withdrawal of the death warrant against Troy
Davis. He has been denied clemency by the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles despite the fact that significant doubts continue to plague his conviction. Executions when there are still substantial doubts about guilt should never be permitted to proceed, and the responsibility rests with you to ensure that does not happen in this case.
It would significantly undermine the credibility of the Georgia system of justice if an execution were carried out under such a persistent cloud of doubts about guilt. It would show a callous disregard for the very real possibility of putting an innocent person to death, and public faith Georgia’s commitment to a fair justice system would be shattered.
You have it in your power to prevent this affront to justice from happening. I urge
you to call for a withdrawal of Troy Davis’ death warrant without delay.”
You can sign the email online or write a personal letter to the district attorney. Contact Information Chatham County’s District Attorney’s Office: Phone/Fax: Telephone: 912-652-7308 or Fax: 912-652-7328. For further information and to take action please visit Amnesty website at http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org.
Source: Amnesty International. NAACP.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
The Eyes of the World are on Georgia’s Parole Board
As many death row opponents have aptly stated, the eyes of the world are on
Georgia’s Parole Board’s clemency hearing for Troy Anthony Davis, a death row
inmate. Despite the absence of any physical evidence linking him to the crime, Troy
Davis was found guilty in a court of law for the shooting and killing Officer Mark
Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia, and sentenced to death. The Troy Davis
case has been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States
and has drawn both national and international attention due to lack of evidence
supporting the state’s case. The Parole Board is the sole authority in
Georgia with the authority to grant clemency to inmates. The Board may commute
a death sentence to life without parole, to life or deny clemency.
According to a press release, on September 7, 2011, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles invited representatives for condemned inmate Troy Anthony Davis to meet with the Board on Monday, September 19, 2011, at 9:00 a.m., to advocate for clemency for him. Davis is scheduled to die by lethal injection September 21, 2011, at 7 p.m., at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia. Davis’ defense counsel are timidly optimistic.The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, which has the power to change death sentences but rarely does, did not issue an immediate decision in this case. It was reported that, “…a spokesman for the panel said they would not decide before Tuesday.”
Conservatives, liberals, as well as opponents and proponents of the death penalty have asked the Georgia Parole Board to grant Troy Davis clemency. According to Georgian’s for an Alternative to the Death Penalty, over hundred thousand (800,000) people signed a petition requesting that the Georgia Parole Board grant clemency to Troy Case. The list of persons requesting clemency for Troy Davis includes but is not limited to: Former President Jimmy Carter, The Pope, Nobel Peace Prize-winner, Desmund Tutu as well as a host of conservatives and death row proponents such as former Congressman Bob Barr. The Former FBI Director also has called for clemency for Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis.
Last week, “…In a high-profile plea published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
William S. Sessions, former federal district judge and FBI director under
presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, writes that
Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis, who is scheduled to be executed [September
21, 2011] , should be granted clemency. Sessions notes there is significant
doubt about Davis’ guilt, as seven of the nine witnesses who testified
against him have recanted and the “case continues to be permeated by doubt,”
with there being no “physical or scientific evidence” available to tie Davis to
the killing of a Savannah police officer. The Georgia State Board of Pardons
and Paroles is the one body left that could issue a stay of execution or
executive clemency for Davis.”
Again, a spokesman for the Georgia’s Parole Board said they would not decide before
Tuesday. For further information, visit the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles’ website.
Sources: “Board weighs clemency for Georgia death row inmate”. Reuters, Matthew Bigg, Monday, September 19, 2011. http://www.dcor.state.ga.us.www.thinkprogress.org.
www.forbes.com. Creative Loaffing. Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Troy Davis: A Matter of Life & Death
Across the nation and throughout the world, support for Troy Anthony Davis, a death
row inmate in the Georgia penal system, continues to build for his clemency. Despite the absence of any physical evidence linking him to the crime, Troy Davis was found guilty in a court of law for the shooting and killing Officer Mark Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia, and sentenced to death. The Troy Davis case has been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States and has drawn both national and international attention due to the lack of evidence supporting the state’s case.
After hearing the appeal in the Davis case, the United States Supreme Court ordered an unprecedented evidentiary hearing which took place in June 2010. At said evidentiary hearing, seven (7) of the nine (9) key witnesses against Mr. Davis recanted or changed
their testimony. Further, a new witness testified that his relative, not Troy Davis, shot the police officer in question. Finally, NO physical evidence links Troy Davis to the shooting of Officer MacPhail. The judge admitted at the evidentiary hearing that the case against Troy Davis was not ironclad. Nonetheless, the court found that Mr. Davis failed to prove conclusively his innocence. Following the evidentiary hearing in the Davis case, the United
States Supreme Court denied Mr. Davis’ latest appeal.
National Public Radio reported that the execution date was set in the Troy Davis for, Wednesday, September 21, 2011. This the fourth time Troy Davis’ execution has been set in four (4) years. Troy once came within two (2) hours of being put to death. Mr. Davis’ attorneys say his legal appeals are exhausted and the chances of him winning another reprieve have dwindled. The Davis case highlights many of the problems in the criminal justice system. The case also reminds us of the potentially lethal consequences which result from a flawed criminal justice system in jurisdictions where the death penalty is permissible. From CNN to the Huffington Post, media outlets are telling the story of Troy Davis.
This week, more than six hundred and sixty (660,000) petition signatures were delivered to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles in support of halting Troy Davis’ execution and granting him clemency. The five (5) member Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, which meets Monday, is probably the last hope for Troy Davis, who is scheduled to be executed next week on September 21. A majority vote by the board will decide whether Davis’ sentence is commuted or if his execution will proceed.
Conservatives, Liberals, Opponents, and Proponents agree that Troy Davis should be granted clemency by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Liberal: Former US President Jimmy Carter
“Executing Davis “risks taking the life of an innocent man and would be a grave miscarriage of justice,” said former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat from Georgia and death penalty opponent who wrote a letter on Davis’ behalf.
We believe that in this particular case there’s enough evidence to the contrary to prevent this execution from taking place,” Carter said Tuesday.
Conservative: Former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson
Conservative figures have also become involved. Former Deputy Attorney General Larry
Thompson, who served under President George W. Bush, urged the pardons board to
grant Davis clemency because “it is clear now that the doubts plaguing his case can never be adequately addressed.”
Death Penalty Proponent: Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
And former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and was elected to serve four terms in the United States Congress) said in a letter that “even for death penalty supporters such as myself, the level of doubt inherent in this case is troubling.””
William Sessions, former director of the FBI, a former federal judge/prosecutor
According to William S. Sessions, former director of the FBI, a former federal judge and federal prosecutor, “…when it comes to the sentence of death, there should be no room
for doubt. I believe there is no more serious crime than the murder of a law
enforcement officer who was putting his or her life on the line to protect innocent bystanders. However, justice is not done for Officer Mark Allen MacPhail Sr. if the wrong man is punished.
In 2007, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a stay of execution for Davis and took the admirable position that it would “not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused.
Because this case continues to be permeated by doubt, the Board of Pardons and Paroles’
stance continues to be the right one. In reality, there will always be cases, including capital cases, in which doubts about guilt cannot be erased to an acceptable level of certainty. The Davis case is one of these, and it is for cases like this that executive clemency exists.
Those responsible for clemency play a vital role in ensuring our legal system
includes a measure of compassion and humanity. The death penalty should not be
carried out, and Davis’ sentence should be commuted to life.”
In response to the recent setting of the execution date for Troy Davis, this blog has sought to draw attention to: this case; the problems with the imposition of a death sentence
in a flawed criminal justice system; the need for you to act to halt this execution; and the importance for you to join the movement to abolish the death penalty.
For further information about this pressing topic, an important resource is the Death Penalty Information Center’s website. If you are interested in working to abolish the death penalty, many resources can be found on the Amnesty International website including: petitions, fact sheets, organizing materials, as well as helpful suggestions on how to get involved and take action to end the death penalty.
It is my hope that you will join me and countless others around the world seeking to make sure that justice is served in the Davis Case. It is important to act now to let the state of Georgia – and the world – know that you stand by Troy Davis in his fight for justice by joining the efforts undertaken by Amnesty and/or NAACP to halt this injustice. This is a matter of life and death, and time is running out.
Source: National Public Radio. Atlanta Journal Constitution. Amnesty International website. NAACP website. Bureau of Prisons. Death Penalty Information Center Website. http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/troy-davis-in-spotlight-1181843.html.
http://savannahnow.com/column/2011-09-14/barr-troy-davis-merits-clemency#.TnJzq9TIiuK. http://www.ajc.com/opinion/should-davis-be-executed-1181530.html.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
A Cry for Justice Heard Round the World: In a Matter of Life or Death
Across the nation and throughout the world, support for Troy Anthony Davis, a death
row inmate in the Georgia penal system, continues to build for his clemency. Despite the absence of any physical evidence linking him to the crime, Troy Davis was found guilty in a court of law for the shooting and killing Officer Mark Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia, and sentenced to death. The Troy Davis case has been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States and has drawn both national and international attention due to lack of evidence supporting the state’s case.
After hearing the appeal in the Davis case, the United States Supreme Court ordered an unprecedented evidentiary hearing which took place in June 2010. At said evidentiary hearing, seven (7) of the nine (9) key witnesses against Mr. Davis recanted or changed
their testimony. Further, a new witness testified that his relative, not Troy Davis, shot the police officer in question. Finally, NO physical evidence links Troy Davis to the shooting of Officer MacPhail. The judge admitted at the evidentiary hearing that the case against Troy Davis was not ironclad. Nonetheless, the court found that Mr. Davis failed to prove conclusively his innocence. Following the evidentiary hearing in the Davis case, the United
States Supreme Court denied Mr. Davis’ latest appeal.
National Public Radio reported that the execution date was set in the Troy Davis for, Wednesday, September 21, 2011. This the fourth time Troy Davis’ execution has been set in four (4) years. Troy once came within two (2) hours of being put to death. Mr. Davis’ attorneys say his legal appeals are exhausted and the chances of him winning another reprieve have dwindled. The Davis case highlights many of the problems in the criminal justice system. The case also reminds us of the potentially lethal consequences which result from a flawed criminal justice system in jurisdictions where the death penalty is permissible. From CNN to the Huffington Post, media outlets are telling the story of Troy Davis.
This week, more than six hundred and sixty (660,000) petition signatures were delivered to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles in support of halting Troy Davis’ execution and granting him clemency. The five (5) member Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, which meets Monday, is probably the last hope for Troy Davis, who is scheduled to be executed next week on September 21. A majority vote by the board will decide whether Davis’ sentence is commuted or if his execution will proceed.
Conservatives, Liberals, Opponents, and Proponents agree that Troy Davis should be granted clemency by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Liberal: Former US President Jimmy Carter
“Executing Davis “risks taking the life of an innocent man and would be a grave miscarriage of justice,” said former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat from Georgia and death penalty opponent who wrote a letter on Davis’ behalf.
We believe that in this particular case there’s enough evidence to the contrary to prevent this execution from taking place,” Carter said Tuesday.
Conservative: Former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson
Conservative figures have also become involved. Former Deputy Attorney General Larry
Thompson, who served under President George W. Bush, urged the pardons board to
grant Davis clemency because “it is clear now that the doubts plaguing his case can never be adequately addressed.”
Death Penalty Proponent: Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
And former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and was elected to serve four terms in the United States Congress) said in a letter that “even for death penalty supporters such as myself, the level of doubt inherent in this case is troubling.””
William Sessions, former director of the FBI, a former federal judge/prosecutor
According to William S. Sessions, former director of the FBI, a former federal judge and federal prosecutor, “…when it comes to the sentence of death, there should be no room
for doubt. I believe there is no more serious crime than the murder of a law
enforcement officer who was putting his or her life on the line to protect innocent bystanders. However, justice is not done for Officer Mark Allen MacPhail Sr. if the wrong man is punished.
In 2007, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a stay of execution for Davis and took the admirable position that it would “not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused.
Because this case continues to be permeated by doubt, the Board of Pardons and Paroles’
stance continues to be the right one. In reality, there will always be cases, including capital cases, in which doubts about guilt cannot be erased to an acceptable level of certainty. The Davis case is one of these, and it is for cases like this that executive clemency exists.
Those responsible for clemency play a vital role in ensuring our legal system
includes a measure of compassion and humanity. The death penalty should not be
carried out, and Davis’ sentence should be commuted to life.”
In response to the recent setting of the execution date for Troy Davis, this blog has sought to draw attention to: this case; the problems with the imposition of a death sentence
in a flawed criminal justice system; the need for you to act to halt this execution; and the importance for you to join the movement to abolish the death penalty.
For further information about this pressing topic, an important resource is the Death Penalty Information Center’s website. If you are interested in working to abolish the death penalty, many resources can be found on the Amnesty International website including: petitions, fact sheets, organizing materials, as well as helpful suggestions on how to get involved and take action to end the death penalty.
It is my hope that you will join me and countless others around the world seeking to make sure that justice is served in the Davis Case. It is important to act now to let the state of Georgia – and the world – know that you stand by Troy Davis in his fight for justice by joining the efforts undertaken by Amnesty and/or NAACP to halt this injustice. This is a matter of life and death, and time is running out.
Source: National Public Radio. Atlanta Journal Constitution. Amnesty International website. NAACP website. Bureau of Prisons. Death Penalty Information Center Website. http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/troy-davis-in-spotlight-1181843.html.
http://savannahnow.com/column/2011-09-14/barr-troy-davis-merits-clemency#.TnJzq9TIiuK. http://www.ajc.com/opinion/should-davis-be-executed-1181530.html.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Global Day of Solidarity for Troy Davis
Announcement
DATE: FRIDAY, SEPT. 16, 2011
MARCH: WOODRUFF PARK, 6pm
LOCATION: Woodruff Park (Peachtree St. /Edgewood Ave.) to Ebenezer Baptist Church
SERVICE: Ebenezer Baptist Church, 7pm, 407 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia.
Join the Georgia and national leaders of Amnesty International and NAACP, Larry Cox and Ben Jealous; Rev. Raphael Warnock (Ebenezer Baptist Church); Martina Correia (sister of Troy Davis); death row exonerees; and other guests for an evening of prayer, music and witness.
A Call to Action
National Public Radio reported that the execution date was set in the Troy Davis. The Davis case highlights many of the problems in the criminal justice system. The case also reminds us of the potentially lethal consequences which result from a flawed criminal justice system in jurisdictions where the death penalty is permissible.
Under the United States criminal justice system, defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty—this does not insure a just outcome in a court of law. In response to problems with the criminal justice system, Not only have defense attorneys sought justice for criminal defendants, in some high-profile cases international as well as national advocacy organizations have worked shoulder to shoulder with the defense counsel to make sure that justice prevails–one such case is that of Troy Davis.
Troy Anthony Davis Case Summary: Despite the absence of any physical evidence linking him to the crime, Troy Davis was found guilty in a court of law for the shooting and killing police officer MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia, and sentenced to death. The Troy Davis case has been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States and has drawn both national and international attention. According to the Bureau of Prisons, there are fifty-seven (57) people on death role in the federal penal system (Bureau of Prisons’ website). There are thousands more on death row in state prisons across the country (Death Penalty Information Center). Eighty (80) percent of all executions occur in the southern part of the United States( Amnesty International). One of the most highly discussed death penalty cases in recent history is that of Troy Anthony Davis in
Savannah, Georgia (Amnesty International). For more than a decade, this capital punishment case has captured the attention of countless people not only in the United States (e.g. President Carter, former Congressman Bob Barr) but also people all around the world (e.g. The Pope and Nobel Prize winner cleric Desmond Tutu). For persons opposed to capital punishment or those seeking a moratorium, the Davis case undergirds their assertion that wrongful convictions occur and the death penalty must be halted at a minimum until the errors which occur in the criminal justice system have been remedied.
After hearing the appeal in the Davis case, the United States Supreme Court ordered an unprecedented evidentiary hearing which took place in June 2010. At said evidentiary hearing, seven (7) of the nine (9) key witnesses against Mr. Davis recanted or changed their testimony. Further, a new witness testified that his relative, not Troy Davis, shot the police officer in question. Finally, NO physical evidence links Troy Davis to the shooting of Officer MacPhail. The judge admitted at the evidentiary hearing that the case against Troy Davis was not ironclad. Nonetheless, the court found that Mr. Davis failed to prove conclusively his innocence. Following the evidentiary hearing in the Davis case, the United States Supreme Court denied Mr. Davis’ latest appeal.
In response to the recent setting of the execution date for Troy Davis, this blog has sought to draw attention to: this case; the problems with the imposition of a death sentence in a flawed criminal justice system; the need for you to act to halt this execution; and the importance for you to join the movement to abolish the death penalty.
After the setting of the execution date for Troy Davis, Amnesty International and the NAACP sent out an email update on the Troy Case and highlighting our collective need to continue to act to halt this travesty of justice. It is NOT to late to halt Troy Davis’ execution. As aptly stated in the Amnesty email message, “The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles holds the keys to Troy Davis’ fate” via the clemency hearing. The afore-referenced Amnesty International email message is a “Call to Action” and reads as follows:
“The day is now here – the state of Georgia has set Troy Davis’ execution date for September 21st, just two weeks from today.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his final appeal earlier this year. But the story remains the same – Troy Davis could very well be innocent.
However, in the state of Georgia, the Board of Pardons & Paroles holds the keys to Troy’s fate. In the days before Davis’ execution, this Board will hold a final clemency hearing – a final chance to prevent Troy Davis from being executed.
Davis was convicted on the basis of witness testimony – seven of the nine original witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony.
One witness said in a CNN news interview “If I knew then, what I know now, Troy Davis would not be on death row.”
I know it’s difficult to believe that a system of justice could be so terribly flawed, but keep in mind that Troy has survived three previous execution dates, because people like you kept the justice system in check!
We’ve been bracing for this moment and the time for action is now! Here’s what you can do to join the fight:
Sign our petition to the Board of Pardons & Paroles urging them to grant clemency! We’ll deliver your signatures next week.
Organize locally for Troy: Take to the streets with us. Soon we’ll be announcing the
date for the official Troy Davis Day of Action. Sign up now to rally in the coming days to stop the execution of Troy Davis.
Tell everyone you know! Spread the word about this injustice on Twitter by using the hashtag #TooMuchDoubt. Be sure to tell your Facebook friends Troy’s story too!”
For further information about this pressing topic, an important resource is the Death Penalty Information Center’s website. If you are interested in working to abolish the death penalty, many resources can be found on the Amnesty International website including: petitions, fact sheets, organizing materials, as well as helpful suggestions on how to get involved and take action to end the death penalty.
It is my hope that you will join me and countless others around the world seeking to make sure that justice is served in the Davis Case. It is important to act now to let the state of Georgia – and the world – know that you stand by Troy Davis in his fight for justice by joining the efforts undertaken by Amnesty and/or NAACP to halt this injustice. This is a matter of life and death, and time is running out.
Source: National Public Radio. Atlanta Journal Constitution. Amnesty International website. NAACP website. Bureau of Prisons. Death Penalty Information Center Website
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
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