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