Global Protests Over Planned Execution of Troy Davis

By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 01:15:08 PM EST
Tags: Troy Davis (all tags)

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300 protest rallies around the world are being held today over the planned execution of Troy Davis.

The petition delivered to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles had 638,000 signatures and support is growing daily.

Many say it's the most compelling case of innocence in decades. The Georgia Board has rejected clemency petitions for Troy before. It's also granted temporary stays of his execution.

There is simply too much doubt to execute Troy Davis. All of our coverage of his case is here. Listen to Troy in his own words in this interview from Death Row. [More...]

From Amnesty International's 2007 report:

Troy Davis was sentenced to death for the murder of Police Officer Mark Allen McPhail at a Burger King in Savannah, Georgia; a murder he maintains he did not commit. There was no physical evidence against him and the weapon used in the crime was never found. The case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial. Since then, all but two of the state's non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony. Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis.

....One of the two witnesses who has not recanted his testimony is Sylvester "Red" Coles – the principle alternative suspect, according to the defense, against whom there is new evidence implicating him as the gunman. Nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating Sylvester Coles.

Add your voice. It's not too late. Join the 1 million tweets for Troy campaign. Sample Tweet:

7 out of 9 eyewitnesses recanted. No physical evidence. #toomuchdoubt, #TroyDavis

The execution is planned for September 21. Troy Davis still needs your help.

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Global Protests Over Planned Execution of Troy Davis | 8 comments (8 topical)

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The folks (5.00 / 0) (#1)
by CoralGables on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 03:11:49 PM EST

at Death Penalty Focus are still gathering more signatures if you want to sign the petition

HERE

I'm pro death penalty (none / 0) (#2)
by bocajeff on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 03:16:06 PM EST

But not in cases like this. Life in prison to begin with and then work the system to free him if he is indeed innocent.

I think (5.00 / 0) (#7)
by lentinel on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 06:33:25 PM EST

one reason the State likes to execute people - even innocent ones- is to keep us in line. To let us know who's boss.

We make a mistake empowering the State to kill people.


I agree with you, Donald (none / 0) (#4)
by Zorba on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 04:01:35 PM EST

We are with such bastions of human rights as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Somalia and China in still allowing the death penalty. There are 137 countries who have abolished the death penalty.

According to Amnesty International, 137 countries have abolished the death penalty. Argentina, Chile, and Uzbekistan outlawed the death penalty in 2008. During 2007, 24 countries, 88% in China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States alone, executed 1,252 people compared to 1,591 in 2006. Nearly 3,350 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries. More than 20,000 prisoners are on death row across the world.

Well, (none / 0) (#6)
by bocajeff on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 05:45:01 PM EST

I agree to disagree, but I refuse to see it as barbarism. People that murder have free will. If they choose to do something heinous then they also choose the penalty. No problem with me in any way. Doesn't bother me.

Now, more to your point. The safeguards that must be in place to ensure innocent people (or even guilty people) are given the benefit of every doubt before the death penalty is given should never be minimized.

Also, the dude that blew up Pan Am 103 and is now free in Libya is one reason I believe in the death penalty. To me that is barbaric, but we can agree to disagree.


: Well said, sir (none / 0) (#10)
by Zorba on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 08:22:32 PM EST

Well said.

Is there (none / 0) (#5)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 04:02:35 PM EST

any way to come back at the officials if they put an innocent man to death? Are there any repercussions legally? I know it can be done at the ballot box at least by getting rid of Nathan Deal.

Is Wikipedia wrong here? (none / 0) (#11)
by diogenes on Fri Sep 16, 2011 at 08:50:19 PM EST

"Davis was given an opportunity to present new evidence at a hearing in federal court in Savannah in June 2010, but he put on only a paucity of testimony. He did not take the stand in his defense and did not call Sylvester Coles as a witness. He also did not call some of the other witnesses who had given affidavits on his behalf, even though some of them were present in the courthouse. Savannah journalist Patrick Rodgers characterized the hearing as a defeat for Davis, commenting, "Although the defense team had been arguing for a hearing like this since they took over the case, if the atmosphere after last Thursday was any implication, they seemed to be wishing they could have a second chance."[6]