Execution of Troy Davis, 17th July
international |
crime and justice |
news report 
Tuesday July 10, 2007 20:52
by A Gardner
Galway
US State of Georgia to Execute Troy Anthony Davis despite lack of evidence and shambolic judicial treatment
Despite support from Amnesty International and other human rights groups, Anthony Troy Davis,38 is due to be executed within the week by the state of Georgia for the murder in 1991 of Officer Mark Allen McPhail.
During his 17 years in prison Troy Davis has claimed to be innocent of the murder of police officer Mark McPhail, who was shot and fataly wounded in a Burger King car park on the 28th August, 1991 in Savanah, Georgia. No physical evidence has linked Davis to the crime who was convicted on the testemony of 9 eye witnesses. 6 of these witnessesn have since recanted their testemony. One witness claimed he never read his statement as he couldn't read and many claim to have been coersed by police. One of the witnesses has been identified as a possible suspect.
Even for those who supprt capital punishment cases such as these must be a cause for concern as there is obviously the possibility innocence.
More information on this case and sample protest letters for email can be found at:-
www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/ncadp/content.jsp?content_KEY=2777
www.troyanthonydavis.org
www.amnestyusa.org/Death_Penalty/Troy_Davis_Finality_Over_Fairness/page.do?id=1011343&n1=3&n2=28&n3=1412
Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6If you would like to write an email or letter to appeal to commute this death sentence they can be sent to
State Board of Pardons and Paroles
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE,
Suite 458, Balcony Level, East Tower,
Atlanta,
Georgia 30334-4909,
USA
Fax: 00 1 404 651 8502
Email: Webmaster@pap.state.ga.us
Sample Email /Letter
State Board of Pardons and Paroles
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE
Suite 458, Balcony Level, East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334-4909
USA
email: webmaster@pap.state.ga.us
Dear Board Members:
I write to you today with the utmost urgency. Troy Anthony Davis' execution
date is just one week away and I respectfully request that you commute
Troy's death sentence immediately.
The death penalty is an irreversible action with victims far beyond the
individual in question. By no means should the murder of Officer Mark Allen
McPhail be ignored or condoned. Officer McPhail's family, friends and
community have lost their loved one, friend and colleague and justice must
be sought.
However, recent developments including new evidence indicating a possible
alternative suspect in the case means that significant doubt has been cast
on the conviction of Troy Anthony Davis. Supporting this doubt are the many
witnesses who have recanted their trial testimony.
There has been a large number of wrongful convictions in capital cases in
the United States since 1976, the unreliability of witness testimony being a
contributing factor in many of them. Please do not add Troy Anthony Davis
to this list. Once done, the death penalty cannot be reversed.
Your power to commute Troy's sentence and your power of clemency exist as a
failsafe against irreversible error. I ask you today to exert that power
and commute Troy's sentence. At the very least this will ensure that
further investigation into the alternative suspect can be carried out. At
the most it will ensure that a possibly innocent man will not lose his life.
Sincerely,
(your name)
Troy was granted a 90 day stay of execution by the Georgia Parole board on Monday. see
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/jul2007/troy-j17.shtml
My son and I both work as police officer's. If we keep letting these type of cop killers go free,police officers throughout the country might as well turn in there badges and let the criminals run rampent. Incidents like this are more common now,more than ever.Everybody that commits a henious act claims to have rights. What about the rights of the innocent.The familes who are affected.I run into alot of criminals, and they all cry, "It's all about me". One drug dealer made the comment, "The money is worth the time".
Officer Mike Beblar
Even if Mr. Davies is guilty, I certainly don't believe he should be executed. And given the doubts about his
guilt, his certainly deserves at least a stay of execution.
Interesting that the American conservatives who whinge about "big government" have no problem giving
federal and state governments the power of life and death over its citizens.
Michael - have you not actually read the original story? Surely you have grasped that there are valid concerns about the way this particular case was investigated and prosecuted. And surely as a police officer you can appreciate the reasons why these concerns are valid. Whether or not you are a supporter of capital punishment for those that murder police officers it is in everyone's best interests that miscarriages of justice are avoided. If this guy did not in fact commit the murder he has been found guilty of, then there is a real killer on the loose who could possibly do it again. Also, the evidence seems to state that capital punishment is not a deterent against murder. Your own country's statistics are proof enough of this.
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