Finality Over Fairness – The Case of Troy Davis

by angryindian | July 16, 2007 at 06:22 pm

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This is just one more example of racism in the United States. How many more Black men must die before White American society is willing to admit it has a serious problem?? How much longer are we supposed to wait?? - The Angryindian

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Outcry is growing over the scheduled execution of Troy Davis. He is set to be killed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday for murdering a white police officer. The murder weapon was never found. There's no DNA evidence or other physical evidence. Seven of the nine non-police witnesses said they were coerced by police and have since recanted their testimony. We speak to Troy's sister Martina Correia and Amnesty International's Jared Feuer. [includes rush transcript] Troy Anthony Davis will be executed tomorrow night at 7 pm unless the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles commutes his sentence. The 38-year-old African American from Savannah, Georgia has been on death row for more than 15 years for a murder he says he did not commit.

Davis was convicted in 1991 for the murder of white police officer Mark Allen McPhail. The prosecution’s case rested entirely on witness testimony. But seven of the nine non-police witnesses said they were coerced by police and have since recanted their testimony. Nine witnesses have also implicated another man in the murder.

Despite this powerful evidence in Davis's favor, none of it has been heard in a courtroom because of a 1996 law signed by President Clinton called the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act that restricts federal reviews of state death penalty convictions.

Davis's case was also compromised because Congress voted in 1995 to eliminate funding for organizations providing legal assistance to indigent death row prisoners. The Georgia Resource Center, which was defending Davis, had its budget cut by over two-thirds, and Davis was unable to introduce the new evidence earlier.

Three weeks ago the Supreme Court refused Davis's final request for appeal and his execution date was set for Tuesday, July 17. His clemency hearing begins today at 9 am. This is the last chance Troy Davis has to save his life.

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Martina Correia, Troy Davis's older sister. She joins us from Atlanta, Georgia, right before she heads to her brother's clemency hearing. She has been advocating for Troy's release for the past 15 years.

* Jared Feuer, Southern Regional Director of Amnesty International USA.

More Information:

Amnesty International's Troy Davis website

TroyAnthonyDavis.org

Fax Number for Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles: (404) 651-8502