Today the US Supreme Court decides on Troy Davis.

[Gregorian]

http://www.gfadp.org/TakingAction/TroyDavis/tabid/68/Default.aspx

Here's the story:

Case Background:

Troy Davis was sent to Georgia’s death row in 1991 for the murder of Mark Allen MacPhail, a white police officer in Savannah, Georgia in 1989.

The conviction was not based on any physical evidence
The murder weapon was never found. The prosecution relied on witness testimony.

7 out of 9 witnesses have recanted or contradicted their story
Many alleged coercion by the police.

Excerpts from their affidavits:

“ were telling me that I was an accessory to murder and that I would … go to jail for a long time and I would be lucky if I ever got out, especially because a police officer got killed…I was only sixteen and was so scared of going to jail.”



“After the officers talkedto me,they gave me a statement and told me to sign it. I signed it. I did not read it because I cannot read … I was totally unsure whether he was the person who shot the officer. I felt pressured to point at him ... I have no idea what the person who shot the officer looks like.”



“The police came and talked to me and put a lot of pressure on me…. They wanted me to tell them that Troy confessed to me about killing that officer. The thing is, Troy never told me anything about it. I got tired of them harassing me …. I told them that Troy did it, but it wasn’t true.”

“here was and is no doubt in my mind that the person who shot the officer had the gun in and was shooting with his left hand.” Davis is right-handed.

One of the witnesses may be the actual murderer!
1 of the 2 witnesses who has not recanted has been implicated by 9 people as the murderer.

Several factors have made it tough to appeal with the new evidence
Severe cuts to Georgia’s legal defense resources meant that two lawyers represented close to 160 people on death row, including Davis, when he needed critical work done for his appeals. Also, in 1996, Congress passed the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, which increased restrictions on appeals. No court would hear the new evidence - the witness recantations. Davis was turned down throughout his appeals, including at the US Supreme Court.

Davis came within 23 hours of execution in July, 2007. Then , the Georgia Supreme Court said it would consider his “extraordinary motion for a new trial” appeal in August, 2007 and held a hearing in November. On March 17, 2008, the court rejected his appeal on “overly rigid” (dissenting Judge Sears) technicalities setting an impossibly high bar for the recantations to be considered. Troy needs your help! Please take action - sign a petition, educate your friends and contacts.

[bean fidhleir]

1. I wish I could believe it impossible that they'd let Georgia kill him

but this SCOTUS's rulings have had no connection to justice that I can discern.

C'mon folks, this should get beaucoup de recs.

[Mandate My Ass]

2. signed and sent to friends

I fear for this man's life being in the hands of SCOTUS, but if Clarence Thomas did the right thing, they might also.

[Gregorian]

4. I talked with my attorney about this case.

Just briefly. Each justice takes a portion of the case.

My question was how prosecutors in this country can get away with being so rabid. He said they're just playing their game to the maximum. Kind of sad. I've always found this kind of justice to be more like coercion. Mumia also sits on death row.

[Mandate My Ass]

3. kick

This could be this man's last day of life.

[crickets]

5. Kick

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