Day of Action for Troy Davis

by Matt Kelley · 2009-05-19 05:11:00 UTC
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Today is an international day of action for Troy Davis, who has been on Georgia's death row for 18 years for a murder he has always said he didn't commit. Protesters will be on the steps of the Georgia state capitol tonight, and others will gather in almost every state. You can start by taking action online here - call on Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to stop Davis' execution so further evidence can be heard.

Many readers of this blog know about Davis' case. He was convicted of killing a police officer in Savannah in 1991 and sentenced to death. Since his trial, seven of nine eyewitnesses have come forward to say they were wrong - many have gone further and said another man (one of the two 'eyewitnesses' who haven't recanted) was the killer. Davis has come within hours of execution three times only to receive last-minute stays. His attorneys are again looking to the U.S. Supreme Court as Troy's last hopes, and a new execution date could be set anytime.

A story yesterday in USA Today examined the difficulty death row inmates face in attempting to bring new evidence of their innocence before a court of law.

The timeline of Troy Davis' 18 years on death row reads like most other condemned prisoners' slow shuffle to the execution chamber.

His appeals chart a legal marathon from a courtroom in Savannah, Ga., to the U.S. Supreme Court...What doesn't exist in the docket entries or trial transcripts is a formal airing of evidence discovered after Davis' conviction that, his lawyers say, could win his freedom. Seven of nine prosecution witnesses have recanted their testimony

Laura Moye, a deputy director of Amnesty International USA, which supports Davis' appeal, says the "question of innocence doesn't seem to be as much of a priority for the courts as the craving for finality."

Davis deserves his day in court, and we deserve a society without the death penalty. The chances of executing an innocent person are simply too high - especially in a world where even a case with seven of nine witness recanting can't be heard. Let's choose fairness over finality. Take action today.

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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