Troy Davis: Hundreds of Thousands Acting, More Action Needed

troy davis petitions

Amnesty staff and coalition partners deliver 650,000 petition signatures to the Georgia Office of Pardons and Paroles on September 15th.

There are hundreds of solidarity events in the works and hundreds of thousands of petition signatures delivered for Troy Davis.

But while the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles is hearing from the more than half a million of us who support Troy Davis, there is one other person, Chatham County (Savannah) District Attorney Larry Chisolm, who can prevent this execution.

D.A. Chisolm can at any time seek to have the current death warrant withdrawn, and he can, instead of opposing, support Troy Davis’ petition for clemency.  And he should do so without delay.

Send a message to D.A. Chisolm right away.

AIUSA welcomes a lively and courteous discussion that follow our Community Guidelines. Comments are not pre-screened before they post but AIUSA reserves the right to remove any comments violating our guidelines.

40 thoughts on “Troy Davis: Hundreds of Thousands Acting, More Action Needed

  1. Killing an innocent man is the death of civilization. Do not allow Georgia to slip into savagery by killing Troy Davis.

  2. This is insane! How can America, who claims to be the most advanced country in the world, let this kind of savage act occur? 7 of the 9 witnesses have recanted, there is no solid proof, yet we can just let a man die?!?!?! As a citizen, I am sorrowful and reproachful of such an event, and I hope the petitions will help Troy Davis have a fair trial!

  3. Killing an innocent man is the death of civilization. Do not allow Georgia to slip into savagery by killing Troy Davis.

  4. You people are indenial. When he was arrested and on the news in handcuffs he was laughing. He did NOT care about that officer or his family. He was a cockey a**hole. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail!!!! Wht is it OK for him to have took this officer from his family, but it's not OK for the courts to take his. I bet alot of you would feel different if this had been your dad,brother,son or husband

  5. This is insane! How can America, who claims to be the most advanced country in the world, let this kind of savage act occur? 7 of the 9 witnesses have recanted, there is no solid proof, yet we can just let a man die?!?!?! As a citizen, I am sorrowful and reproachful of such an event, and I hope the petitions will help Troy Davis have a fair trial!

  6. You people are indenial. When he was arrested and on the news in handcuffs he was laughing. He did NOT care about that officer or his family. He was a cockey a**hole. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail!!!! Wht is it OK for him to have took this officer from his family, but it’s not OK for the courts to take his. I bet alot of you would feel different if this had been your dad,brother,son or husband

  7. Nonsense!
    1.How do you if he is innocent?
    2. Where is justice if the court let him free?
    3. Where is justice for the police officer?
    4. Would it be fair to the polic officer family, if Troy set free?
    5. Everyone who doesn't not know anything about this case, please stop with it, human are easily influenced by newspaper and other person around.
    6.The america who claims to be the most advanced country in the world is wrong, America isn't a country, the most developed country is China, Japan, Korea.
    7.The 7 of 9 witnesses who have recanted may have been influenced about all you people!, they are scared if they do set him death, there are more than 100 thousand people who think he is innocent, they maybe think like you all too!, influenced by people who hasn't any brain about this case.
    8.If he sets free by all your people signature! How would the society looks like then?! The laws is laws, and we must follow it! the laws are not build by signature and if he sets free by signature, what will happen to other criminals then? set free too? by signature, the court would be a mess! wasting time, papers, money, for just a life?, why dont waste it on african people who are starving, you can rescue more than 100 people, 1000, 100000, 10000000 lifes!

  8. @JOANN from that information alone you can not deduct that Troy Davis is without a doubt guilty. I am going to make an assumption hear and assume that you are a Christian. If you're not, its okay, because this quote is actually from Ghandi…

    "An eye for an eye turns the whole world blind".

    Killing a possibly innocent man for the sake of making the police officers family feel better is unjust and immoral.

    You would feel different if your dad, brother, father or mother was on death row for a crime you know they havn't committed…

  9. Why are all of the people posting on here against Davis incapable of forming sentences and using proper grammar?

  10. Nonsense!
    1.How do you if he is innocent?
    2. Where is justice if the court let him free?
    3. Where is justice for the police officer?
    4. Would it be fair to the polic officer family, if Troy set free?
    5. Everyone who doesn’t not know anything about this case, please stop with it, human are easily influenced by newspaper and other person around.
    6.The america who claims to be the most advanced country in the world is wrong, America isn’t a country, the most developed country is China, Japan, Korea.
    7.The 7 of 9 witnesses who have recanted may have been influenced about all you people!, they are scared if they do set him death, there are more than 100 thousand people who think he is innocent, they maybe think like you all too!, influenced by people who hasn’t any brain about this case.
    8.If he sets free by all your people signature! How would the society looks like then?! The laws is laws, and we must follow it! the laws are not build by signature and if he sets free by signature, what will happen to other criminals then? set free too? by signature, the court would be a mess! wasting time, papers, money, for just a life?, why dont waste it on african people who are starving, you can rescue more than 100 people, 1000, 100000, 10000000 lifes!

  11. Your list is pretty ridiculous and far-fetched since the petition is not setting anyone free. The petition is to stop his execution so this man gets a fair trial and not have to die for a case with so much doubt. Wouldn't justice be served for Office McPhail if the right murderer was prosecuted?
    Where is the justice if a possibly innocent man is killed by the government?
    There is just too much doubt.
    Coercion by police investigating is not uncommon and this should be accounted for.

    Contrary to what you say, laws are created by signatures—the approval of lawmakers. Laws are laws, but they change as we progress. Some laws from the yester years are ludicrous and petitions like the ones initiated by Amnesty save innocent lives from these outdated laws. We don't stone adulterous women any more, nor do we segregate colored people into their own sections. THANK GOD!

  12. @JOANN from that information alone you can not deduct that Troy Davis is without a doubt guilty. I am going to make an assumption hear and assume that you are a Christian. If you’re not, its okay, because this quote is actually from Ghandi…

    “An eye for an eye turns the whole world blind”.

    Killing a possibly innocent man for the sake of making the police officers family feel better is unjust and immoral.

    You would feel different if your dad, brother, father or mother was on death row for a crime you know they havn’t committed…

  13. Why are all of the people posting on here against Davis incapable of forming sentences and using proper grammar?

  14. Your list is pretty ridiculous and far-fetched since the petition is not setting anyone free. The petition is to stop his execution so this man gets a fair trial and not have to die for a case with so much doubt. Wouldn’t justice be served for Office McPhail if the right murderer was prosecuted?
    Where is the justice if a possibly innocent man is killed by the government?
    There is just too much doubt.
    Coercion by police investigating is not uncommon and this should be accounted for.

    Contrary to what you say, laws are created by signatures—the approval of lawmakers. Laws are laws, but they change as we progress. Some laws from the yester years are ludicrous and petitions like the ones initiated by Amnesty save innocent lives from these outdated laws. We don’t stone adulterous women any more, nor do we segregate colored people into their own sections. THANK GOD!

  15. I don' t understand, if there is any doubt don't execute. Free Troy Davis.. The system doesn't work for those who need it the most..

  16. At this point it's less about finding him guilty or not guilty and more about allowing this guy to get a new trial based on new evidence that is now available as well as bringing up old evidence and testimony that was later recanted. What if he's really innocent? Then we'll be sending an innocent man to the electric chair. Like Berinda said, if there's any doubt then we shouldn't execute. That there's been multiple stays of execution should show that there's enough doubt for the judges to keep postponing things.

    I don't know if he's guilty or not guilty but I do think he at least deserves a new trial. If he's a guilty man then he'll go back into jail. If he's not guilty than he goes free. Either way we should give him a new trial because even if he's guilty (I personally don't know since I've only heard things secondhand) and gets off, this might make it easier for someone who is absolutely innocent to get that second trial and avoid the death penalty.

  17. I don’ t understand, if there is any doubt don’t execute. Free Troy Davis.. The system doesn’t work for those who need it the most..

  18. At this point it’s less about finding him guilty or not guilty and more about allowing this guy to get a new trial based on new evidence that is now available as well as bringing up old evidence and testimony that was later recanted. What if he’s really innocent? Then we’ll be sending an innocent man to the electric chair. Like Berinda said, if there’s any doubt then we shouldn’t execute. That there’s been multiple stays of execution should show that there’s enough doubt for the judges to keep postponing things.

    I don’t know if he’s guilty or not guilty but I do think he at least deserves a new trial. If he’s a guilty man then he’ll go back into jail. If he’s not guilty than he goes free. Either way we should give him a new trial because even if he’s guilty (I personally don’t know since I’ve only heard things secondhand) and gets off, this might make it easier for someone who is absolutely innocent to get that second trial and avoid the death penalty.

  19. If is not guilty that this is a travesty. Officer MacPhail would not want this. He worked to protect.
    At the very least, evidence should be looked over. Witnesses should be interviewed again.
    There are hundreds of people in prison that are innocent. Ours is a failed system.
    Good Luck to Troy. May the truth set you free.

  20. I will be attending the protest die-in action at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal this afternoon (organized by the Concordia University chapter of Amnesty International).

    The address is : 1155 Rue St-Alexandre, Montréal, Québec. It's between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and you just need to show up. Hope to see you if you can make it!

  21. If is not guilty that this is a travesty. Officer MacPhail would not want this. He worked to protect.
    At the very least, evidence should be looked over. Witnesses should be interviewed again.
    There are hundreds of people in prison that are innocent. Ours is a failed system.
    Good Luck to Troy. May the truth set you free.

  22. I will be attending the protest die-in action at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal this afternoon (organized by the Concordia University chapter of Amnesty International).

    The address is : 1155 Rue St-Alexandre, Montréal, Québec. It’s between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and you just need to show up. Hope to see you if you can make it!

  23. This case has haunted me for so long – usually I find Death Penalty cases difficult to handle because of the fear that builds up every time a new execution date is set. I pray for peace for Troy and his family and I pray for peace for Officer McPhail's family – I am a Police Foundations Law and Security programd and my husband is a Certified Protectio Officer and I worry about him every time he goes to work.

    I visited Officer McPhail's memorium page and saw a picture of a young, somewhat shy man with the look in his eyes that all good police officers have – determination to do the very best job they can.

    I have read a number of comments from people who want to execute Troy Davis, but one thing sticks out to me – none of them seem to have looked completely at the facts. The gun, for the record belonged to Sylvester Coles. He claimed he lost it, but apparently made no effort to find it because it must have been somewhere out in the open if Troy Davis just 'found' it. So we have a scared teenager (Troy not Coles) who just happens to find the weapon in time to shoot an off duty Police Officer. With no practice he just happens to find the two most vulnerable spots, under the arm where the bullet proof vest doesn't quite cover it and another shot in the head – first try. Wow, I'm taking Police Foundations and I don't think it’s that easy to hit a target while looking into the eyes of a dying man.

    Interesting how on Anderson Cooper 360, 9 witnesses have not only recanted their testimony but signed affidavits charging that they witnessed Sylvester Coles shoot Officer McPhail. At least one juror said that if they had known then what they know now they would never have found Troy Guilty. Shouldn't Coles at least be looked at closer -oh no that's right you have your scapegoat and Sylvester 'murdering' Coles, who refuses to admit his role is a loving family man, probably teaching his kids target practice so they can bag a few cops.

    We lost a Police Officer recently; one of several, and his widow was so distraught she could barely speak at his funeral. It was a routine traffic stop – four teens in a stolen van. When he realized the van was stolen and the driver underage, he reached in to take the keys. That's when the cowardly little pig (like Sylvester Coles) took off dragging the Officer with him for about 300 feet until the van rolled over pinning the Officer. His last words to his dispatcher were total concern for the kids in the van – not himself. In this case the driver received a punishment most would consider worse than death – paralysis

    If the decision is to go ahead and execute Troy Anthony Davis, it will have far reaching effects..Countries in the world who have banned the Death Penalty and who have for the most part expressed polite concern about what could easily become a travesty of justice have joined in the fight for justice. I fear it will lead to a backlash of emotion, expecially from countries in the world who are fed up with the United States forcing it's "morality" down their throats will have an even bigger reason to lose respect for the way the United States handles things.

    You know execution is too quick and doesn't bring closure. Example, sexual sadist Paul Bernardo is going nuts in his cell because he can never have sex again – unless it's with himself and the guards are watching. And he'll be there until the day he dies. Kristin, Leslie and Tammy among others have the last laugh after all.

    We always try to teach kids to respect the law and those who enforce it. From what I have read about Officer Mark McPhail, he was a hero. HE IS A HERO. Please can't a way be found to investigate Sylvester Coles before it is too late.

    For the record, I am not taking sides, I believe in justice and want to be sure that this has happened in this case. Death Penalty cases somehow seem easier when it's a country who uses illegal or extrajudicial executions to clean up their mess. This case i truly heartbreaking, for everyone involved.

    Corinne Johnston

  24. This case has haunted me for so long – usually I find Death Penalty cases difficult to handle because of the fear that builds up every time a new execution date is set. I pray for peace for Troy and his family and I pray for peace for Officer McPhail’s family – I am a Police Foundations Law and Security programd and my husband is a Certified Protectio Officer and I worry about him every time he goes to work.

    I visited Officer McPhail’s memorium page and saw a picture of a young, somewhat shy man with the look in his eyes that all good police officers have – determination to do the very best job they can.

    I have read a number of comments from people who want to execute Troy Davis, but one thing sticks out to me – none of them seem to have looked completely at the facts. The gun, for the record belonged to Sylvester Coles. He claimed he lost it, but apparently made no effort to find it because it must have been somewhere out in the open if Troy Davis just ‘found’ it. So we have a scared teenager (Troy not Coles) who just happens to find the weapon in time to shoot an off duty Police Officer. With no practice he just happens to find the two most vulnerable spots, under the arm where the bullet proof vest doesn’t quite cover it and another shot in the head – first try. Wow, I’m taking Police Foundations and I don’t think it’s that easy to hit a target while looking into the eyes of a dying man.

    Interesting how on Anderson Cooper 360, 9 witnesses have not only recanted their testimony but signed affidavits charging that they witnessed Sylvester Coles shoot Officer McPhail. At least one juror said that if they had known then what they know now they would never have found Troy Guilty. Shouldn’t Coles at least be looked at closer -oh no that’s right you have your scapegoat and Sylvester ‘murdering’ Coles, who refuses to admit his role is a loving family man, probably teaching his kids target practice so they can bag a few cops.

    We lost a Police Officer recently; one of several, and his widow was so distraught she could barely speak at his funeral. It was a routine traffic stop – four teens in a stolen van. When he realized the van was stolen and the driver underage, he reached in to take the keys. That’s when the cowardly little pig (like Sylvester Coles) took off dragging the Officer with him for about 300 feet until the van rolled over pinning the Officer. His last words to his dispatcher were total concern for the kids in the van – not himself. In this case the driver received a punishment most would consider worse than death – paralysis

    If the decision is to go ahead and execute Troy Anthony Davis, it will have far reaching effects..Countries in the world who have banned the Death Penalty and who have for the most part expressed polite concern about what could easily become a travesty of justice have joined in the fight for justice. I fear it will lead to a backlash of emotion, expecially from countries in the world who are fed up with the United States forcing it’s “morality” down their throats will have an even bigger reason to lose respect for the way the United States handles things.

    You know execution is too quick and doesn’t bring closure. Example, sexual sadist Paul Bernardo is going nuts in his cell because he can never have sex again – unless it’s with himself and the guards are watching. And he’ll be there until the day he dies. Kristin, Leslie and Tammy among others have the last laugh after all.

    We always try to teach kids to respect the law and those who enforce it. From what I have read about Officer Mark McPhail, he was a hero. HE IS A HERO. Please can’t a way be found to investigate Sylvester Coles before it is too late.

    For the record, I am not taking sides, I believe in justice and want to be sure that this has happened in this case. Death Penalty cases somehow seem easier when it’s a country who uses illegal or extrajudicial executions to clean up their mess. This case i truly heartbreaking, for everyone involved.

    Corinne Johnston

  25. I don't know why there isn't more outrage over this case by all humans. This man needs to be released and the state needs to made amends to him, although that would be impossible to give back 2 decades. At least free this innocent man NOW!

  26. I don’t know why there isn’t more outrage over this case by all humans. This man needs to be released and the state needs to made amends to him, although that would be impossible to give back 2 decades. At least free this innocent man NOW!

  27. Take action tomorrow in solidarity with this injustice in our biased justice system, where? everywhere. This is call is for those in L.A, tomorrow 9a.m!

  28. Killing an innocent person for the crime that this person (Troy Davis) did not commit is not justice! This man, Troy Davis, deserves a fair trail. This man is innocent. Free Troy Davis! Do not allow Georgia to slip into savagery by killing Troy Davis.

  29. Take action tomorrow in solidarity with this injustice in our biased justice system, where? everywhere. This is call is for those in L.A, tomorrow 9a.m!

  30. I can't believe that I am hearing and reading this, after I watched and read about Casey Anthony just walk out of a case bc there

  31. was doubt and not enough evidence! This is terrible, and this should not be happening. It absolutley makes no sense, and just as humans period, we ALL should have an issue with killing an innocent man. This is not right. Troy Davis does not deserve this, nor does any human being.

  32. Killing an innocent person for the crime that this person (Troy Davis) did not commit is not justice! This man, Troy Davis, deserves a fair trail. This man is innocent. Free Troy Davis! Do not allow Georgia to slip into savagery by killing Troy Davis.

  33. I can’t believe that I am hearing and reading this, after I watched and read about Casey Anthony just walk out of a case bc there

  34. was doubt and not enough evidence! This is terrible, and this should not be happening. It absolutley makes no sense, and just as humans period, we ALL should have an issue with killing an innocent man. This is not right. Troy Davis does not deserve this, nor does any human being.

  35. Society is only as strong as the people in it but we must remember that humans are fallible and WE DO GET it wrong. In this case there is enough evidence of doubt as to Troy committing this crime.

    The pain that Mr McPhail's family are experiencing is beyond imagining and they are entitled to justice but should it come to pass that an innocent man died as a result of society's weakness would this not add insult to the memory of son, father, husband that they lost.

    To those who are in the position of making this decision please show us that though we are weak you can be strong and lead us to the hope that the right decision can be made. Sending this man to his death without all the facts will not serve the family or justice.

  36. I am shocked to the very core that this man, with so little real evidence against him, is to be murdered in the US today. How can people still believe in the death penalty when so much doubt surrounds so many murder cases? It is SO wrong and so barbaric. The man's already served 20 years in jail. Yet Casey Anthony, a young white woman walks free and he is to be killed? There is no justice in America and I can't help thinking this is just so racist. Land of the free? No, it isn't. How very, very sad.

  37. Society is only as strong as the people in it but we must remember that humans are fallible and WE DO GET it wrong. In this case there is enough evidence of doubt as to Troy committing this crime.

    The pain that Mr McPhail’s family are experiencing is beyond imagining and they are entitled to justice but should it come to pass that an innocent man died as a result of society’s weakness would this not add insult to the memory of son, father, husband that they lost.

    To those who are in the position of making this decision please show us that though we are weak you can be strong and lead us to the hope that the right decision can be made. Sending this man to his death without all the facts will not serve the family or justice.

  38. I am shocked to the very core that this man, with so little real evidence against him, is to be murdered in the US today. How can people still believe in the death penalty when so much doubt surrounds so many murder cases? It is SO wrong and so barbaric. The man’s already served 20 years in jail. Yet Casey Anthony, a young white woman walks free and he is to be killed? There is no justice in America and I can’t help thinking this is just so racist. Land of the free? No, it isn’t. How very, very sad.

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