Execution Date is Inevitable. Execution is NOT.
April 8, 2011 •
Back row, left to right: Richard Hughes (Keane), Troy Davis, Alistair Carmichael (MP), Kim Manning-Cooper (AI), Laura Moye (AI); Front: Virginia Davis and Martina Correia (family)
Troy Davis has run out of appeals. But he has not run out of hope, and neither have we.
It has been one harrowing rollercoaster ride for Troy Davis since he was implicated in the horrible murder of Officer Mark MacPhail in 1989. Troy has faced three execution dates and he is about to face a fourth.
The question before Georgia right now is, “how will it carry out an execution?” The seizure of its lethal injection drugs has caused a delay in the process, but that could be resolved very soon. The next question, the more important one, will be, “will Georgia carry out an execution?” And in Troy Davis’ case, the question is even more intense, “will it execute a person despite the fact that doubts about his guilt remain unresolved?”
Davis was tasked with proving his innocence at a special evidentiary hearing last year. The judge ruled against him and the Supreme Court on March 28 refused to hear his appeal of the ruling. His case exists in a weird grey zone where he’s been unable to prove his innocence to the “extraordinarily high” standard set by the courts, but it’s clear that doubts persist about his guilt. Without the benefit of physical evidence, his conviction relies on the testimony of a group of witnesses, most of whom have recanted, and many of whom allege police pressured them into testifying falsely at the trial.
Troy’s innocence claim relies on these same witnesses, but the courts that accepted their credibility for the conviction did not buy their newer testimony. I was at the hearing last summer. When a witness took the stand to swear that he saw a relative of his, not Troy Davis, shoot the police officer, that was powerful testimony. But he showed up in a prison jumpsuit and the state underscored his record to attack his credibility, and the judge didn’t believe that he had reasonable fears keeping him from speaking all these years. What is hard to understand is why these witnesses would go to great lengths to tell a new story, risking charges of perjury, some feeling threatened either by the system or by the alternative suspect. And not a one has gained fame, public praise or one red cent.
I have been on this journey with Troy’s family, though for only four years and not twenty-two. I have visited him. I have stood with his family on countless occasions. They are fighters. They believe deeply in their faith and they believe deeply in the power of hope to overcome injustice. And they are sorry for the double injustice of what their loved one has experienced and the awful and endless journey Officer MacPhail’s family has experienced, too.
This is what we need you to do:
1) Believe in the power of hope and in the power of collective action for human rights. This case is changing things!
2) Circulate the petition for Troy Davis widely. Ask ten friends to ask ten friends to fill up the petition form and/or circulate the link to the online petition. Click on the icons above to share this blog on your Facebook wall and twitter.
3) Comb your contacts for connections to religious leaders and legal professionals and ask them to add their names the two sign-on letters.
4) Be prepared to join us for an international day of solidarity, which will be set once an execution date is set. We will organize actions in Georgia and want you to join us in Atlanta or organize something where you live. Together we will say to Georgia’s Board of Pardons and Paroles, the final failsafe, “There is too much doubt in the Troy Davis case. Grant Troy Davis clemency to prevent what could be a horrific and irreversible mistake.”
The death penalty is state killing that every tax payer is accomplice to, whether s/he believes in this out-dated, midieval, cruel, inhuman, barbaric, proven ineffective, grossly expensive, and immoral form of totalitariain form of injustice! What unintelligent fool in his or her right mind-no linger ignorant of the facts about this state dpi sponsored, anti-spiritual, anti-modern christian, anti-buddhist, anti common sene, revenge-would elect to support giving the state the power to kill people? People, The US is the last industrialized democracy continuing to kill it's citizens, and the flawed legal system uses that to put people on death row while you pay for it, whether you area 17 year old paper boy, a working home maker, a priest, a monk, or an oil executive who buys his wife fur coats and supports a republican agenda. Are you happy with that? To me, it's cruel, moronic idiocy.
The death penalty is state killing that every tax payer is accomplice to, whether s/he believes in this out-dated, midieval, cruel, inhuman, barbaric, proven ineffective, grossly expensive, and immoral form of totalitariain form of injustice! What unintelligent fool in his or her right mind-no linger ignorant of the facts about this state dpi sponsored, anti-spiritual, anti-modern christian, anti-buddhist, anti common sene, revenge-would elect to support giving the state the power to kill people? People, The US is the last industrialized democracy continuing to kill it’s citizens, and the flawed legal system uses that to put people on death row while you pay for it, whether you area 17 year old paper boy, a working home maker, a priest, a monk, or an oil executive who buys his wife fur coats and supports a republican agenda. Are you happy with that? To me, it’s cruel, moronic idiocy.
He's innocent. Yes our legal system is flawed but it is a system designed by human beings. So the Parole Board has the power to turn this around. As a human being I feel disgusted that this is a practice in our country. Its so embarrasing. As a lawyer, I do not believe that there is grey line here. If we execute an innoncent man because of legal protocol, we have merely undermined the legal system we have built that claims to lift up truth and justice, but instead would sentence a man who seems to clearly be innocent to the legal injection. It's incredible that we have gotten to this point. The complacency is unbelievable and we all need to stand up and say enough is enough…
If you're talking about a police officer being killed, the prosecution is basically out for blood, and it won't matter to them so much if they convict the right guy or not.
He’s innocent. Yes our legal system is flawed but it is a system designed by human beings. So the Parole Board has the power to turn this around. As a human being I feel disgusted that this is a practice in our country. Its so embarrasing. As a lawyer, I do not believe that there is grey line here. If we execute an innoncent man because of legal protocol, we have merely undermined the legal system we have built that claims to lift up truth and justice, but instead would sentence a man who seems to clearly be innocent to the legal injection. It’s incredible that we have gotten to this point. The complacency is unbelievable and we all need to stand up and say enough is enough…
If you’re talking about a police officer being killed, the prosecution is basically out for blood, and it won’t matter to them so much if they convict the right guy or not.
Please think before you take this innocent man's life. It will be on your conscience and will solve nothing.
Please think before you take this innocent man’s life. It will be on your conscience and will solve nothing.
HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH THE THOUGHT OF EXECUTING AN INNOCENT MAN?
HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH THE THOUGHT OF EXECUTING AN INNOCENT MAN?
The State of Georgia must not murder an innocent man. Please reconsider and look more closely at the evidence and lack of evidence.
The State of Georgia must not murder an innocent man. Please reconsider and look more closely at the evidence and lack of evidence.
The fact is that I don't know if he is innocent or not because I was not there. But when the case against him has zero physical evidence, and is entirely based on eyewitness testimony, those witnesses should be clear and reliable. And they are not. Here's what the witnesses are saying now:
Affidavits Recanting Testimony or Statements Given in the Troy Davis Case:
Kevin McQueen
“The truth is that Troy never confessed to me or talked to me about the shooting of the police officer. I made up the confession from information I had heard on T.V. and from other inmates about the crimes. Troy did not tell me any of this… I have now realized what I did to Troy so I have decided to tell the truth… I need to set the record straight.”
Monty Holmes
“I told them I didn’t know anything about who shot the officer, but they kept questioning me. I was real young at that time and here they were questioning me about the murder of a police officer like I was in trouble or something. I was scared… [I]t seemed like they wouldn’t stop questioning me until I told them what they wanted to hear. So I did. I signed a statement saying that Troy told me that he shot the cop.”
Jeffrey Sapp
“I got tired of them harassing me, and they made it clear that the only way they would leave me alone is if I told them what they wanted to hear. I told them that Troy told me he did it, but it wasn’t true. Troy never said that or anything like it. When it came time for Troy’s trial, the police made it clear to me that I needed to stick to my original statement; that is, what they wanted me to say. I didn’t want to have any more problems with the cops, so I testified against Troy.”
Dorothy Ferrell
“From the way the officer was talking, he gave me the impression that I should say that Troy Davis was the one who shot the officer like the other witness [sic] had… I felt like I was just following the rest of the witnesses. I also felt like I had to cooperate with the officer because of my being on parole…I told the detective that Troy Davis was the shooter, even though the truth was that I didn’t see who shot the officer.”
Darrell "D.D." Collins
“After a couple of hours of the detectives yelling at me and threatening me, I finally broke down and told them what they wanted to hear. They would tell me things that they said had happened and I would repeat whatever they said. … It is time that I told the truth about what happened that night, and what is written here is the truth. I am not proud for lying at Troy’s trial, but the police had me so messed up that I felt that’s all I could do or else I would go to jail.”
Larry Young
“I couldn’t honestly remember what anyone looked like or what different people were wearing. Plus, I had been drinking that day, so I just couldn’t tell who did what. The cops didn’t want to hear that and kept pressing me to give them answers. They made it clear that we weren’t leaving until I told them what they wanted to hear. They suggested answers and I would give them what they wanted. They put typed papers in my face and told me to sign them. I did sign them without reading them.”
Antoine Williams
“They asked me to describe the shooter and what he looked like and what he was wearing. I kept telling them that I didn’t know. It was dark, my windows were tinted, and I was scared. It all happened so fast. Even today, I know that I could not honestly identify with any certainty who shot the officer that night. I couldn’t then either. After the officers talked to me, they gave me a statement and told me to sign it. I signed it. I did not read it because I cannot read.”
Robert Grizzard
“I have reviewed the transcript of my testimony from the trial of Troy Davis… During my testimony I said that the person who shot the officer was wearing a light colored shirt. The truth is that I don’t recall now and I didn’t recall then what the shooter was wearing, as I said in my initial statement …”
Michael Cooper
“I have had a chance to review a statement which I supposedly gave to police officers on June 25, 1991. I remember that they asked a lot of questions and typed up a statement which they told me to sign. I did not read the statement before I signed. In fact, I have not seen it before today. … What is written in that statement is a lie.”
Benjamin Gordon
“I just kept telling them that I didn’t do anything, but they weren’t hearing that. After four or five hours, they told me to sign some papers. I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I didn’t read what they told me to sign and they didn’t ask me to.”
The fact is that I don’t know if he is innocent or not because I was not there. But when the case against him has zero physical evidence, and is entirely based on eyewitness testimony, those witnesses should be clear and reliable. And they are not. Here’s what the witnesses are saying now:
Affidavits Recanting Testimony or Statements Given in the Troy Davis Case:
Kevin McQueen
“The truth is that Troy never confessed to me or talked to me about the shooting of the police officer. I made up the confession from information I had heard on T.V. and from other inmates about the crimes. Troy did not tell me any of this… I have now realized what I did to Troy so I have decided to tell the truth… I need to set the record straight.”
Monty Holmes
“I told them I didn’t know anything about who shot the officer, but they kept questioning me. I was real young at that time and here they were questioning me about the murder of a police officer like I was in trouble or something. I was scared… [I]t seemed like they wouldn’t stop questioning me until I told them what they wanted to hear. So I did. I signed a statement saying that Troy told me that he shot the cop.”
Jeffrey Sapp
“I got tired of them harassing me, and they made it clear that the only way they would leave me alone is if I told them what they wanted to hear. I told them that Troy told me he did it, but it wasn’t true. Troy never said that or anything like it. When it came time for Troy’s trial, the police made it clear to me that I needed to stick to my original statement; that is, what they wanted me to say. I didn’t want to have any more problems with the cops, so I testified against Troy.”
Dorothy Ferrell
“From the way the officer was talking, he gave me the impression that I should say that Troy Davis was the one who shot the officer like the other witness [sic] had… I felt like I was just following the rest of the witnesses. I also felt like I had to cooperate with the officer because of my being on parole…I told the detective that Troy Davis was the shooter, even though the truth was that I didn’t see who shot the officer.”
Darrell “D.D.” Collins
“After a couple of hours of the detectives yelling at me and threatening me, I finally broke down and told them what they wanted to hear. They would tell me things that they said had happened and I would repeat whatever they said. … It is time that I told the truth about what happened that night, and what is written here is the truth. I am not proud for lying at Troy’s trial, but the police had me so messed up that I felt that’s all I could do or else I would go to jail.”
Larry Young
“I couldn’t honestly remember what anyone looked like or what different people were wearing. Plus, I had been drinking that day, so I just couldn’t tell who did what. The cops didn’t want to hear that and kept pressing me to give them answers. They made it clear that we weren’t leaving until I told them what they wanted to hear. They suggested answers and I would give them what they wanted. They put typed papers in my face and told me to sign them. I did sign them without reading them.”
Antoine Williams
“They asked me to describe the shooter and what he looked like and what he was wearing. I kept telling them that I didn’t know. It was dark, my windows were tinted, and I was scared. It all happened so fast. Even today, I know that I could not honestly identify with any certainty who shot the officer that night. I couldn’t then either. After the officers talked to me, they gave me a statement and told me to sign it. I signed it. I did not read it because I cannot read.”
Robert Grizzard
“I have reviewed the transcript of my testimony from the trial of Troy Davis… During my testimony I said that the person who shot the officer was wearing a light colored shirt. The truth is that I don’t recall now and I didn’t recall then what the shooter was wearing, as I said in my initial statement …”
Michael Cooper
“I have had a chance to review a statement which I supposedly gave to police officers on June 25, 1991. I remember that they asked a lot of questions and typed up a statement which they told me to sign. I did not read the statement before I signed. In fact, I have not seen it before today. … What is written in that statement is a lie.”
Benjamin Gordon
“I just kept telling them that I didn’t do anything, but they weren’t hearing that. After four or five hours, they told me to sign some papers. I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I didn’t read what they told me to sign and they didn’t ask me to.”
The more I study this case, the more confident I am that Davis is guilty. It says on Amnesty's site that they don't take a position on whether Davis is guilty or not, that they oppose his death sentence either way. But why push for Troy Davis and not for one of hundreds of the others? Is Troy Davis really the least guilty person on death row? With all of the eyewitnesses? Fleeing to the Atlanta area? The blood stained shorts? The bullet matched to a bullet fired earlier that evening? The assault on an unarmed guard at the Chatham County Jail?
Dozens of judges have reviewed this case and not one thinks that Davis is innocent. The case just got out of the Supreme Court. They have 9 justices. At least 4 have to want to take a case. We know that at most 3 justices wanted to hear the Davis case. That means 6 justices (possibly more) didn't want to touch it. Some of the same ones who voted to give Davis his special hearing.
Davis got a fair trial from a majority-black jury, and they are the ones who sentenced him to death. The only victim in this case is Officer MacPhail.
The more I study this case, the more confident I am that Davis is guilty. It says on Amnesty’s site that they don’t take a position on whether Davis is guilty or not, that they oppose his death sentence either way. But why push for Troy Davis and not for one of hundreds of the others? Is Troy Davis really the least guilty person on death row? With all of the eyewitnesses? Fleeing to the Atlanta area? The blood stained shorts? The bullet matched to a bullet fired earlier that evening? The assault on an unarmed guard at the Chatham County Jail?
Dozens of judges have reviewed this case and not one thinks that Davis is innocent. The case just got out of the Supreme Court. They have 9 justices. At least 4 have to want to take a case. We know that at most 3 justices wanted to hear the Davis case. That means 6 justices (possibly more) didn’t want to touch it. Some of the same ones who voted to give Davis his special hearing.
Davis got a fair trial from a majority-black jury, and they are the ones who sentenced him to death. The only victim in this case is Officer MacPhail.
The Troy Davis case is one that should make everyone think twice about allowing the state to execute people. The narrative that was presented at trial that convinced a jury to convict Davis would not hold up in court today. The appeals courts were always highly divided about how to treat this case. On the one hand, they were reluctant to find gross errors in the legal procedures followed. On the other hand, the case seemed to warrant close scrutiny, because of the unusual number of recantations by witnesses and the statements by new witnesses saying another suspect’s behavior was suspicious immediately following the crime and that he confessed privately to the murder. Davis was denied relief, because he wasn’t able to prove his innocence to an extremely high standard legal standard, but every review of the case has highlighted doubts about his guilt at the same time.
As to the physical evidence that the prosecution tried to use to bolster its now totally fragmented case, it is insubstantial to say the least. A report from the GBI after the trial showed that there was not enough information to make the link, as the prosecutors had done, between Officer MacPhail’s murder and a non-fatal shooting earlier in the evening. There are not just no prints anywhere and the murder weapon was never recovered. A pair of shorts the prosecutors claimed was incriminating has been tested and there in no DNA available from them. It is not clear when they were stained or if the stains are blood or, if so, whose blood. Not a trump card, not even a playing card.
Whatever conclusions are drawn about Davis’ guilt at this point, it must be conceded the case is not “ironclad,” as the judge at the evidentiary hearing himself indicated, and that a man’s life is at stake. Because the legal system fails so often, including wrongfully convicting at least 138 individuals since 1973, cases like Troy Davis’ should be taken very seriously. This is good reason for Amnesty to focus on Troy Davis.
The Troy Davis case is one that should make everyone think twice about allowing the state to execute people. The narrative that was presented at trial that convinced a jury to convict Davis would not hold up in court today. The appeals courts were always highly divided about how to treat this case. On the one hand, they were reluctant to find gross errors in the legal procedures followed. On the other hand, the case seemed to warrant close scrutiny, because of the unusual number of recantations by witnesses and the statements by new witnesses saying another suspect’s behavior was suspicious immediately following the crime and that he confessed privately to the murder. Davis was denied relief, because he wasn’t able to prove his innocence to an extremely high standard legal standard, but every review of the case has highlighted doubts about his guilt at the same time.
As to the physical evidence that the prosecution tried to use to bolster its now totally fragmented case, it is insubstantial to say the least. A report from the GBI after the trial showed that there was not enough information to make the link, as the prosecutors had done, between Officer MacPhail’s murder and a non-fatal shooting earlier in the evening. There are not just no prints anywhere and the murder weapon was never recovered. A pair of shorts the prosecutors claimed was incriminating has been tested and there in no DNA available from them. It is not clear when they were stained or if the stains are blood or, if so, whose blood. Not a trump card, not even a playing card.
Whatever conclusions are drawn about Davis’ guilt at this point, it must be conceded the case is not “ironclad,” as the judge at the evidentiary hearing himself indicated, and that a man’s life is at stake. Because the legal system fails so often, including wrongfully convicting at least 138 individuals since 1973, cases like Troy Davis’ should be taken very seriously. This is good reason for Amnesty to focus on Troy Davis.
Mark A-
You must not be studying the case very hard.
Not even hard enough to read the post directly above your own post, which points out that 7 of the 9 eyewitnesses have recanted, and that the trial did not bring forth physical evidence connecting him to the crime. Zero physical evidence. The fact that bullets matched other bullets does not speak to who fired them.
Mark A-
You must not be studying the case very hard.
Not even hard enough to read the post directly above your own post, which points out that 7 of the 9 eyewitnesses have recanted, and that the trial did not bring forth physical evidence connecting him to the crime. Zero physical evidence. The fact that bullets matched other bullets does not speak to who fired them.
Sounds like the witnesses are trying to say that they were lacking in the moral fortitude to tell the truth the first time around. They were not willing to stand on principle at that time, why should it suddenly happen that they are so brave now that they will finally "do the right thing". Sounds like some useful idiots working to keep this guy from being properly dealt with.
Sounds like the witnesses are trying to say that they were lacking in the moral fortitude to tell the truth the first time around. They were not willing to stand on principle at that time, why should it suddenly happen that they are so brave now that they will finally “do the right thing”. Sounds like some useful idiots working to keep this guy from being properly dealt with.
Man's inhumane treatment of man..Lord help Us.!!!
The death penalty serves no absolutely purpose in a society that calls itself truly civilized. Executing a human life is not sanctioned by our deepest religious or moral principles nor is it necessary to give closure to the tragic victims of crime. Taking one life does not and will never replace another, and we would be best served by sentencing those who commit such heinous crimes to physical work for the rest of their incarcerated lives to compensate the families of those murdered.
What are the names of the Supreme Court justices who refused even to consider Davis' plea? What kind of person can allow the killing of another when they might prevent it? It's not that they believe him guilty. They don't know that, because they won't even look at new testimony. Following the "rules" is more important to them than a man's life. These "justices" should be ashamed.
Every judge or justice who has turned this man down shares in his eventual murder. And murder is what it will be.
I telephone-fundraised for Amnesty International UK and read about Troy in their magazine. Amnesty would not compaign for someone like Troy without iron-cast research under their belt.
My heart and warmest wishes go especially to Troy but also to his family.
I am not sure if this man is guilty or not… he is the only one who knows it. But I don't care. Noone can take a life in cold blood like that. Executions have to stop.
The question was posed how they could live with the though of killing Troy Davis. The answer to that is they do not think. Thinking is not in their job description.
Man’s inhumane treatment of man..Lord help Us.!!!
The death penalty serves no absolutely purpose in a society that calls itself truly civilized. Executing a human life is not sanctioned by our deepest religious or moral principles nor is it necessary to give closure to the tragic victims of crime. Taking one life does not and will never replace another, and we would be best served by sentencing those who commit such heinous crimes to physical work for the rest of their incarcerated lives to compensate the families of those murdered.
What are the names of the Supreme Court justices who refused even to consider Davis’ plea? What kind of person can allow the killing of another when they might prevent it? It’s not that they believe him guilty. They don’t know that, because they won’t even look at new testimony. Following the “rules” is more important to them than a man’s life. These “justices” should be ashamed.
Every judge or justice who has turned this man down shares in his eventual murder. And murder is what it will be.
I telephone-fundraised for Amnesty International UK and read about Troy in their magazine. Amnesty would not compaign for someone like Troy without iron-cast research under their belt.
My heart and warmest wishes go especially to Troy but also to his family.
I am not sure if this man is guilty or not… he is the only one who knows it. But I don’t care. Noone can take a life in cold blood like that. Executions have to stop.
The problem is not with our legal system. That is merely symtomatic of the far greater, foundation issue: most of us have been inculcated to believe there is a here-after. I am not arguing for or against that idea, but to say that this gives humanity the idea that one goes to the here-after if forgiven, so we pray for the soul of the man we kill-asking God to have mercy on it-thus assuming the person and his soul are in the hands of the divine, and thinking sub-consciously
that we are absolved from guilt, having taken a human life.
Additionally, and more importantly, we suffer from the delusion that what was taught in the old testement is right; "an eye for an eye". This is also based on the idea that the supernatural; God, takes care of all things in this recipricol nature.
In short, humanity is still vastly primitive. Truth be told, I actually used these examples to underwrite the practiced ideas in a less than conventional, and sarcastic tone, but do not believe for a moment that the advocates of capital punishment in government really believe any of this Heaven and God business.
Every one of these governors and judges; lawyers and counselmen-are privately atheists and agnostics-pretending to believe in order to be elected and supported by the masses. I don't say there is anything wrong with believing as one believes; that's a basic human right only denied by monsters, but these people who pretend to believe in God while supporting capital punishment are not fooling me. You don't have to be an idiot to realize belief in God precludes wanting to kill another human being, and people who think it's okay who are not lying, ARE idiots, because common sense tells you no decent god would accept your supporting the deliberate death of a man who is not an immediate threat to your life.
We are ruled by idiots and immoral liars, which makes us pretty damn stupid, or dispicably lazy, or both.
People who support capital punishment are sub-human. They qulify as homo-sapien, but not as "human".
Conscientiously, I cannot reconcile with irreversible punishment: Death Penalty. Besides logic defies too. If a punishment is 100% irreversible, then the justice system should be 100% foolproof. Nowhere can such a perfect system be found. So why not alternatives? Kyrie eleison!
The question was posed how they could live with the though of killing Troy Davis. The answer to that is they do not think. Thinking is not in their job description.
The problem is not with our legal system. That is merely symtomatic of the far greater, foundation issue: most of us have been inculcated to believe there is a here-after. I am not arguing for or against that idea, but to say that this gives humanity the idea that one goes to the here-after if forgiven, so we pray for the soul of the man we kill-asking God to have mercy on it-thus assuming the person and his soul are in the hands of the divine, and thinking sub-consciously
that we are absolved from guilt, having taken a human life.
Additionally, and more importantly, we suffer from the delusion that what was taught in the old testement is right; “an eye for an eye”. This is also based on the idea that the supernatural; God, takes care of all things in this recipricol nature.
In short, humanity is still vastly primitive. Truth be told, I actually used these examples to underwrite the practiced ideas in a less than conventional, and sarcastic tone, but do not believe for a moment that the advocates of capital punishment in government really believe any of this Heaven and God business.
Every one of these governors and judges; lawyers and counselmen-are privately atheists and agnostics-pretending to believe in order to be elected and supported by the masses. I don’t say there is anything wrong with believing as one believes; that’s a basic human right only denied by monsters, but these people who pretend to believe in God while supporting capital punishment are not fooling me. You don’t have to be an idiot to realize belief in God precludes wanting to kill another human being, and people who think it’s okay who are not lying, ARE idiots, because common sense tells you no decent god would accept your supporting the deliberate death of a man who is not an immediate threat to your life.
We are ruled by idiots and immoral liars, which makes us pretty damn stupid, or dispicably lazy, or both.
People who support capital punishment are sub-human. They qulify as homo-sapien, but not as “human”.
Conscientiously, I cannot reconcile with irreversible punishment: Death Penalty. Besides logic defies too. If a punishment is 100% irreversible, then the justice system should be 100% foolproof. Nowhere can such a perfect system be found. So why not alternatives? Kyrie eleison!
Even in a country without the death penalty (thankfully I live in one) it is NOT POSSIBLE to guarantee 100% that the justice system does not make mistakes. It is TOTAL MADNESS to kill a man whose guilt has not been proven beyond all reasonable doubt. It has been shown time and time again that the level of violent crime and murder is NOT HIGHER in countries without the death penalty. The death penalty is mob vengeance, it is not justice.
I agree totaly with Jane Bowie (email from May5th at 03.41 am).
I life in the European Comunity, Germany. In Europe we have less murdered persons per year compared to the US and we have no death penalty. This shows that the capital punishment works not to limit the killing of people and police officers. The US states spends Millions of Dollars in building and running prisons instead of investing the money in the education for poor people. This is the better way to reduce crime! Why do most Republicans and conservative people in the US do not understand this?
It does not make sence to send humans for 50, 100 or 200 years to prison or in the death cambers to give victims revenge.
Our legal system in Germany is not perfect, but at least our state does not cook prisoners on electric chairs or kill them with poison. STOP THIS INHUMAN PRACTICE NOW!
Even in a country without the death penalty (thankfully I live in one) it is NOT POSSIBLE to guarantee 100% that the justice system does not make mistakes. It is TOTAL MADNESS to kill a man whose guilt has not been proven beyond all reasonable doubt. It has been shown time and time again that the level of violent crime and murder is NOT HIGHER in countries without the death penalty. The death penalty is mob vengeance, it is not justice.
I agree totaly with Jane Bowie (email from May5th at 03.41 am).
I life in the European Comunity, Germany. In Europe we have less murdered persons per year compared to the US and we have no death penalty. This shows that the capital punishment works not to limit the killing of people and police officers. The US states spends Millions of Dollars in building and running prisons instead of investing the money in the education for poor people. This is the better way to reduce crime! Why do most Republicans and conservative people in the US do not understand this?
It does not make sence to send humans for 50, 100 or 200 years to prison or in the death cambers to give victims revenge.
Our legal system in Germany is not perfect, but at least our state does not cook prisoners on electric chairs or kill them with poison. STOP THIS INHUMAN PRACTICE NOW!
The death penalty in the United States has been reviewed by many states that have eventually repealed the law because it has been proven that the system is flawed. The Governor of Illinois recently had the repeal measure, passed by the legislature, brought to him for signature. He said that he was signing it because the system could not guarantee an innocent person would not be convicted and executed. There have been over 100 people in the United States who have spent years on death row and were finally exonerated. Will we simply keep killing the innocent at the behest of a faulty system? The Troy Davis case has presented so many questions concerning his guilt. We call on the State of Georgia to acknowledge these questions and remove Troy Davis from Death row.
If the only evidence against Mr. Davis is eyewitness testimony, and the vast majority (7 out of 9) have recanted their previous testimony, then how can a guilty verdict be left standing??? The judgement standard in criminal cases is "Beyoud a Reasonable Doubt" How on earth can 7 out of 9 recanted testimonies not cast a reasonable doubt on the original verdict??? How many people could have been fed, or employed, or been given medical treatment for the amount of money spent by the State of Georgia on trying to ignore reality and execute an innocent man?
The death penalty in the United States has been reviewed by many states that have eventually repealed the law because it has been proven that the system is flawed. The Governor of Illinois recently had the repeal measure, passed by the legislature, brought to him for signature. He said that he was signing it because the system could not guarantee an innocent person would not be convicted and executed. There have been over 100 people in the United States who have spent years on death row and were finally exonerated. Will we simply keep killing the innocent at the behest of a faulty system? The Troy Davis case has presented so many questions concerning his guilt. We call on the State of Georgia to acknowledge these questions and remove Troy Davis from Death row.
We are not God, He gave us life and is his to take. The fact that people take someone elses life everyday thats their problem with the Lord. In a court of law is there is reasonable doubt of this man's alleged actions he should not be executed. Our nation, our constitution was not based on that. I understand justice and sorrow but, what if they are wrong. There will not a turn back then. What an I am sorry is going to fix it? A 1,000,000.00? no The bottom line is stop making the same mistakes over and over with no diferent result; remember that is the definition of insanity.
If the only evidence against Mr. Davis is eyewitness testimony, and the vast majority (7 out of 9) have recanted their previous testimony, then how can a guilty verdict be left standing??? The judgement standard in criminal cases is “Beyoud a Reasonable Doubt” How on earth can 7 out of 9 recanted testimonies not cast a reasonable doubt on the original verdict??? How many people could have been fed, or employed, or been given medical treatment for the amount of money spent by the State of Georgia on trying to ignore reality and execute an innocent man?
We are not God, He gave us life and is his to take. The fact that people take someone elses life everyday thats their problem with the Lord. In a court of law is there is reasonable doubt of this man’s alleged actions he should not be executed. Our nation, our constitution was not based on that. I understand justice and sorrow but, what if they are wrong. There will not a turn back then. What an I am sorry is going to fix it? A 1,000,000.00? no The bottom line is stop making the same mistakes over and over with no diferent result; remember that is the definition of insanity.
Where is the petition ?
I want to sign the petition .
Where is the petition ?
I want to sign the petition .