Georgia to execute death row inmate tomorrow, who could possibly be innocent

[Tender Branson]

Clemency denied for Georgia death row inmate

(Reuters) - A parole board in Georgia has denied a last-ditch clemency appeal by Troy Davis, a Georgia man set to be executed in a high-profile case on Wednesday for the murder of a police officer.

The case has attracted international attention and became a focus for opponents of the death penalty because seven of nine trial witnesses have since recanted their testimony and his supporters say he may be innocent.

The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied clemency on Tuesday in a statement, according to Laura Moye of Amnesty International USA.

"The case against Davis unraveled long ago. Seven out of nine original state witnesses recanted or changed their original testimonies, some alleging police coercion," Amnesty said in a statement.

"Ten people have pointed to one of the remaining witnesses as the actual killer. There is no murder weapon that links Davis to the crime. Any notion of physical evidence that demonstrates Davis' guilt has been debunked," it said.

Davis was convicted of the 1989 killing of police officer Mark MacPhail near a Burger King in Savannah, Georgia. MacPhail's family says Davis is guilty and should be executed.

Davis is due to die by lethal injection at 7 p.m. local time on Wednesday at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/20/us-usa-execution-georgia-idUSTRE78J2NP20110920

[asexual trans victimologist]

I would have voted for clemency on principle. At this stage it doesn't matter whether or not he's guilty. A life is a life. The fact that it's very doubtful that he even did anything wrong only compounds how sickening it already is anyway.

[ilikeverin]

Remember, children: this is a good thing.  Because killing an innocent person here and there is the sacrifice we must pay to make sure we can kill other people.

[Governor NVGonzalez]

I no longer support the death penalty.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

cue Reba McEntire

[Senator Kalwejt]

Regardless whether you support or oppose the death penalty, no person who values justice would support an execution of someone, whose doubts is far from being really established.

[So the Heroes Fall]

I would have voted for clemency on principle. At this stage it doesn't matter whether or not he's guilty. A life is a life. The fact that it's very doubtful that he even did anything wrong only compounds how sickening it already is anyway.

Yes. I'd vote for clemency for anyone on death row, but this just underscores it even more. Just very very thankful this can not happen in my state.

[Senator Kalwejt]

I would have voted for clemency on principle. At this stage it doesn't matter whether or not he's guilty. A life is a life. The fact that it's very doubtful that he even did anything wrong only compounds how sickening it already is anyway.

Yes. I'd vote for clemency for anyone on death row, but this just underscores it even more. Just very very thankful this can not happen in my state.

Sadly, no Southern state seems to be likely to join Minnesota anytime soon.

[greenforest32]

Remember, children: this is a good thing.  Because killing an innocent person here and there is the sacrifice we must pay to make sure we can kill other people.

It's their mindset with so many things. We must adopt mandatory minimum sentences and throw people in jails for decades after 3 minor charges to keep our streets safe!

[Senator Kalwejt]

Remember, children: this is a good thing.  Because killing an innocent person here and there is the sacrifice we must pay to make sure we can kill other people.

It's their mindset with so many things. We must adopt mandatory minimum sentences and throw people in jails for decades after 3 minor charges to keep our streets safe!

I remember reading somewhere that one Congressman in 1990s actually called for death sentences in three strike cases.

Just imagine. Three convictions of stealing candy, worth of $2, and you are riding the lighting.

Life in prison for such things is just little less barbaric.

[Buddha]

I voted
"Pardon to life without parole".
Doubt about whether he is actually guilty is not the same as proof of innocence.
If the truth can ever be discovered it might be a mistake to release him, in
case he actually is guilty. But executing someone who might be innocent is appalling to me.

[Likely Voter]

Seems like there should be a retrial, but certainly killing someone with this much uncertainty is wrong

[ChairmanSanchez]

Seems like there should be a retrial, but certainly killing someone with this much uncertainty is wrong

This, but if he is guilty, he should be executed.

[Harry]

Ironically, almost everyone who supports this execution considers himself/herself to be "pro-life"

[Bacon King]

I don't think a second retrial for the case is very likely at all.

[TJ in Wisco]

I don't pretend to be any kind of expert on this case and have no idea whether or not there should be a retrial. But, I oppose the death penalty and think he ought to get life in prison with no parole if either there is no retrial or he is again found guilty.

[Smid]

I thought the whole principal of the justice system was that it's better for a guilty person to go free than for an innocent person to stand condemned. That's why there's the whole "beyond any reasonable doubt" standard of proof in criminal trials and the onus of proof resting with the prosecution. Regardless of my personal opposition to the death penalty, I think there is enough doubt in this case (from what you've said here) that he should certainly have a stay of execution and a re-trial. It's no justice for the family of the victim for the actual guilty party to get off and an innocent man to be executed in his place.

[The Mikado]

At minimum a stay of execution pending a potential retrial.

[Dr. Cynic]

At minimum a stay of execution pending a potential retrial.

At the maximum, I'd abolish the death penalty. Being as unrealistic as that would be in this maniacal country, that'd be the solution I'd support. No reason to go ahead and f***k up twice by executing an innocent.

[Senator Kalwejt]

At minimum a stay of execution pending a potential retrial.

The state of Georgia obviously wants to resolve this embarrassing case by ultimate means.

While commutations are rare in post-1976 era, Georgia have relatively high number, mostly because it's up to board, not the Governor, to decide. If I recall correctly, the Governor can give at most a brief stay, but good luck expecting Deal to do that.

Unless some federal court get involved, Georgia will murder possibly innocent man tomorrow

Does this grim outcome suprise me? No. If you look at post-1976 executions, you'll find dozens of doubtful cases in which prisoner has been executed, because no one (state and federal courts, Governors, boards) cares. Jesse Tafero, electrocuted in 1990 in Florida is perhaps the most outrageous case, since there were clear evidences of his innocence before he was (literally) burn to death in Old Sparky.

American criminal "justice" sucks.

[Senator Kalwejt]

Seems like there should be a retrial, but certainly killing someone with this much uncertainty is wrong

This, but if he is guilty, he should be executed.

Well, you need to prove it beyond any doubts. And this case is literally made up from doubts.

So I don't understand how even death penalty supporter, who still have some sense of justice, can justify this, for God's sake...

[Secretary Polnut]

The more I read about this case... the more sickened I am that this man may be executed.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

cue Reba McEntire

actually, let's go with the original, Vicki Lawrence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6-4N0IPVh8

[Insula Dei]

Ironically, almost everyone who supports this execution considers himself/herself to be "pro-life"

Sadly, this seems to be the case with large parts of the american 'pro-life' movement.

[Free Palestine]

Hooray for state-sanctioned murder.