Yesterday the Supreme Court denied what might be the last set of appeals from Troy Davis – despite serious questions around his guilt.
Davis has been on Georgia’s death row since 1989, when he was convicted of killing Savannah police officer Mark Allen MacPhail. No physical evidence ever tied him to the crime. Instead, his conviction was based the testimony of nine prosecution witnesses, seven of whom have since recanted.
Out of the two who haven’t, one – Sylvester “Redd” Coles – has long been suspected of being the actual killer. And more fuel was added to those suspicions last summer, when a new witness came forward saying that Coles told her he was the one who actually shot and killed Officer MacPhail.
For over twenty years, Troy Davis requested to have his innocence claims heard in a court of law. And, for over twenty years, he was denied. When a federal court finally did agree to hear his innocence claims last June, they set the bar for proving his innocence so extraordinarily high, there was no way he could surpass it.
Yesterday’s Supreme Court decision to deny Davis’ claim could be appealed. Or it could pave the way for an execution of a man who could be innocent. That is why we must act now.
Sign the petition telling Georgian authorities to stop the execution of Troy Davis.
Thank you for standing up for justice.
