JoeyB
09-07-2011, 10:59 PM
Some of you may know that for a number of years now I have been vocal about trying to stop the execution of Troy Davis.
If you are not familiar with his case I will say this...can I tell you honestly he is innocent? No I cannot. But conversely, based on the evidence against him, no one can honestly say he is guilty. Such a standard is not acceptable for a death penalty case.
If you have never heard of him or his case, look it up online. It is a laughable travesty of recanted stories (witnesses who admit having lied) and circumstantial evidence.
If anyone is interested, you can sign the latest petition for Troy at the Amnesty International site. You'll join a long list of luminaries who have offered him support, including Jimmy Carter, Mike Farrell, Michael Stipe, Cee-Lo, Susan Sarandon, Pope Benedict XVI and me, your blue fonted jester:
http://bit.ly/obZ91L
EDIT: A blurb about his case taken directly from the Amnesty International site:
"Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. Nearly two decades later, Davis remains on death row — even though the case against him has fallen apart.
The case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial. Since then, all but two of the state's non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony.
Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis.
One of the two witnesses who has not recanted his testimony is Sylvester "Red" Coles — the principle alternative suspect, according to the defense, against whom there is new evidence implicating him as the gunman. Nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating Sylvester Coles."
If you are not familiar with his case I will say this...can I tell you honestly he is innocent? No I cannot. But conversely, based on the evidence against him, no one can honestly say he is guilty. Such a standard is not acceptable for a death penalty case.
If you have never heard of him or his case, look it up online. It is a laughable travesty of recanted stories (witnesses who admit having lied) and circumstantial evidence.
If anyone is interested, you can sign the latest petition for Troy at the Amnesty International site. You'll join a long list of luminaries who have offered him support, including Jimmy Carter, Mike Farrell, Michael Stipe, Cee-Lo, Susan Sarandon, Pope Benedict XVI and me, your blue fonted jester:
http://bit.ly/obZ91L
EDIT: A blurb about his case taken directly from the Amnesty International site:
"Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. Nearly two decades later, Davis remains on death row — even though the case against him has fallen apart.
The case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial. Since then, all but two of the state's non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony.
Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis.
One of the two witnesses who has not recanted his testimony is Sylvester "Red" Coles — the principle alternative suspect, according to the defense, against whom there is new evidence implicating him as the gunman. Nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating Sylvester Coles."