Troy Anthony Davis, 1968 – 2011
Despite 20 years asserting his own innocence; 7 of 9 witnesses having recanted their testimony, claiming police coercion; 3 jurors in the death penalty case having filed affidavits retracting their votes for “guilty” verdict; the murder weapon used in the killing of off-duty Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail never having been found; no physical evidence tying Davis to the murder; hosts of luminaries from Republicans Bob Barr and Michael Steele to Democrats like President Jimmy Carter to a former GA Supreme Court Justice to a former FBI Director and many more calling for him to be spared; and after 3.5 hours of secret deliberation by the U.S. Supreme Court who temporarily reprieved his execution at the last moment before denying a stay without explanation, Davis was killed tonight by the big government state of Georgia at 11:08pm ET.
In his last words, according to witnesses to the execution, Davis spoke to the family of Officer MacPhail in the front row, and told them again he was sorry for their loss, but that he was innocent, did not have a gun, and did not kill their “son, father, brother.”
Finally, he said to the prison officials: “May God have mercy on your souls and may God bless your souls.”
Davis’ letter today to supporters…
As I look at my mail from across the globe, from places I have never ever dreamed I would know about and people speaking languages and expressing cultures and religions I could only hope to one day see first hand. I am humbled by the emotion that fills my heart with overwhelming, overflowing Joy. I can’t even explain the insurgence of emotion I feel when I try to express the strength I draw from you all, it compounds my faith and it shows me yet again that this is not a case about the death penalty, this is not a case about Troy Davis, this is a case about Justice and the Human Spirit to see Justice prevail.
Our previous coverage of the Troy Davis case, including our 2007 interview with the “forgotten victim”, Larry Young, is here.
Some of our coverage via Twitter, of the last minute drama as it unfolded live over the last 5 hours in Georgia tonight, can be perused here.
This is proof that our Country has lost its soul. My heart is broken for Mr. Davis’ family, particularly his sister. Now two innocent men are dead & there is still no justice. I just don’t understand WHAT has happened to our society.
When all the people who contributed to Troy Davis’ death meet with the truth, maybe their remorse will do some good, but right now I am so ashamed of our justice department & our supreme court. We are truly disgusting.
God rest your soul, Troy, I am so sorry you were cheated out of your life. Rest in peace.
God, please bless Troy’s family.
Down in the Confederacy, you don’t become popular by upholding justice. You become popular by killing people. If you snag an innocent one here and there, oh well…. can’t make that omelette without breaking a few eggs, can you? And if they start breathing down your neck about snuffing someone who might not be guilty, you can shut THAT up too. Just ask Guv Goodhair, who STILL has not been held accountable for the brutal murder of Cameron Willingham, who had already lost his children.
This tragedy could have been averted by the Supreme Court and the fact that they did nothing shows you Troy Davis’s death is more than racist Southern ritual slaughter, it’s government fascism and a psyop. The authorities want to demonstrate in a cult-like way that they can kill you at any time at any place for no reason whatsoever.
My heart is so sad. I hope, as did Troy Davis, bless him, that this may be the tripping point. I will donate to a death penalty abolition organization, and I will spend some time writing letters to the editor. This is another huge civil rights challenge and the death penalty must end. May this be the day that the outrage of the death penalty ends!
Anybody have an idea why the SC unanimously decided not to intervene? I want to find out why Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan didn’t offer any dissent.
Nice tax talk Obama made. But where is he and Eric Holder when a most likely innocent man’s life is on the line? Talk is cheap. I’m ashamed of my country and infuriated by my country and our “leadership”.
So much fuss over two American hikers held captive in Iran until yesterday; so little said in the MSM about the state-sanctioned murder of an innocent man in GA.
Oh well, I guess when it comes to the death penalty, these people believe it best to bury their mistakes.
#3
I agree with you.
Just read on huffpo a post that bill clinton weighed in on the Troy Davis murder. A comment stated that a law passed when he was in office made it impossible for the federal govt. to intervene when a state gets it wrong.Don’t know if it was the three strikes and you are out law or not. But that was when our prison population sky rocketed.
Watching this film again after many years, I cannot help but compare it to the stale and formulaic films that have dominated the box office in recent years. In a world crammed with media, much of the spontaneity that once used to characterize American life seems to have quietly disappeared.