Polianiac

Troy Anthony Davis has become a familiar name to my family. We are each involved on various levels. We have slowly learned the saga that has played out in the State of Georgia since 1989. The family members, the family’s story, the heart of a man who has spent his whole adult life on Georgia’s Death Row.

I don’t have the background to explain how this case ever got this far. From a legal standpoint, all I know is there was never any physical evidence against Troy Davis. There was no weapon or DNA-type evidence… Troy Davis was there, in a public place, along with many other Savannah residents the night Officer MacPhail was killed. The officer was white and the shooter was black—on that point everyone agrees.  Troy Anthony Davis was not the only black male present that night.  There is another, who allegedly has confessed that he was the one who killed the officer. This is all in the public record…

This case has drawn a huge amount of international attention, due to the legal questions that remain unanswered.  When is reasonable doubt a factor? The majority of the evidence presented in the 1991 trial against Davis is now questionable at best. Seven of nine prosecutorial witnesses have recanted their testimony; raising the question of reasonable doubt: Would a jury today, without benefit of the original seven witnesses who have recanted their testimony, be inclined to repeat the 1991 jury’s finding?

Human Rights groups, a former president, a current candidate for President (Barr), along with thousands of citizens have pleaded to stop the execution of this man. Last night, two hours before he was scheduled to die, The Supreme Court of the United States, in a unanimous decision, voted to stay the execution.  Hopefully, through this stay, we will find the answers to questions that concern us all—even if we do not care to be concerned.

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