The
foundation of our criminal justice system that we pride
ourselves upon in our nation is the presumption of innocence
until proven guilty. However, Troy Davis with a cloud of
doubt cast about his guilt over 20 years ago is still staring
death in the face by means of the state of Georgia death
penalty. After having exhausted all of his appeals his fate
and last chance of some semblance of justice now lies in
the laps of the State of Georgia Parole Board, and hopes
that they will commute his sentence sparing him from death.�
Davis, now forty-two, has maintained his innocence and continues
to assert that he was wrongfully convicted based upon false
identification.
More
than two decades ago Davis was convicted of murdering a
white off duty police officer on the basis of eyewitness
testimony that remains questionable in nature.� There was
no physical evidence nor was a weapon recovered, yet he
was convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection,
the chosen method used in Georgia. Furthermore, following
his trial, seven of the nine prosecution witnesses have
recanted and or contradicted their original testimonies
citing police coercion and intimidation. Additionally, there
have been new witnesses to come forward identifying another
killer creating much more suspicion surrounding the events
of that fate filled day of yesteryear. Despite all of the
comprehensive evidence that continues to cast doubt, Davis
is once again on the road to execution.� In rural Georgia,
I would hasten without reservation to submit that such procedures
and manipulation of the criminal justice system are a matter
of routine in practice, particularly with the usual suspects,
with familiar faces.
I
assert and continue to maintain that the life of Troy Davis
without a doubt is within the reach of being saved and justice
will be served appropriately. Troy Davis� predicament has
drawn worldwide attention that spans from Amnesty International,
Inc., Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope Benedict XVI and countless,
nameless people in between who are concerned about justice
and the way in which it is administered. This case has and
continues to cast a very dark cloud on the city of Savannah,
one of the nation�s most historic cities and the state of
Georgia. I believe if the public outcry is properly conveyed
to the Parole Board each of its members will do what is
right giving Troy Davis his exit from Georgia�s death row.
The time is always right to do right, and I hope that the
parole board would rise to such an occasion in the case
of Troy Davis.
BlackCommentator.com Guest Commentator, The
Reverend D. D. Prather, is a noted Civil/Social Justice Activist, and a
native of Atlanta, GA. Click here to contact the Reverend
Prather.
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