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.