Rest in Peace: Troy Davis (1968-2011)

The state of Georgia carried out the death penalty on Troy Davis on this date in 2011.   He was declared dead at 11:08 pm ET on September 21, 2011.  Not much else to say at this point.
  

May God have mercy on his soul.

Taser Lawsuit: Gregory Towns (East Point, GA)

Gregory Towns

It is nice to see that the family of Gregory Towns is suing the police department and its officers who killed him on April 11, 2014 when they fired at him 13 times with their taser guns while he was in handcuff.

The wrongful death lawsuit seeks damages from the East Point police department and two former police officers - Marcus Eberhart and Howard Weems.

Perhaps the best way to change the hearts and minds of the police who seem to use their taser guns at the slightest whim is to win some more of these lawsuits.

Georgia Company Sign: 'No Hiring Until Obama is Gone'

Did you see the story about a Georgia company, U.S. Crane, with signs on the front of the business and the sides of its trucks that say:

'New Company Policy: We Are Not Hiring Until Obama is Gone'

The business is owned by Bill Looman III, who is making it clear that he doesn't have much love for President Barack Obama. Looman says,

"Can’t afford it. I’ve got people that I want to hire now, but I just can’t afford it. And I don’t foresee that I’ll be able to afford it unless some things change in D.C."

The decision to place these signs on his business hasn't helped his business. The negative blowback to Looman caused him to disconnect his phone and take down his website. In addition, he has been visited by the Secret Service because his message could be perceived as an assassination threat on the president. [SOURCE]

I guess that Looman doesn't remember that America was losing over 700,000 jobs per month at the end of the Bush presidency. But, then again, I've noticed that right-wing wackos very rarely allow facts to get in the way of a good argument.

Too Much Doubt: Stop Death Penalty Execution of Troy Davis

This blog has been following the tragic story of Troy Davis for a couple of years now. It is a sad day in America as we learn that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles voted to deny clemency to Troy Davis.

This means that very little is standing in the way of the state of Georgia executing a potentially innocent man this Wednesday, September 21 st at 7pm.

There is simply too much doubt in the case against Troy Davis to allow for this execution to go forward. However, it appears that the state of Georgia and Chatham County (Savannah) District Attorney Larry Chisolm don't intend to do anything to put brakes on a runaway justice system that is calling for Troy's execution. They have until the final moments before Troy's scheduled execution to put the brakes on this runaway justice system.

Amnesty International plans to fight the scheduled execution down to the last minute. This blog will join them in their call to action. We encourage all villagers to contact Georgia's District Attorney and urge him to stop the execution of Troy Davis.


Make the state of Georgia hear you! Tell them that executing Troy Davis will only deepen the cycle of violence and injustice.

Too Much Doubt for Us to Execute Troy Davis (VIDEO: Jasiri X)

Georgia's Board of Pardons & Paroles will hold a final clemency hearing tomorrow -- a final chance to prevent the execution of Troy Davis. The Board of Pardons claims that the execution would only take place if there is “no doubt” about the guilt of the man they are killing.


Our prayers are with both families who have been torn apart by this tragedy.  You see, we understand the grief and despair felt by Michael McPhail's mother.   Her son was the off-duty cop killed in August 1989.  McPhail's family is looking forward to the execution scheduled for September 21.   They feel it will be some form of 'justice' and 'closure'. 

However, this blog along with many other villagers think that there is 'too much doubt':

1. Of the nine original witnesses in the case, seven have either recanted or contradicted their original stories. One witness said in a CNN news interview "If I knew then, what I know now, Troy Davis would not be on death row."
2. Of the two witnesses who have not recanted, one of them (Sylvester Coles) was a suspect in the murder. A witness even claimed that Coles bragged at a party about having killed an off-duty police officer.
3. Nine individuals have signed affidavits indicting that the murder was committed by Sylvester Coles

Troy Davis survived three previous execution dates .... but, in order to do so again it will take action by all of us. Here are some ways that you can help.

1. Request clemency from the Board of Pardons
2. Sign Amnesty International petition to the Board of Pardons
3. Sign Your Black World petition to the Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and President Barack Obama
4. Send a message of support to Troy as he fights for justice on what may be the final days of his life: http://action.naacp.org/LettersOfSupport 
5. Sign the name wall, if you haven't already. And if you have, send it to your friends and family. Each name means a more united front for justice: http://action.naacp.org/Name-Wall
6. Tell everyone you know! Spread the word about this injustice on Twitter by using the hashtag #TooMuchDoubt. Be sure to tell your Facebook friends as well.
   

Please take action to help us save the life of Troy Davis.

Troy Davis Scheduled for Execution on September 21st

We are very sad to learn that the state of Georgia plans to execute Troy Davis on September 21st. Most villagers know that Troy Davis has been on death row in the state of Georgia since 1991. He was convicted on August 19, 1989 of the murder of Georgia police officer, Mark MacPhail.

On August 24, 2010, the conviction was upheld, with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia declaring, “Davis is not innocent.” The judge did not say that Davis is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, implying that the standard for exoneration had been lifted unreasonably high.

The Supreme Court refused to hear his final appeal -- even though many of us feel that Troy Davis is innocent of all charges.

Georgia's Board of Pardons & Paroles will hold a final clemency hearing in the next week or so -- a final chance to prevent the execution of Troy Davis. The Board of Pardons claims that the execution would only take place if there is “no doubt” about the guilt of the man they are killing.

Many villagers think that there is 'plenty of doubt':

1. Of the nine original witnesses in the case, seven have either recanted or contradicted their original stories. One witness said in a CNN news interview "If I knew then, what I know now, Troy Davis would not be on death row."
2. Of the two witnesses who have not recanted, one of them (Sylvester Coles) was a suspect in the murder. A witness even claimed that Coles bragged at a party about having killed an off-duty police officer.
3. Nine individuals have signed affidavits indicting that the murder was committed by Sylvester Coles

Troy Davis survived three previous execution dates .... but, in order to do so again it will take action by all of us. Here are some ways that you can help.

1. Request clemency from the Board of Pardons
2. Sign Amnesty International petition to the Board of Pardons
3. Sign Your Black World petition to the Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and President Barack Obama
4. Organize locally for Troy. Sign up now to rally in the coming days to stop the execution of Troy Davis.
5. Tell everyone you know! Spread the word about this injustice on Twitter by using the hashtag #TooMuchDoubt. Be sure to tell your Facebook friends as well.
   

Please take action to help us save the life of Troy Davis.

Taser Death: Christopher Knight (Brunswick, GA)

It happened again. There are few things in life that occur more regularly than a taser-related death in America. This time Christopher Knight, 35, ended a bad day by being electrocuted to death while sitting in the backseat of a police cruiser. [SOURCE]

It seems that Knight was involved in a traffic accident on December 20. Glynn County police officers arrived at the scene and indicate that Knight appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and was driving with a suspended driver's license.

Knight was arrested, and police said that as officers tried to place him in the back of a patrol car, he refused to cooperate and would not place his feet and legs in the car.

Police said Knight eventually complied, but later became violent and began kicking the rear door and window of the police cruiser "with great force."

Police said that to gain control of Knight to prevent him from harming himself, to prevent him from further damaging the vehicle and to reduce the potential of being harmed, an unidentified officer electrocuted him with a taser gun blast.

Officers said they saw that Knight did not immediately recover as expected, and he stopped breathing. Officers said they began CPR and called for rescuers.

Knight was taken to the Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The police quickly gave out their side of the story.  We will never get Knight's side of the story. He's dead. It appears that he was an unarmed man who was acting in a disrespectful manner to the police and their car. Knight was unarmed. He was in handcuffs. And now he will never see the sun rise again.


The penalty for being disrespectful to the police or their car's backseat should NEVER be death. But, the easy way that the taser comes off the hip of so many police officers is resulting in more and more death. Something is wrong.

What say u?

Death Row Inmate Troy Davis Fails to Prove Innocence

Soulclap to NAACP Wichita Branch for sharing breaking news about a death penalty case that this blog has been tracking over the past couple of years.

Judge William T. Moore ruled that Troy Davis did not "clearly establish" his innocence. Because of the ruling, the State of Georgia will make plans to carry out the death sentence and set a new execution date.

The June evidentiary hearing was not a new trial, Troy Davis had no presumption of innocence and was limited in what able to be presented. And while he was still able to produce four witnesses who testified under oath that they lied at Troy's trial and yet others implicated the alternative suspect, he was unable to meet the very high standard set to prove his innocence.

Troy Davis's legal team has stated that they plan to appeal the ruling.

Jody Hice is Wannabe GOP Wingnut Who Buys Into the 'Obama is a Socialist' Crap

More Tea Party nonsense ... this time it's the 7th congressional district in Georgia. John Lindner (R-GA) is retiring after about 18 years in office.

An empty congressional seat is like a magnet for nuts in the 2010 election year. There are eight candidates in the July 20th Republican primary election. U.S. Rep. John Linder’s chief of staff is running for the seat. So is a state legislator. A syndicated talk show host is also among the group along with a prosecutor, a flight attendant, a state government retiree, a CPA and a human resources executive.

The state legislator -- Clay Cox is considered the favorite. Cox has been endorsed by the Atlanta Tea Party Patriots.

I'm surprised that the Tea Party didn't go for Jody Hice, the syndicated talk show host. Jody is spending money to put up several billboards around Atlanta calling out President Barack Obama's so-called "socialist" policies.

Is there never any end to the nonsense from the GOP wingnuts?

Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga) Apologizes for his Racist 'Ghetto Grandmother' Comment

It gets tiring to hear these old white politicians apologize for their racist comments. Wouldn't it be easier to simply find a way to live in this nation and serve as a national leader in harmony with one another ... instead of playing to the fears and hatred hidden in our national conscience?

Evidently, that is too much to ask of Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga). Deal is running for governor of the state of Georgia. Here he is using the term 'ghetto grandmother' in a private fundraiser earlier this month:




Once a videotape of Deal delivering the “ghetto grandmothers” comment hit the airwaves, Deal quickly issued a statement of apology.

“I regret my choice of words and in no way meant to offend anyone,” he said.

How can we address racism in a positive manner if we keep electing racists?

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Troy Davis

Villagers will be happy to know that the U.S. Supreme Court today announced that Troy Davis will finally get his day in court ... and a chance to prove his innocence. The court ordered a federal judge in Georgia to review the overwhelming evidence of Troy's innocence.

Troy was sentenced to death for the 1991 killing of Mark McPhail, a police officer in Savannah, Georgia. We have posted before that the State of Georgia should not kill Troy Davis because there was no physical evidence tying him to the crime and seven out of nine witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony.

The high court ordered a federal judge in Georgia to determine whether there is evidence "that could not have been obtained at the time of trial (that) clearly establishes petitioner's innocence."

"The substantial risk of putting an innocent man to death clearly provides an adequate justification for holding an evidentiary hearing," said Justice John Paul Stevens, writing for the court. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer concurred with Stevens.

Davis' attorneys have delayed his execution three times by raising doubts about those witnesses. But state and federal courts have denied Davis' request for a new trial, and Georgia officials have repeatedly rejected calls for clemency.

The case has attracted worldwide attention, with calls to stop Davis' execution from former President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Desmond Tutu.

Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented from the decision to order an evidentiary hearing.

Scalia said, "every judicial and executive body that has examined petitioner's claim has been unpersuaded ... Davis' claim is a sure loser ... transferring his petition to the District Court is a confusing exercise that can serve no purpose except to delay the state's execution of its lawful criminal judgment."

Davis' family said the ruling gives them hope that he could be exonerated.

"I'm always optimistic," said his sister Martina Correia, who has traveled around the world advocating for his case. "This means he gets another chance. And we're going to keep fighting for that chance."

State officials welcomed the ruling.

"Hopefully, this hearing will resolve the doubts about the verdict handed down by the Chatham County jury 18 years ago," Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker said in a statement.

Villager's Voice: Today is a good day! The Supreme Court is finally going to give Troy a chance to present this evidence and prove his innocence! That's a victory for Troy and his family — and for all villagers.

Larry Chisolm: 'Reopen the Troy Davis Case'

The U.S. Supreme Court delayed a decision on whether to grant Troy Davis an appeal until after it returns from recess in September. The court's decision (or non-decision) should be taken as a good sign. It gives us hope that at least some Supreme Court Justices may finally be waking up to the strong claims of innocence in this case and want to take more time to weigh the facts.

Troy's case continues to inspire the support of millions of activists and countless leaders speaking on behalf of human rights, including former President Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond TuTu.

Our activism has already put the U.S. Supreme Court and Georgia officials on the fence. Now we've got to do all we can these next couple of months to guarantee justice for Troy Davis!

Villagers, we must continue to beat the drums if we hope to get Troy Davis off death row. Davis currently has a final appeal before the US Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court rejects Troy's final appeal, his case returns to Savannah, Georgia, where a new District Attorney will have some life or death decisions to make. DA Larry Chisolm was elected in 2008 and campaigned on a platform to "increase the sense of fairness" in his office.

I ask all villagers to call on DA Chisolm to do everything in his power to prevent an execution, and urge him to reopen the case against Troy Davis, since most of the witnesses responsible for his conviction have now recanted.

Please take a moment to share your VILLAGER VOICE on this death penalty case down below.

Don't Kill Troy Davis

Let me start by saying that my prayers are with the family of Mark McPhail. He is the police officer shot in August 1989 for nothing more than doing his job. Sometimes, we fail to acknowledge McPhail's family as we discuss this case.

The State of Georgia sentenced Troy Davis to the death penalty for McPhail's murder over 15 years ago. Should Troy Davis be put to death by the State of Georgia? My answer is 'No'.




There is compelling evidence that Davis did not commit the crime. I don't think that we should have any doubt about killing a man. This case is full of doubt. Unfortunately, it appears that Troy Davis is reaching the end of the line.

He lost his appeal to the federal appeals court in April. The Supreme Court jumped in about 90 minutes before Davis was set to be executed back in September 2008. However, they turned down a hearing on his appeal in October.

A 30-day stay of execution expires this weekend, prompting Amnesty International and the AfroSpear to declare today a global day of action - a time for those who hate injustice to raise our voices and save this man's life.

Troy Davis expressed his gratitude to us in interview conducted on May 17th.

Villagers, here are the basic facts of the case:

In August 1989, Davis and a running buddy named Sylvester (Red) Coles spent a riotous, hell-raising night in Savannah. Eyewitnesses say Coles shot at two of his neighbors at a house party with a chrome .38 pistol, hitting and wounding one.

Davis wasn't at that party. But he and Coles met later and wound up in the parking lot of a Burger King next to Savannah's Greyhound bus station, where one of them harassed and pistol-whipped a homeless man.

When the man yelled for help, a cop named Mark McPhail - who was moonlighting as a security guard at the bus station - came running, and was shot to death at point-blank range.

The murder weapon was never recovered, but ballistics showed it was a .38-caliber handgun.

Coles, the owner of a .38, wasn't charged. Instead, nine eyewitnesses testified at trial that Davis was the shooter.

But seven of the nine have since recanted their testimony, with several signing sworn statements that they were coerced by cops.

One recanting witness, Dorothy Ferrell, said in a sworn statement that "I was scared that if I didn't do what the police wanted me to do, then they would try to lock me up again. I was on parole at the time."

And here's witness Darrell Collins: "I was only 16 ... After a couple of hours of the detectives yelling at me and threatening me, I finally broke down ... They would tell me things that they said had happened and I would repeat whatever they said."

And so it went with seven of the nine witnesses.

Of the remaining two, one initially told police under oath that he didn't know who shot McPhail - then reversed himself on the witness stand two years later, certain that Davis was the culprit.

The only other eyewitness is Coles, who went to the police the day after the shooting, accompanied by a lawyer and claimed Davis was the killer.

Coles never mentioned that he'd been carrying a .38-caliber pistol that night.

"[The police] bought Mr. Coles' story hook, line and sinker," Davis' attorneys argued in court. "And they went out into this community, and they rounded up witnesses everywhere they could find them, and they paraded them in here."

Three new witnesses now claim they heard Coles later take credit for the murder. But none of the new witnesses or sworn recantations have ever been heard in any court - and probably never will be.

The only remaining hope is a pardon from Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue - an act of mercy we should all demand to rescue Davis from an unjust death.

Other Available Resources:

1. Download a fact sheet on Davis' case


2. Read more about innocence on Georgia's death row


3. Where is the justice for me?: The case of Troy Davis, facing execution in Georgia


4. Listen to Troy tell his story


5. View the facts and timeline


6. Join the international discussion


7. Hear from Troy's sister


8. Visit Troy Davis' website

Next step is yours. How are you raising your voice in protest today?

Troy Davis Loses Death Penalty Appeal

Drumbeats from Sojourner informed us that Troy Davis' appeal was rejected by the federal appeals court in Atlanta yesterday. In the 2 to 1 opinion, the court ruled that Troy was unable to establish by clear and convincing evidence that a new jury would not find him guilty.

Troy was convicted of killing off-duty Savannah Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail. The 27-year-old former Army Ranger was shot three times before he could draw his weapon. Davis’ innocence claims have attracted international attention. They rely largely on the recantations of key prosecution witnesses who testified at trial and on statements by others who say another man told them he was the actual killer.

See local news video report
The lone dissenter, Judge Rosemary Barkett, wrote:

To execute Davis, in the face of a significant amount of proferred evidence that may establish his actual innocence, is unconscionable and unconstitutional.

Troy is left with a 30-day stay of execution so that he can appeal to the US Supreme Court. His chances are slim when you consider that the US Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal last October.

I watch a TNT television series called Saving Grace. One thing that it showed me was that even divine intervention cannot stop death penalty executions. Even so, I hope that Troy Davis has a last chance angel like Earl.

What say u?

Ask Governor Perdue to Stop the Execution of Troy Davis

The state of Georgia seems determined to kill Troy Davis. We have been talking about Troy Davis with villagers since last September. I imagine that our prayers, calls, emails and such have had some impact as his execution has been stayed.

Troy Davis faces execution for the murder of Police Officer Mark MacPhail in Georgia, despite a strong claim of innocence. 7 out of 9 witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony, no murder weapon was found and no physical evidence links Davis to the crime.

The Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles has voted to deny clemency, yet Governor Perdue can still exercise leadership to ensure that clemency is granted to Troy Davis.

We need to let Georgia officials hear from us again. Please join us in asking Governor Perdue to stop the execution of Troy Davis.

Despite this mounting evidence in favor of Troy’s freedom, he continues to wait on death row. I encourage villagers to watch and share this video with others. We are anxiously awaiting the court’s response to the latest round of arguments in Troy’s case that could be handed down at any moment. So the fate of Troy Davis is still very much in limbo.

Will you step up to support this young man?

25-Day Stay of Execution: Troy Davis

After the Supreme Court refused to hear the Troy Davis appeal for a new trial, Georgia scheduled a new date for his execution - Monday, October 27. However, this morning the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 25-day stay of execution.

Many Sojourners and villagers have been following this story, writing letters, and signing petitions urging that Troy's execution be stayed. We will continue to use our blog to keep you informed.

Stay of Execution: Troy Davis

UPDATE: STAY OF EXECUTION!! The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed Troy Davis' execution until Monday, September 29. You can read more here.

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Troy Davis was scheduled to be executed by the state of Georgia on September 23, even though his serious claims of innocence have never been heard in court.

Take action right now to stop this execution!
Troy Davis was convicted of murder solely on the basis of witness testimony, and seven of the nine non-police witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony, several citing police coercion. Others have signed affidavits implicating one of the remaining two witnesses as the actual killer. But due to an increasingly restrictive appeals process, none of this new evidence has ever been heard in court.

On July 16, 2007, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles stayed Troy Davis’ execution, stating that it would “not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused". The failure of courts to hear the compelling evidence of innocence in this case means that massive doubts about Troy Davis’ guilt will remain unresolved.

Found: Georgia Man and Three Toddlers

Drumbeats from Deidra saddened us today. She informed us that a Georgia father who kidnapped his three children earlier this month killed himself and the toddlers.
The bodies were found in a rural industrial park area outside Columbus, Ga., where the family lived. [SOURCE]

I hope that there is a special place in hell for that cowardly excuse for a man.