Death-row inmate in Ga. presses innocence

"My question is, did he give the dead man another chance?"

How completely irrelevent.

Either he did or didn't do it. You want to punnish him if he didn't?

To answer that question, you'll have to wait for the retrial. He does appear innpocent, but the color of his skin, and the fact that a cop was killed is all Georgia needs for some good ole southern (in)justice!

maybe GregW he should be tried in the court where OJ Simpson was.
What Wade said is true. Let justice take it's course and Sharpton should keep his big nose out of it.

Amen!

Sounds rational to me.

I am all for the Death Penalty for those that commit heinous crimes and can be found guilty where there is no doubt.

For those cases where there is even an inkling of doubt, I think we owe it to the person to look at every avenue to substantiate the verdict.

In this particular case, with so many witnesses recanting their testimony, there exists doubt as to his absolute guilt. He may even be innocent....I don't know what the facts are in this case. However, as long as there is doubt about whether or not he may have done this crime; I don't see how any rational person could be for executing this individual.

I am sure the relatives of the victim want justice. I am also sure that they would not want to execute a person that may be innocent. If there is doubt, but not enough to overturn a guilty verdict, then maybe a life sentence is in order.

The catch is, a jury in a case like this is supposed to be convinced of GUILT, not innocence, "beyond a reasonable doubt" and the assumption is that the full range of witnesses available testify. I personally have little opposition to the death penalty as a concept, but I do expect that the best evidence available be used, even if it's a review with DNA that wasn't available at the time of the original trial or because of witnesses recanting their statements the conviction was based on. If we're going to put public funds into executions, I think it should be mandatory to be sure we're killing the right person. Just one "oops" is too many, given it would be KILLING the wrong person.

Of particular concern to me is the article's statement that the Prosecution is dismissive of people who "didn't testify" at the time of the original trial. Was the Prosecution aware of the potential testimony from these people, or was their offered testimony hidden or ignored by the prosecution because it would disprove their case? There are WAY too many documented cases of prosecutors hiding evidence that would prove innocent parties not guilty to boost their conviction rate, regardless of the cost to the accused.

Personally, I think any prosecutor who knowingly and willfully contributes to a wrongful execution should face the death penalty themselves as a murderer. Such prosecutors have acted with malice aforethought in padding their resumees with wrongfully-ended human lives while leaving the real killers in those cases run free to continue endangering the public.

A jury bases it's decision on the evidence. If the majority of the witnesses recant their testimony, doesn't that mean the jury based it decision on flawed information?

I am sure the jury came up with their verdict with the information that they had at the time. So whatever the jury heard led them to believe that this guy was guilty. They did the right thing. If there were so many witnesses why didn't someone step in and help the police officer? I mean come on 9 witnesses all saying the same thing?

Sseven of the nine witnesses who helped convict Troy Davis have recanted their testimony and his attorneys claim another man pulled the trigger.

Talk about selective reading. sheesh!

You mean kill another human being and die, right? Everybody keeps mentioning the whole cop thing, like the victim is more important because he is a police officer. A cold-blooded murderer deserves death whether the victim is a politician, police officer, doctor, janitor, or ex-con. Whoever murdered the officer deserves a lethal injection, but supposedly many of the witnesses recanted their testimony about Davis. It's cases like these that back my belief that the death sentence should only be used if there is DNA evidence.

Nobody said you weren't there either...

He wouldn't be the first person to have been found innocent of a crime he was convicted of. After the execution, there's no going back. It's a good idea to be 110% sure. He's not going anywhere.

PS That eye for an eye bit is so, y'know, Old Testament wrath of God. An eye for an eye and we all go blind.

notbornyesterday-359530 states: "He killed a cop--he was found guilty--he needs to pay for his crime. Period! What is this "garbage" about "technicalities" in trying to stop his execution. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life."

And how many innocent people have been convicted for crimes they did not commit? He may be guilty, but then again, he may not. A little more time is not going to hurt anyone.

The Old Teatament in the Bible also promotes slavery, polygamy, and "dashing" the heads of enemies babies in the streets, to name a few things that aren't followed. Would we be even more civilized if we adopted these in addition to your acceptance of "an eye for an eye?"

I continue to find it interesting how many "Christians" are in favor of the death penalty, given the incidents of people wrongly executed in this country and the fact that their Messiah was executed while having committed no crime against the state in power at the time.

Most people who advocate the death penalty would probably change their minds if they had to personally witness an execution.

I am a Christian, and I am completely against the death penalty.

Most people who advocate the death penalty would probably change their minds if they had to personally witness an execution

Most people who abhor the death penalty would probably change THEIR mind if they witnessed their family member being murdered!

Chicken, you got exactly why I said I'm not against the concept. I'm ready to admit that I'd want to pull the switch or whatever myself in that situation. The thing is, whether I had "witnessed" it or not, I would want to make sure the right person was executed based on the best, most accurate evidence. I would not want the wrong person executed, period. If the majority of witnesses in this case are recanting their testimony then the guy was convicted based on false pretenses and whatever the excuse we're to be offered it was wrong.

And Horrified, that's why I said "so many" intead of "all" or even "most."

A clarification: the Bob Herbert NYT column/article appeared online September 19 and in print September 20 according to the NYT website.

Has his mother been brought up on charges for harboring a fugitive? she should be.

Thanks for your side of the story. I hope he gets what he deserves.

I would be more inclined to believe that what you related in your "statement' was not slanderous gossip ,if not just an outright lie if you had filled out your Bio,seeded some articles,voted on other articles since the last/only time or at least commented on them.
This will be sent to the email you provided that you used to sign on to newsvine.traceable.
At least respond by commenting on your comment and stating where you worked with troy's mother...
I suspect you are what we newsviners call a troll.
As you should now know...troy was granted a stay of execution by no other than the US Supreme Court who were all in recess and convened a special hearing to grant this stay.
Do you not know that you will be also held accountable for your maliciousness and lies?The Almighty is well aware of the hate you spout and the time is near.
I just pray that you at least make an attempt to make better informed opinions if this the case.
Especially you rdixiesunrise61,promoting this type of malfeasance.
He was really your friend? Then why do you not want real justice for who killed him?Good friend you are...with friends like you who needs enemies?
Please respond...I sent you an email through the "contact author" link,though you are no author.

I would be more inclined to believe that what you related in your "statement' was not slanderous gossip ,if not just an outright lie if you had filled out your Bio,put a avatar,seeded some articles,voted on other articles since the last/only time or at least commented on them since you signed up to newsvine 9/08.
This will be sent to the email you provided that you used to sign on to newsvine.traceable.
At least respond by commenting on your comment and stating where you worked with troy's mother...
I suspect you are what we newsviners call a troll.
As you should now know...troy was granted a stay of execution by no other than the US Supreme Court who were all in recess and convened a special hearing to grant this stay.
Do you not know that you will be also held accountable for your maliciousness and lies?The Almighty is well aware of the hate you spout and the time is near.
I just pray that you at least make an attempt to make better informed opinions if this the case.

I WASN'T A WITNESS BUT THAT WAS THE WORD ON THE STREET BACK THEN

Did you also know Troy?It seems you are relating slanderous gossip...
We are all Troy Davis

Tell me this is a lie...

"Troy was waiting to go into the Marine Corps. He had transferred to night school where he completed his high school education in order to take care of my sister who was paralyzed from the neck down. So he worked during the day and took care of my sister while my mom was working; did her hair, catheterized her, because she couldn't do anything for herself."

Were you hoodwinked?

MZTRUTHBTOLD,

I feel sorry for you that you feel sorry for people who are happily awaiting the death of another human being.

Put aside the glaring inconsistencies in the trial and that Troy could very well be an innocent man.

Revenge does not bring peace to anyone. If you wish for and work towards the killing of a man your mind is constantly filled with negative thoughts. This is not good for you and not good for those around you.

The law of cause and effect will not be on your side if you are a revengeful person.

Only compassion and forgiveness can set the family of a murder victim free.

and then again, maybe not.

Bingo, JJ7 -

"And the prosecutors? Of course they want to keep the case closed and the execution to proceed. If, and I mean IF, Davis is innocent, the DA's would much rather see him executed anyway than for them to look bad."

That's my problem with this situation. I don't know if this guy is guilty or innocent of this crime, but it seems like the truth, if it happens to differ from the jury's verdict, doesn't matter to the prosecutors. It's like this - if we managed to convince a jury to find him guilty, then justice has been done and any new information is totally irrelevant - as if a trial is a kind of a game, we won, so there should be no instant replay. Or maybe their thinking is that he's a bad actor and even if he didn't do this crime, he did some other crime and deserves what he gets regardless. There are so many other possible factors that the jury would never have seen - like, these witnesses - did the prosecution barter for their testimony? Are they all just a bunch of equivalent scumbags who got a free pass in exchange for testifying against the defendant?

And think about it, you people who are so rabid to have him, and others like him, killed - if he wasn't about to be executed, nobody would care. Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter and Pope Benedict the XVI - none of them would lift a finger to suggest he might be innocent. He would almost certainly spend the rest of his life right where he is - in prison.

We as a society shouldn't be killing anyone. We can't get even, no matter how many murderers we murder. 160 years ago, virtually all of the civilized world had banned human slavery, but not the good ol' US of A. And now, in the 21st century, virtually all of the civilized world has banned capital punishment - but not the good ol' US of A. The time has come to do away with this hallmark of totalitarianism, religious fanaticism, racist attitudes and of right wing, chest-thumping, redneck hatred and vengeance. I'm surprised the rabid advocates of capital punishment don't come right out and insist that the executions be public, too, so that everyone could get the maximum enjoyment out of it.

Actually, that might not be such a bad idea, making executions viewable by the public. Just make sure it's not the lethal injections, not dramatic enough.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting this out of any kind of sadism. A few death-penalty proponents are honest and say it's for vengeance. Most try to candy-coat their bloodlust by saying it's a "deterrent." The latter are the ones I'm addressing here.

An effective "deterrent" would have a huge impact lowering the murder rate in this country. There is no such lowering. Maybe the moment of pause needed to stop someone thinking of murder would be there if they knew exactly what awaited them in an electric chair if they got caught. The more calm, abstract concept of lethal injections most can never see doesn't have as much psychological impact in comparison, so isn't anywhere near the deterrent.

Of course, this might also cause some pause in the long run for those in favor of the death penalty. Imagine being someone who cheered while a convict was executed on TV only to find out later someone else confessed to the crime. Would you still feel like cheering?

You are correct, and that is an injustice. A person should be found guilty or innocent. This would prevent prosecutors from stating to the press "yes, he or she was found not guilty but that does not mean he or she is innocent" every time they lose a case or have a conviction reversed.

I really don't give a damn if the verdict is not guilty. In my yes not guilty means innocent, like it or not.

NO, this is Georgia! An inconvenience such as innocence can be overlooked. Mztruthbetold, if I were being falsely accused on the street, I might dress up like a man to try to "get out of Dodge". "I heard" isn't good enough. If he is found to be truly innocent, I hope all who continue to say "execute him" will sit back and examine themselves. Are you the same ones who think children should be forced to recite that fairy tale that includes the phrase "liberty and justice for all"?

They aren't saying a person should have dna/smoking gun evidence to be CONVICTED and put in jail, only to get the death penalty.