Death Penalty Drama in Georgia
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
September 21, 2011 6:57pm CST
Who else is following the Troy David death penalty case in Georgia? For anyone who isn't, Davis has been on death row since his 1991 conviction for killing an off-duty policeman and was scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7:00 PM EST. His attorneys, in a last-ditch effort, asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of execution due to new evidence and the recanting of the testimony of seven of nine eye-witnesses; of the two witnesses who have not change their stories, one was allegedly overheard saying he'd committed the shooting himself and the other was over 100 feet away. I can't speak for anyone else but I know I wouldn't want someone's life to depend on my ability to identify someone beyond a reasonable doubt in the middle of the night when it's totally dark! Anyway, the Supreme Court is now discussing the case so the execution has been temporarily delayed by the state. This case has drawn the attention of many people from both sides of the aisle, both for and against capital punishment in principle.
I've always had somewhat mixed feelings about the death penalty and this case is the perfect example of why. I certainly can't say for sure Davis is innocent and indeed, everyone claims to be innocent for the most pat. However, there certainly is REASONABLE DOUBT and it would be a miscarriage of justice for an innocent man to lose his life for a crime he didn't commit while the real murderer continues to walk free.
Any thoughts or comments as this sad story unfolds?
Annie
3 responses
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
22 Sep 11
I don't think any execution could be allowed if there's reasonable doubt about the crime. In this case, the majority of the witnesses recanted, there's no DNA evidence, and they never found the .38 caliber that was used to shoot the victim.
Whether or not he's guilty is not the question at the moment. The question is whether or not the evidence is so solid that we can justify an execution. I sure as hell don't think so.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
23 Sep 11
What does "shame of you LOL" this is not a laughing matter so why add LOL to your rebuke?? BTW I am a reliable source and Coulter described it as it was. Only uninformed people diss the source when they have no facts to rebut the article....Shame on you!
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
26 Sep 11
Thank you, rapnroll! Whiteheather, I guess I was mistaken for adding "LOL" to what certainly isn't a laughing matter but I did it in part to show you I didn't mean any offense by it. I will continue dissing the source whenever that source is Ann Coulter because she doesn't deal in facts, she deals in her bigoted and small-minded opinion - PERIOD! YOU are a much more reliable source that her since you live down there so why not telling the story in your own words instead of plagiarizing someone else's work?
By the way, in my opinion this discussion isn't about all of the details of this case nor was it meant to argue the case, but rather to discuss whether an execution should be carried out if there is ANY "reasonable doubt" AT ALL. I say ABSOLUTELY NOT; some people clearly disagree.
Annie
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
22 Sep 11
I would go along with a stay to hear the new evidence. My concern is the 7 people who are now changing their story. Will they be charged with Perjury and sentenced to 20 years for what they did to this man. Perjury is a serious crime and an example needs to be set. These 7 should not be given hero status for coming forth now in an effort to save his life.
1 person likes this
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
22 Sep 11
I'm more concerned with whether we'll see prosecutions of the police officers these 7 people say threatened to arrest them as accessories to murder if they didn't say what the cops told them to say.
1 person likes this
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
22 Sep 11
Annie, it's now all over for Troy Davis this a.m.! I have but a comment and that is, "A" truth is most often found in courts of law and not "The" truth!! Impaneled jurors are most often denied the actual info necessary to make a well founded decision.
1 person likes this
