Less
than 24 Hours Before his Scheduled Execution, Troy Davis is
Granted
90-Day Stay of Execution by Georgia Parole Board
‘Democracy Now!’ Tuesday, July 17th,
2007
Less than 24 hours before he was scheduled to die by lethal
injection, Troy
Anthony Davis has been granted a 90-day stay of execution.
The 38-year-old
African American from Savannah, Georgia has been on death
row for more than
fifteen years for a murder he says he did not commit. Davis
was convicted
in 1991 for the killing of white police officer Mark Allen
McPhail. With no
physical evidence or murder weapon, the prosecution's case
rested entirely
on witness testimony. But seven of the nine non-police
witnesses said they
were coerced by police and have since recanted their
testimony. Nine
witnesses have also implicated another man in the murder.
Davis's execution appeared inevitable last month when the
Supreme Court
refused his final request for appeal. That left only the
Georgia State
Board of Pardons and Paroles. Last night, it agreed to
review evidence from
Davis' defense team and hear the new testimony of
eyewitnesses. After the
ruling, Davis spoke to reporters by cell phone. He said
"I'm elated. I’m
blessed and thankful. I’m one step closer to my
freedom.”
Groups including Amnesty International have rallied behind
Davis” case.
Former FBI director William Sessions submitted a written
clemency appeal on
Davis's behalf while the Council of Europe urged the United
States not to
commit what it said would be an error it would come to
regret. And Georgia
Congressmember John Lewis testified in person before the
parole board.
Yesterday I interviewed Troy Davis's sister, Martina
Correia, she has led
the fight for her brother’s life. Today we go back to
Atlanta where I'm
joined by attorney Chris Adams. He's Director of Georgia
Capital Defender,
a public office providing representation and support in
death penalty
cases. He is co-chair of the National Association of
Criminal Defense
Lawyers Death Penalty committee.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/17/1355256