The Troy Davis Situation

[bell110]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say one reason why this probably was never going to be overturned is because:

- Troy Davis would have sued and definitely would have won a multi-million dollar settlement. With the amount of time he spent awaiting death along with the compassion of so many behind him, whatever he would have demanded, he would, rightfully, win it for sure.

It's a shame.

It's funny that I keep hearing that he "only now" try to over turn his conviction. That's seems like BS. He probably tried since day one to get it overturned. It didn't become famous until now. And he wouldn't rightfully win. It's sad, even if he did do it.

 

[The Apocalypse]

Imma be blunt. He died because he was black.

Yeah..I doubt that. I'm against the whole idea of the death penalty but the thing that ticks me off the most. This guy was in jail for how long? I think I read 1989. I JUST heard of this guy today. I don't know the full extent to this story, nor do I care really. What bothers me though is that a good amount of people who are in the same boat as me are complaining about this on Twitter and Facebook. I don't get how people are so adamant about being anti-death penalty and how they are all sticking up for this guy, but two weeks ago when he was sentenced to death they didn't care. In 07 when he was sentenced for death, no one was saying anything. Only up til the last min. Then they go on to say how ****ed up America is yet, they're sitting on a computer talking about it instead of trying to do something. Done ranting, and its a shame this guy got executed if he really was innocent.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Imma be blunt. He died because he was black.

A white supremacist (killer of James Byrd) was also put to death today and also had his stay denied. Did he die because he was white?

 

[bullets]

Yeah..I doubt that. I'm against the whole idea of the death penalty but the thing that ticks me off the most. This guy was in jail for how long? I think I read 1989. I JUST heard of this guy today. I don't know the full extent to this story, nor do I care really. What bothers me though is that a good amount of people who are in the same boat as me are complaining about this on Twitter and Facebook. I don't get how people are so adamant about being anti-death penalty and how they are all sticking up for this guy, but two weeks ago when he was sentenced to death they didn't care. In 07 when he was sentenced for death, no one was saying anything. Only up til the last min. Then they go on to say how ****ed up America is yet, they're sitting on a computer talking about it instead of trying to do something. Done ranting, and its a shame this guy got executed if he really was innocent.

I didn't hear anything about this guy until today either. I think people are gonna assume he was innocent. It will be sad if he was wrongly convicted. I support the death penalty though.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Sometimes I'm pro-death penalty, sometimes I'm anti-death penalty. It should be used sparingly for especially heinous crimes (child murders, hate-crimes like the James Byrd case, the Oklahoma bombing, Al Qaeda members, treason) and it's definitely employed way too readily and (if debate responses are anything to go by) even gleefully in Texas. It's almost a cultural point of pride for that state.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

RIP Troy Davis

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

The guy repealed numerous times. He had witness change their stories. No physical evidence that linked him to the murder. No murder weapon. This was all circumstantial evidence and he never got a retrial after getting convicted in 89. All im saying is I think he didn't get a new trial or a life sentence was because he was black and had a criminal record.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

He didn't get a new trial because there is only Justice in the world at those in powers whim and convinience; because the world is full of selfish, ignorant people with their own agendas, who couldn't give a damn about other people's lives; and because the opinions of over 65,000 people apparently don't matter.

Why is it not illegal to be put on death row with only circumstantial evidence?

I mean, I'm over in England where we don't have captitol punishment, so I'm not too hot on the law.

But I thought to be sentenced to death, you had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person is guilty... Which clearly has not happened here - the doubt is staring them right in the face!

 

[The_Raganork]

One of the most embarrassing things to happen to the United States in a very long time.

By the confines of what constitutes the Death Penalty Troy Davis should not have been executed.

The justice system is critical injured from this and has been reduce to a simple guessing game.

Maybe he was guilty, maybe he wasn't.

You simply cannot execute someone because they might have been guilty, especially when a large amount of the evidence that was used to convict the person was thrown into deep question AND recanted at several points.
What happened last night is a horrible reminder that the political and justice system that we pride ourselves on is deeply flawed and NOT EVEN FOLLOWED at times.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Too much power has been placed in the hands of a corrupt few.

The fact that they can say no, and there is nothing anyone can do about it, is why I don't feel like we are even in a democracy.

The public is supposed to have the right to object, people are suppose to have a voice! Plenty of criminals get appeals and get their cases overturned - there is no GOOD reason why this man did not deserve a completely new and fresh re trial with a full and unbiased Jury, after everything was brought to light.

I thought society had moved on from times like this.

Have to say, I am a bit sad that Obama refused to step in. Apparently it was deemed 'inappropriate'.

It's a man's life!

Screw appropriate!

 

[The_Raganork]

Too much power has been placed in the hands of a corrupt few.

The fact that they can say no, and there is nothing anyone can do about it, is why I don't feel like we are even in a democracy.

The public is supposed to have the right to object, people are suppose to have a voice! Plenty of criminals get appeals and get their cases overturned - there is no GOOD reason why this man did not deserve a completely new and fresh re trial with a full and unbiased Jury, after everything was brought to light.

I thought society had moved on from times like this.

Have to say, I am a bit sad that Obama refused to step in. Apparently it was deemed 'inappropriate'.

It's a man's life!

Screw appropriate!

'inappropriate' meaning too divisive and would hurt his chance at reelection.

 

[Matt]

One of the most embarrassing things to happen to the United States in a very long time.

By the confines of what constitutes the Death Penalty Troy Davis should not have been executed.

The justice system is critical injured from this and has been reduce to a simple guessing game.

Maybe he was guilty, maybe he wasn't.

You simply cannot execute someone because they might have been guilty, especially when a large amount of the evidence that was used to convict the person was thrown into deep question AND recanted at several points.
What happened last night is a horrible reminder that the political and justice system that we pride ourselves on is deeply flawed and NOT EVEN FOLLOWED at times.

I agree Troy Davis was probably guilty. But when you have seven witnesses recanting and claiming accusations, they are at least worth taking the time to look into. This was a huge miscarriage of justice.

 

[StorminNorman]

It is cases like this that turned me away from the death penalty.

Life and death shouldn't left in the hands of men. (Which is why I have had to reconsider my previously pro-choice position.)

 

[Matt]

'inappropriate' meaning too divisive and would hurt his chance at reelection.

Exactly. Is this the change that we were promised? It's "inappropriate?" What happened to all of those tea partiers who are defending the Constitution? It is the president's Constitutional power to step in. It is not inappropriate at all. It is only inappropriate in the sense that it hurts his chances of carrying Georgia (of which he had none anyway). Absolutely disgusting.

 

[The_Raganork]

Exactly. Is this the change that we were promised? It's "inappropriate?" What happened to all of those tea partiers who are defending the Constitution? It is the president's Constitutional power to step in. It is not inappropriate at all. It is only inappropriate in the sense that it hurts his chances of carrying Georgia (of which he had none anyway). Absolutely disgusting.

Its all of their faults because the Tea Partiers could have easily came out against this ruling. They know the constitution (or so they claim) but they pick and choose what issues they want to defend and which ones they don't want to defend.

We as a country have to stop relying on politicians to do the right thing. They are Politicians! By general rule they are not interested with the nuances of right and wrong but rather passing and failing.

We the people of the United States of America have become so flooded with the idea that we need to fight out our problems in elections that we've forgotten that we are a force without elected officials.

There is no reason why Georgia could not have stopped the execution of Troy Davis via the power of the people or at the very least (and I'm sorry I have to say this) make Georgia pay for turning its back on the fundamental laws of rights and Justice of this country.

Maybe I'm too close to the issue but, I'm furious. The political system gets away with EVERYTHING and they don't even suffer any ramifications for it anymore. There was a time in this country where Politics was dictated by the people via politicians not by politicians despite the people.

 

[Schlosser85]

Deeming it "inappropriate" to intervene to stay the execution of a man whose guilt is in serious doubt is appallingly callous.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

Its all of their faults because the Tea Partiers could have easily came out against this ruling. They know the constitution (or so they claim) but they pick and choose what issues they want to defend and which ones they don't want to defend.

We as a country have to stop relying on politicians to do the right thing. They are Politicians! By general rule they are not interested with the nuances of right and wrong but rather passing and failing.

We the people of the United States of America have become so flooded with the idea that we need to fight out our problems in elections that we've forgotten that we are a force without elected officials.

There is no reason why Georgia could not have stopped the execution of Troy Davis via the power of the people or at the very least (and I'm sorry I have to say this) make Georgia pay for turning its back on the fundamental laws of rights and Justice of this country.

Maybe I'm too close to the issue but, I'm furious. The political system gets away with EVERYTHING and they don't even suffer any ramifications for it anymore. There was a time in this country where Politics was dictated by the people via politicians not by politicians despite the people.

Maybe this will trigger some kind of revolution.

 

[The_Raganork]

Maybe this will trigger some kind of revolution.

Not in this country. We're all too comfortable with our reality T.V., Starbucks and McDonald's.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

EDIT: Double Post

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Maybe I'm too close to the issue but, I'm furious. The political system gets away with EVERYTHING and they don't even suffer any ramifications for it anymore. There was a time in this country where Politics was dictated by the people via politicians not by politicians despite the people.

I feel the same and I'm all the way over in the UK (though I kind of see us all under the umbrella of the 'western world').

It makes me so angry and upset, and I feel utterly hopeless. I think if I were living in Georgia and had been rallying against this case, I'd be rioting out of sheer frustration right now!

Why do they have so much power? And how do we get it back?

P.S. I have no completely given up on Obama. Was pretty happy about him getting elected - but he's just like all the others.

It is clear that anyone who has the power to save a life by just saying so, and does nothing because it would be 'inappropriate' to get involved, has been consumed by their own power. People are numbers, situations are full of statistics, and emotions don't enter into decisions that could be bad for business.

I'd seriously just love to personally ask him how he will sleep tonight knowing a man is dead and he could have saved his life.

A man who very well may have been completely innocent. A man who was crying out to every corner of the world for help, and who a select few people denied the right to keep breathing, for reasons that satisfy NO ONE but the victims family (and even that I don't understand... If I were the family I'd want to KNOW that he really was the murderer and that the victims killer isn't still out there).

That's fine Mr Obama, you sleep in your nice comfy bed tonight, and try not to think about the man who's just spent his last night (and every night before that for 20 years) in a prison cell, utterly desperately wishing that somebody would come to their senses and he wouldn't have to die.

And on that note, Amnesty International have just posted Troy's last message to the public:

"The struggle for justice doesn't end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davises who came before me and all the ones who will come after me. I'm in good spirits and I'm prayerful and at peace." Troy Davis

 

[The_Raganork]

Fitting.

Said by Albert Camus, writer, philosopher,

But what then is capital punishment but the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal’s deed, however calculated it may be, can be compared? For there to be equivalence, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not encountered in private life.

 

[bell110]

There is a reason why we don't convict or acquit people by popular opinion in this country. I'm reading people's post making seem like he didn't get a fair trial. He did.

As for Obama intervening, yes it would have been inappropriate, and not just for political reasons. First of all, I don't think the President can overturn a death sentence. He can only pardon people. It would be inappropriate for him to go over the heads of all the judges and justices who have heard this case. Even the Supreme Court, who I imagine has a better grasp of our legal system than Obama, didn't step in, and it's their job to do so if there is a flaw in the case, not the president's. People complain about judges legislating from the bench, imagine a president making court rulings from the oval office.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

There is a reason why we don't convict or acquit people by popular opinion in this country. I'm reading people's post making seem like he didn't get a fair trial. He did.

And that assesment is based on...?

What on earth makes you think the trial was fair?

Here is the information from the Amnesty International website:

June 2010: Evidentiary hearing

The hearing took place at the district court in Savannah on 23 June 2010. It was not the same as a trial: Troy was presumed guilty and the burden was on him to prove his innocence, beyond reasonable doubt, of a crime that happened over 20 years ago. During the hearing:

Four witnesses admitted in court that they lied at trial when they implicated Troy Davis
Four witnesses implicated another man as the one who killed Officer MacPhail
Three original state witnesses described police coercion during questioning, including one man who was 16 years old at the time of the murder
However, in August 2010, the federal district court judge ruled that although executing an innocent person would be unconstitutional, Troy had not met the extraordinarily high bar for proving his innocence.

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=11458

Does any of that sound like he had a fair trial?

 

[terry78]

Ridiculous. Faith in the justice system is an oxymoron.

 

[Faramir]

As for Obama intervening, yes it would have been inappropriate, and not just for political reasons. First of all, I don't think the President can overturn a death sentence. He can only pardon people.

Pardoning Davis could have given him a lot of lost support from the liberal anti-death penalty voters, and some considerable support from anti-death conservatives too. Public opinion has long been aware of the injustices in the history of death rows, plus there's a huge chuck of America's electorate that opposes death penalties, including many die-hard pro-lifers.

Still, it was a major political risk and just plain looking for a fight... and I don't think the President is big on risk-taking.