Troy Davis and Georgia’s dysfunctional death penalty
October 9, 2008 at 10:19 am by Mara Shalhoup in News
Georgia's death chamber
Defense attorney Steve Bright, who arguably knows more about the death penalty than anyone in Georgia, likes to tell a story about former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder.
In the four years Wilder was the state’s top executive, he commuted only two death sentences. One was for a man named Earl Washington. On Wilder’s last day in office, Jan. 14, 1994, he signed an order that stated:
“A review of the record … demonstrate[s] that Earl Washington Jr. received a fair trial and his appeals were well represented and considered. Recently, newly discovered evidence has become available as the result of the initiatives of the Attorney General’s Office. It is clear from precedent in past cases … that there are no provisions under Virginia law whereby such newly discovered evidence can now be considered by the courts.”
The inability of the courts to consider new evidence — even in a death penalty case — troubled the governor. The hunch proved fortuitous. Eight years after Wilder commuted the sentence, DNA evidence showed that Washington was the wrong guy.
Now, a similar claim has been raised in Georgia, in the case of death row inmate Troy Davis.
For the rest of the story, click here.
Visit our multi-media Troy Davis page for updates from the U.S. Supreme Court, excerpts from the affidavits of trial witnesses who recanted their testimony, and slideshows and video of the grassroots movement to bring awareness to the case.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:38 am
The death penalty is against humanity, to kill someone for supposedly killing someone else, makes us as guilty taking a life. And if they are innocent, then how the more insane! Murder & Hate breeding more Murder & Hate!
Vengeance belongs to God The Ultimate Judge of the heart & soul!
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
But by Jesus, we have a redeemer!