GA - Troy Davis fails to prove his innocence to Supreme Court

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Another quick question (before I start looking for two different sets of trial transcripts): Does anyone know if all of these charges were tried in the same trial or if they were two separate trials?

Also to Indicajane, in case you want to see it:

"Mr. Cooper returned to the pool area, but his group decided to leave and change their clothes because they had been splashed with water. (Id. at 1183.) They told some of the girls that they would be back and walked to Mr. Wilds car. (Id. at 1185.) As they were leaving, Mr. Cooper was in the front passenger seat, hanging out of the window speaking loudly to some girls. (Id. at 1185-86.) As they took a right turn, Mr. Cooper, now fully inside the vehicle, heard several gunshots. (Id. at 1186- 87.) One struck Mr. Cooper in the right side of his jaw. (Id. at 1187.) Panicked, Mr. Wilds drove Mr. Cooper to the hospital. (Id.)

"On cross-examination, Mr. Cooper admitted that he was intoxicated when he arrived at the party. (Id. at 1190.) He could remember neither how many men Mr. Wilds was arguing with nor whether Mr. Davis was actually a part of that group. (Id. at 1191.) However, Mr. Cooper was sure that Mr. Davis was in
the vicinity of the argument. (Id. at 1191-92.) Mr. Cooper testified that he had never met Mr. Davis, and could not think of a reason why Mr. Davis would shoot at him. (Id. at 1192.)"

@@@@Page 66 - 67

...

"Once at the party, the group socialized by the pool for some time, speaking with girls before leaving the party because they were bored. (Id. at 1197.) As they were leaving, Mr. Gordon was sitting in the middle of the back seat next to Mr. Bilge, who was hanging out of the window. (Id. at 1197-98.) As they were rounding the corner at the end of the block, someone fired a weapon at the vehicle, one bullet striking Mr. Cooper. (Id. at 1198-99.)

At trial, Mr. Gordon denied seeing the individual who shot at the vehicle. (Id. at 1199-1200.) He was again confronted with his August 19, 1989 police statement, in which he described the shooter as wearing a white, batman t-shirt and dark color jeans. (Id. at 1199-1201.) He had also stated that, earlier at the party, he saw the shooter by the pool. (Id. at 1201)

At trial, Mr. Gordon testified that he only told the police that he heard someone in a white, batman t-shirt with dark jeans had been the shooter, not that he actually saw someone wearing those clothes shoot at the car. (Id. at 1200.) Mr. Gordon explained
that he did not remember telling the police the information in his statement, which he signed without reviewing. (Id. at 1201-02.)"

@@@@Pages 67 - 68

From Docs from the GA State Court Site:
http://www.gasd.uscourts.gov/pdf/409cv00130_92part2.pdf
 
Troy Davis was convicted for shooting Michael Cooper. I don't believe Michael Cooper ever said he saw someone else shoot him. He may very well have said he didn't see the shooter, or if he did, his injuries may have damaged his recollection. I can't find a transcript for that, if anyone else can, please add?

What I do know are the facts as they are presented. A jury convicted Troy Davis of shooting Michael Cooper. What's more, neither Troy Davis, nor his attorney's, nor supporters (that I can find) have ever disputed that Troy Davis was guilty of that shooting. I did find this article from the District Attorney at the time who says that exactly:

Davis was convicted in the shooting of another man on the same day MacPhail was shot. That conviction has never been disputed. But, the gun that fired the shots in both crimes was never recovered.

"There is ballistic evidence based upon the cartridges fired from the gun," Lawton said. "The cartridges match."
http://www.11alive.com/news/article/206167/40/Ex-DA-Doubt-recantations-manufactured-in-Troy-Davis-case
I really lean towards believing Lawton, as if there was a dispute in court in regards to the Michael Cooper shooting, it would be available to the public, and with the spotlight fixed firmly on this case for the last few weeks, it would have come out.

LOL, and on that note, I really need to go to bed too, I have five hours until class.

Just as an aside, I would not have supported the death penalty for this case. I believe the death penalty should be reserved for the very worst of the worst. For the Ted Bundy's and Gary Ridgeway's of the world. Also for child rapists, and such. That's it. I wouldn't have been upset with Troy Davis getting life in prison.
I do believe he was guilty though. I am also sickened by the media's spin on the whole situation. Between trying to say this was a racial issue, and the comments I have read like, "Black man, kills white cop in Georgia, what do you expect??" That makes me sick.

Off topic, but sort of on topic I just began a thesis on facts in regards to race and the death penalty. Everyone knows the same old media soundbites, but even at the very beginning of my research, I'm discovering it's not so..and maybe since this execution happened right when I was in knee deep of crime statistics and surrounded by stacks of old mug shots and death penalty cases that I'm a bit jaded by it all. Troy Davis was not a hero. Officer Mark MacPhail was a hero. Troy Davis just got some good PR, and folks like to forget that every single aspect of this case has been gone over multiple times by multiple people. To believe every single judge who has gone over the facts in this case was wrong, but the Kim Kardashians are right is a world gone mad.
 
Troy Davis was convicted for shooting Michael Cooper. I don't believe Michael Cooper ever said he saw someone else shoot him. He may very well have said he didn't see the shooter, or if he did, his injuries may have damaged his recollection. I can't find a transcript for that, if anyone else can, please add?

What I do know are the facts as they are presented. A jury convicted Troy Davis of shooting Michael Cooper. What's more, neither Troy Davis, nor his attorney's, nor supporters (that I can find) have ever disputed that Troy Davis was guilty of that shooting. I did find this article from the District Attorney at the time who says that exactly:


http://www.11alive.com/news/article/206167/40/Ex-DA-Doubt-recantations-manufactured-in-Troy-Davis-case
I really lean towards believing Lawton, as if there was a dispute in court in regards to the Michael Cooper shooting, it would be available to the public, and with the spotlight fixed firmly on this case for the last few weeks, it would have come out.

LOL, and on that note, I really need to go to bed too, I have five hours until class.

Just as an aside, I would not have supported the death penalty for this case. I believe the death penalty should be reserved for the very worst of the worst. For the Ted Bundy's and Gary Ridgeway's of the world. Also for child rapists, and such. That's it. I wouldn't have been upset with Troy Davis getting life in prison.
I do believe he was guilty though. I am also sickened by the media's spin on the whole situation. Between trying to say this was a racial issue, and the comments I have read like, "Black man, kills white cop in Georgia, what do you expect??" That makes me sick.

Off topic, but sort of on topic I just began a thesis on facts in regards to race and the death penalty. Everyone knows the same old media soundbites, but even at the very beginning of my research, I'm discovering it's not so..and maybe since this execution happened right when I was in knee deep of crime statistics and surrounded by stacks of old mug shots and death penalty cases that I'm a bit jaded by it all. Troy Davis was not a hero. Officer Mark MacPhail was a hero. Troy Davis just got some good PR, and folks like to forget that every single aspect of this case has been gone over multiple times by multiple people. To believe every single judge who has gone over the facts in this case was wrong, but the Kim Kardashians are right is a world gone mad.

I am still digging on a lot of this and by no means believe that he is a hero. A few minutes ago I posted a link to some docs on the GA state court website and I don't know how much light they shed. The reason that I don't put much stock in multiple hearings is because a lot of it has to do with procedural stuff and not necessarily the evidence (ETA and if there was as much corruption as people are claiming, you can't expect the courts to necessarily do the right thing). I would be interested in finding out a lot of this stuff, as well as why a former FBI director lent his name to the cause.

I do agree that officer MacPhail was a hero and I think that everyone can agree on that point.

I won't even go there on race in this case. That doesn't even cross my mind. I am all about evidence.

The more I am reading the more I am starting to think that this may have been all one trial. If that were the case, I think that part of the reason that we don't see anything about disputing the party shooting was because if it were all one case it would all pretty much be one fight, but the shooting of the officer is what landed him on the row. I have read that he denied the shooting at the party. And for certain, Michael Cooper signed an affidavit for the defense. So frustrating.

I am in the process of building a site for an innocence case I am working in VA and have been on for 12 years and when I am finished, all of the discovery that was made available to the defense that still exists, including the trial transcripts will be posted for this very reason. If you are going to claim it, you have to give people the opportunity to read the record so that they can decide for themselves before you ask them to put their name on it and support it. I wouldn't ask anyone to say that the person I am supporting is innocent publicly without having all the facts that we are allowed to make public. The only way to allow people to make a truly informed decision is to inform them and provide them with the docs.
 
They were all one trial. So at least I know that I am only looking for one set of trial transcripts:

CASE NO: 284361
OFFENSE: POSS OF FIREARM DUR CRIME
CONVICTION COUNTY: CHATHAM COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 08/19/1989
SENTENCE LENGTH: 5 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS

CASE NO: 284361
OFFENSE: OBSTR OF LAW ENF OFFICER
CONVICTION COUNTY: CHATHAM COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 08/19/1989
SENTENCE LENGTH: 5 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS

CASE NO: 284361
OFFENSE: MURDER
CONVICTION COUNTY: CHATHAM COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 08/19/1989
SENTENCE LENGTH: NOT AVAILABLE

CASE NO: 284361
OFFENSE: AGGRAV ASSAULT
CONVICTION COUNTY: CHATHAM COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 08/18/1989
SENTENCE LENGTH: 20 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS

CASE NO: 284361
OFFENSE: AGGRAV ASSAULT
CONVICTION COUNTY: CHATHAM COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 08/18/1989
SENTENCE LENGTH: 20 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS

http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/GDC/OffenderQuery/jsp/OffQryRedirector.jsp
 
Not providing any evidence for or against Troy, but evidence for why I put little weight in the number of appeals that a person gets and still can't prove their evidence:

"The State concedes in its reply brief that Davis’ evidence “looks overwhelmingly persuasive” and offers no affirmative argument against its persuasive force. The State’s only attempt to answer this “overwhelmingly persuasive” new evidence is to suggest that the evidence could only be true if it were less persuasive: “We can imagine pretty easily how, in an aberrant case, there might be an over-the-top cop, or a witness with an undisclosed grudge that only comes to light after the trial. But how likely is it, in any trial, that 78% of witnesses would independently come to refute their own testimony…?” State at 46

http://www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/assets/documents/news/Final Ogletree Amicus Brief.pdf

It is also worth noting that the only death row case that I have ever been remotely involved in where the death row inmate was actually released completely was Earl Washington Jr. Earl had all of the appeals that Troy Davis had and a governor still had to step in, once DNA established his innocence. The Commonwealth only gave him a conditional pardon to life and it took an additional 8 or 9 more years and another DNA test to finally get him released. But then again, as I have said before, in VA "Evidence of innocence is irrelevant" ~Former Virginia Attorney General Mary Sue Terry


ETA:
With that, I am going to try to get some sleep. And next week or the week after, once everyone has had their chance to grieve, I think that I am going to contact Davis' attorneys and ask if they will email me the relevant areas of the trail transcripts and documents (evidence reports and the like) that may answer some of the questions that we have.
 
Regarding Michael Cooper, I did some googling and the most I have found so far is this (bbm):

Davis shot at the car from a couple of hundred feet away and the bullet shattered the back windshield and lodged in Michael Cooper’s right jaw. (T. 1186). Cooper was treated at the hospital and released and Cooper’s injury formed the basis for Count IV of Davis’ indictment. The shooting incident took place approximately one hour before Officer McPhail was shot.

http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2009/05/field-negro-meet-real-troy-davis-and.html
 
Well, this is good news...at least to me:

"The most recent evidence of that momentum came from New Jersey. Last month, after reviewing more than 2,000 studies and listening to days of expert testimony, the state Supreme Court decided that eyewitness identification is inherently flawed.

The court ruled that every trial judge must hold a pre-trial hearing to consider any factors that could undermine an eyewitness account, such as the time of day of the crime or whether or not the witness felt pressured by police to make an identification. Then, if the judge decides to admit the testimony, he or she must instruct the jury on the potential problems with eyewitness identification and tell jurors to treat the testimony the same way they would any other piece of evidence.

The Oregon Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a similar case challenging the validity of eyewitness testimony in November. The same month, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider reevaluating eyewitness identification in federal cases when it hears the case of Perry v. New Hampshire. "

...

"Police groups don’t dispute the research on eyewitness identification, but often chafe at the idea of state legislatures mandating police procedure. In Florida this year, law enforcement groups succeeded in quashing a House bill aimed at amending their lineup practices."

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=601795

And I waas able to at least find a statement from the " former director of the FBI, a former federal judge and federal prosecutor" Bill Sessions here:

http://coto2.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/former-fbi-director-troy-davis-should-not-be-executed/

I really wish I could find out if he reviewed the ballistics reports and the conflicting reports from the GBI. :sigh: I guess I just took far too long to take a look and ask questions. I am going to see if the attorneys will give me anything to review. I just keep seeing so many conflicting things that I don't feel comfortable believing anyone at this point and want to see some docs (from both sides--cause I don't believe either side at this point).
 
I recognize- and respect- the comments by some posters that they "don't see color." Let me assure you, however, that Savannah, GA DOES "see color." I grew up in Savannah and taught at some of Savannah's public high schools, including Beach High, which was (unfairly) labelled a "ghetto (read BLACK) school." This was in the late '80s and early '90s. I am white, and MANY, MANY times, when other whites found out where I taught, they were aghast: "Jesus! Aren't you terrified to work there?" I was often asked. The answer was NO. I taught many fine, bright, and decent kids who came out of horribly crime-ridden 'hoods and projects, Yamacraw Village included. Yes, there was at least one student every year (and usually they were students in the legal sense; they were enrolled; but they rarely attended) who got arrested for some high-profile shooting, thus the bad publicity. Savannah is a beautiful city with tons of beautiful citizens, but it is also, imo, one of the most racially divided places I know of. In 2000, I moved to Greenville, SC and was amazed at what a great school system it has, and with very, very little racial problems; I thought all southern schools systems were as self-segregated as Savannah's, but I was wrong. Here in Greenville, for example, there are very few private K-12 schools; the ones that exist are mainly based on religious beliefs (Catholic schools; Bob Jones [ugh!])... but in Sav'h, there is a private school on practically every corner. Some are fine schools, but (imo) a lot of them are crap; they exist simply because many white Savannahians don't want their kids going to the (majority) "black" public schools. Plain and simple. Savannah was under federal desegregation mandates well into the '90s! So, yeah, you better believe someone was going to Death Row over the murder of a white police officer.
 
Troy Davis was convicted for shooting Michael Cooper. I don't believe Michael Cooper ever said he saw someone else shoot him. He may very well have said he didn't see the shooter, or if he did, his injuries may have damaged his recollection. I can't find a transcript for that, if anyone else can, please add?

What I do know are the facts as they are presented. A jury convicted Troy Davis of shooting Michael Cooper. What's more, neither Troy Davis, nor his attorney's, nor supporters (that I can find) have ever disputed that Troy Davis was guilty of that shooting. I did find this article from the District Attorney at the time who says that exactly:


http://www.11alive.com/news/article/206167/40/Ex-DA-Doubt-recantations-manufactured-in-Troy-Davis-case
I really lean towards believing Lawton, as if there was a dispute in court in regards to the Michael Cooper shooting, it would be available to the public, and with the spotlight fixed firmly on this case for the last few weeks, it would have come out.

LOL, and on that note, I really need to go to bed too, I have five hours until class.

Just as an aside, I would not have supported the death penalty for this case. I believe the death penalty should be reserved for the very worst of the worst. For the Ted Bundy's and Gary Ridgeway's of the world. Also for child rapists, and such. That's it. I wouldn't have been upset with Troy Davis getting life in prison.
I do believe he was guilty though. I am also sickened by the media's spin on the whole situation. Between trying to say this was a racial issue, and the comments I have read like, "Black man, kills white cop in Georgia, what do you expect??" That makes me sick.

Off topic, but sort of on topic I just began a thesis on facts in regards to race and the death penalty. Everyone knows the same old media soundbites, but even at the very beginning of my research, I'm discovering it's not so..and maybe since this execution happened right when I was in knee deep of crime statistics and surrounded by stacks of old mug shots and death penalty cases that I'm a bit jaded by it all. Troy Davis was not a hero. Officer Mark MacPhail was a hero. Troy Davis just got some good PR, and folks like to forget that every single aspect of this case has been gone over multiple times by multiple people. To believe every single judge who has gone over the facts in this case was wrong, but the Kim Kardashians are right is a world gone mad.

Very well stated. Troy Davis was involved with what could have been three murders that night; a man shot inside a vehicle, a homeless man being brutally beaten and then the real hero, a young, father who also happened to be a police officer who came to the aid of the homeless man. This young hero most likely saved the homeless man's life and ended up losing his due to the actions of a .

I have seen the coverage of this execution and find it really disgusting that such a violent is tooted as an innocent hero.
 
I recognize- and respect- the comments by some posters that they "don't see color." Let me assure you, however, that Savannah, GA DOES "see color." I grew up in Savannah and taught at some of Savannah's public high schools, including Beach High, which was (unfairly) labelled a "ghetto (read BLACK) school." This was in the late '80s and early '90s. I am white, and MANY, MANY times, when other whites found out where I taught, they were aghast: "Jesus! Aren't you terrified to work there?" I was often asked. The answer was NO. I taught many fine, bright, and decent kids who came out of horribly crime-ridden 'hoods and projects, Yamacraw Village included. Yes, there was at least one student every year (and usually they were students in the legal sense; they were enrolled; but they rarely attended) who got arrested for some high-profile shooting, thus the bad publicity. Savannah is a beautiful city with tons of beautiful citizens, but it is also, imo, one of the most racially divided places I know of. In 2000, I moved to Greenville, SC and was amazed at what a great school system it has, and with very, very little racial problems; I thought all southern schools systems were as self-segregated as Savannah's, but I was wrong. Here in Greenville, for example, there are very few private K-12 schools; the ones that exist are mainly based on religious beliefs (Catholic schools; Bob Jones [ugh!])... but in Sav'h, there is a private school on practically every corner. Some are fine schools, but (imo) a lot of them are crap; they exist simply because many white Savannahians don't want their kids going to the (majority) "black" public schools. Plain and simple. Savannah was under federal desegregation mandates well into the '90s! So, yeah, you better believe someone was going to Death Row over the murder of a white police officer.

BBM

The majority of the jury was black. 7 black jurors and 5 white jurors.

IMO, most people believe the execution style killing of a police officer is a crime deserving of the death penalty. Whatever the race of the victim, perp or juror.

Mark MacPhail was executed while protecting a drunk, homeless black man that was being harrassed by Sylvester Coles and pistol-whipped by Troy Davis.

IMO, race clearly meant NOTHING to Officer Mark MacPhail.
 
I do not know for certain that the death penalty as a whole is racially motivated, but I do understand economics. I am a firm believer that the better off you are the less likely you are to get the death penalty. I am not saying that all people who are given the death penalty are poor and that rich people are never convicted. I am, however, stating that when public defenders--who are only given to people who cannot afford to pay their own attorney-- are given hundreds, if not thousands of cases per year to defend, there is no possible way that those public defenders can conduct a proper investigation or prepare an adequate defense. I am also not saying that all black people are poor. I don't want to turn any of this into a race war.

When I say that race does not enter my mind in this case, I am simply saying that it is the facts of the case that bother me. Not racial issues.

I don't think that anyone here can even begin to claim that Officer MacPhail was not a hero. I have yet to see that anywhere. There should be many, many more officers like him. And my questioning of this case in no way reduces or discounts that belief. Anyone that believes that is welcome to call me out on it, but you can expect that I will fight back as a person who has numerous police officers in her family. Having questions about the case in no way makes the murder of officer MacPhail any less tragic in my mind, and in fact, if they state of GA did execute an innocent man, it just makes it that much more tragic in my opinion.

I have also yet to see on this board Troy Davis being considered a hero or anything except a less than "model citizen." The news media is the news media, which is why I am concentrating on finding docs and reports that cite docs.

I would also like to stress that I am not here to change anyone else's mind, nor am I trying to force anyone into my beliefs (which really aren't clear at this point, since I have said repeatedly that I don't know if Troy Davis committed this crime :deadhorse:) and I hope that everyone would respect opinion and my right to question the case and come to my own conclusions. That is, from my understanding, what boards such as these are for, and I would rather not move on to a board where antics are allowed and misinformation is allowed to be stated as fact without links that prove them. I am here to discuss the case, wade through the nonsense and and find the truth, which is what I believe this board is about. I am simply here to find the truth in this case, not as portrayed by the media, but by reviewing the facts. Who knows, this case could come down to a death bed confession from any number of the parties involved from what I am reading, because it appears that at the very least, constitutional rights were infringed upon and I am never okay with that, even in the case of my enemy, because that sets precedent for the justice system to infringe upon my own and you can be sure that I cannot think of a single scenario where I would be in a situation where I would shoot a police officer and if I were ever arrested for sure a thing, I would hope that there would be people who would look out for me. Just as I would hope that if I were ever murdered I would hope that if there were questions about the guilt of anyone arrested that people would take deep and serious look to ensure that another injustice is not being committed.

I am here to find the truth, whatever that may be and to make sure that if there were errors that caused an innocent man to be executed, that the true killer be brought to justice out of respect for a hero and the the people of GA, who could be living under a false sense of security. I appreciate the comments of those who believe that he was guilty, as they help to balance my own thoughts and cause me to come up with more questions. However, I feel that it is my duty as am American to question what goes on and as of this moment, I am just not yet ready to say that Troy Davis was the shooter in this case--nor can I say that he was not, and I am going to keep looking until I am satisfied one way or another.
 
I recognize- and respect- the comments by some posters that they "don't see color." Let me assure you, however, that Savannah, GA DOES "see color." I grew up in Savannah and taught at some of Savannah's public high schools, including Beach High, which was (unfairly) labelled a "ghetto (read BLACK) school." This was in the late '80s and early '90s. I am white, and MANY, MANY times, when other whites found out where I taught, they were aghast: "Jesus! Aren't you terrified to work there?" I was often asked. The answer was NO. I taught many fine, bright, and decent kids who came out of horribly crime-ridden 'hoods and projects, Yamacraw Village included. Yes, there was at least one student every year (and usually they were students in the legal sense; they were enrolled; but they rarely attended) who got arrested for some high-profile shooting, thus the bad publicity. Savannah is a beautiful city with tons of beautiful citizens, but it is also, imo, one of the most racially divided places I know of. In 2000, I moved to Greenville, SC and was amazed at what a great school system it has, and with very, very little racial problems; I thought all southern schools systems were as self-segregated as Savannah's, but I was wrong. Here in Greenville, for example, there are very few private K-12 schools; the ones that exist are mainly based on religious beliefs (Catholic schools; Bob Jones [ugh!])... but in Sav'h, there is a private school on practically every corner. Some are fine schools, but (imo) a lot of them are crap; they exist simply because many white Savannahians don't want their kids going to the (majority) "black" public schools. Plain and simple. Savannah was under federal desegregation mandates well into the '90s! So, yeah, you better believe someone was going to Death Row over the murder of a white police officer.

Right on the money. I know several folks in Savannah - friends who grew up there and still live there. Every word of what you say is true.

Sadly, it's not just Savannah. I was working in a school system in the general vicinity in the late 1990s. I was new to the school and was asked by a few teachers (who happened to be African-American) if I wanted to sit at their table in the lounge at lunch. I said sure then went to the vending machine. A white teacher asked me to sit with her and I asked her to join me at the other table. She seemed shocked and whispered, "That's the BLACK table...".

I saw racism alive and well at the University of Georgia as well as in my hometown. Disgusting. Once a friend was flying into the airport in Augusta and was told by the pilot as the plane was landing, "Hold onto your seats - we're about to go back 100 years in time...!"

It's one of the reasons I can't convince my husband to move anywhere near there. Cheaper than here, yes. But he says he couldn't live there.
 
Here is the Supreme Court's opinion from August 24, 2010
http://multimedia.savannahnow.com/media/pdfs/DavisRuling082410.pdf

It talks about the evidence beginning on page 166 (it's 172 pages)

This was thoroughly gone over. He was claiming innocence not protesting the death penalty.

Also the Prosecutor who never spoke out about the case previously does so now that the case is finally closed. It's a 30 minute video, but it's a worth it.

Ex DA: Doubt, recantations 'manufactured' in Troy Davis case
http://www.11alive.com/news/article...-recantations-manufactured-in-Troy-Davis-case
 
Here is the Supreme Court's opinion from August 24, 2010
http://multimedia.savannahnow.com/media/pdfs/DavisRuling082410.pdf

It talks about the evidence beginning on page 166 (it's 172 pages)

This was thoroughly gone over. He was claiming innocence not protesting the death penalty.

Also the Prosecutor who never spoke out about the case previously does so now that the case is finally closed. It's a 30 minute video, but it's a worth it.

Ex DA: Doubt, recantations 'manufactured' in Troy Davis case
http://www.11alive.com/news/article...-recantations-manufactured-in-Troy-Davis-case

bbm

Yes, he has maintained his innocence all along. Switching to LWOP would have given him the chance to continue trying to prove his innocence.

One of the dept of corrections officials (not sure if it was one from Georgia or not) who had been involved in numerous executions said that the majority of folks put to death admit guilt and seek forgiveness before they die. It's as if they need to cross the line before dying. However, Troy Davis never did that. Up until the end, he addressed the family from the gurney and said that he did not do it. And that is something that has bothered the corrections officer.
 
BBM

The majority of the jury was black. 7 black jurors and 5 white jurors.

IMO, most people believe the execution style killing of a police officer is a crime deserving of the death penalty. Whatever the race of the victim, perp or juror.

Mark MacPhail was executed while protecting a drunk, homeless black man that was being harrassed by Sylvester Coles and pistol-whipped by Troy Davis.

IMO, race clearly meant NOTHING to Officer Mark MacPhail.
Thank you for your post, and I agree with your comments. My post may have seemed harsh or even somewhat o/t. However, I was trying to convey my opinion that, because of the seriousness of the crime and because of the racial issues in Savannah, the whole case was fast-tracked and possibly mistakes were made, thus all the questions that remain even after Davis' execution. And for the record, I do think Davis was guilty; I am just having a hard time with the death penalty. jmo, moo, etc...
 
I see this heading slooowwwly down the first page, about to fall to the second page, and I absolutely cant let that happen. I wish more people would read about this and more people could get involved in the discussion. I hope lil miss HRcodepink (did I get your name right without checking?) can find a way to get some docs because I too would like very much to read more info. there are many things in this case that I dont like at all (of course) and most of all I would like that ballistics report.
 
Just an FYI... sad all around. Yes, Mark MacPhail is the true victim here - and his family. However, the death of another person can never bring back the victim. And doesn't always bring peace.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/07/us/troy-davis-macphail/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Even after execution, no finality for mother
....
"It bothers me. I am the victim here," she says. "I lost my son. My grandchildren don't have any memories of their father.

"I don't have the peace yet that I was hoping for."....
 
Very possible.

Someone I knew in college was murdered (Jennifer Stone, Athens, GA) her senior year. If you google enough, you can find that the person who pawned her camera was never really questioned, and neither were others who were implicated. To make a long story short, from everything I can find - and it has been 20 years or so - they won't investigate or prosecute because the suspects are all part of an informant circles with the local LE/lawyers. One of them reportedly lived in a home paid for by one of the attorneys. Of course this is all hearsay, but it all makes sense when I stand back and look at the big picture. Sickening.

Belimom, I'm an Athenian looking into the case of Jennifer Stone. I have multiple articles from the Athens Observer and other news sources about the secrecy surrounding this case. I'd like to talk with you further if at all possible.

Thanks
 

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