The United States is supposed to be a shining example of the wonders of a free, democratic and fair country.  At least, I think that most of it's people believe that.  Yet, we are part of a system that is being reported on by Amnesty International.  That system is the penalty of Death.  I would like to tell you about Troy Davis, a man who is scheduled to die on the 23rd. of September, 2008.

Some things are tragically familiar to anyone who pays attention to the Criminal Justice System here.  He's black, Southern and has ended up on Death Row in Georgia due to poverty, policing and illiteracy.  I should state at this point, that the crime he will die for, is the 1991 shooting death of Mark Allen MacPhail, a white police officer.  Although he admitted being at the scene, a Burger King, he has always maintained his innocence.

I should also add that whilst I remain staunchly pro-choice, I am also vigorously against the Death Penalty.  Which, I have found out is the complete opposite of many against abortion for any reason, say rape, incest and the like.   They, for example the Republican presumptive party, believe in capitol murder as a reasonable form of punishment.  I'm a tad confused as to why that makes sense.  Ain't God s'posed to sort 'em out?  They have even been heard to say things like the War Against Iraq is God's will, on His side.

Precisely the argument of the terrorists.

The fear of Death Row has not curtailed heinous crimes.  In fact, it's more expensive for the tax-payers to keep them there, due to the right of lengthy appeals that keep the victim's family in a horror-show limbo and the accused without any vision toward helping others than him/herself.  Even more disturbing, is
The Innocence Project, which over the years has helped so many be cleared of their wrongful convictions.  This is a group that is the link between a shady system and the beauty of truth.  If it had not been for their valiant efforts, many more innocent people would be killed, whilst the perpetrator walks amongst us.

Troy Davis was convicted on testimony garnered by a rightfully angered police department.  There is no physical or real eye-witness evidence against him.  For example, one "witness" signed a statement, even though he's illiterate:

"Even today, I know that I could not honestly identify with any certainty who shot the officer that night. I couldn't then either. After the officers talked to me, they gave me a statement and told me to sign it. I signed it. I did not read it because I cannot read. At Troy Davis's trial, I identified him as the person who shot the officer. Even when I said that, I was totally unsure whether he was the person who shot the officer. I felt pressured to point at him because he was the one who was sitting in the courtroom. I have no idea what the person who shot the officer looks like."

 Others have recanted their statements after Davis' conviction, many of whom said they felt pressure from the police.  Post conviction, another man emerged as the possible killer of Officer MacPhail, but this obviously has not been persued.  Because Davis will die in eleven days, unless we help stop the killing.  Unless we cease the cycle of slaughter.

Please click here for more information, to learn and hopefully, to help.  This man will die in eleven days, unless massive appeals are sent to the board.  I sent mine:  it's a point, click and away from saving a man's life.