On September 21, 2011, Troy Davis, a prisoner convicted of murdering an off duty police officer, was told for the fourth time since he was imprisoned that he was going to die that day. Many legal decisions as well as protestors have helped stop the previous three execution dates from occurring. Sadly, Troy Davis’ fourth attempt at appealing his case and postponing his execution yet again would be his last. He was pronounced dead by means of lethal injection by the state of Georgia at 11:08 P.M.
What makes Troy Davis’s situation standout among other similar situations is that the public was very aware of the evidence, or lack thereof, that was being used against him in the court of law. Like many convicted for murder, Davis professed his innocence until his last breath. His final words to the family of the man he was convicted of killing were, “All I ask…is that you look deeper into the case so you really can finally see the truth.” 1 What truly makes the case of Troy Davis stand out is the significance of his protesters and supporters.
The petitions signed to stop the execution were in the hundreds of thousands which included former president Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI, the NCAA, and countless celebrities. A crowd chanted outside the white house so their message was heard. More than 700 demonstrators rallied outside the prison to do the same.
With so many supporters fighting for the cause of Troy Davis, one cannot help but to ask, “Did our justice system fail us?” It’s on the minds of many but we must not point fingers and only talk about it. We should focus on how we can change it. As Troy Davis instructed his friends and family, "Continue to fight this fight.”2
WOW! I really wanted to know about that case and you explained it well, thanks Christian!
ReplyDelete