Troy Davis part two

Thanks to amazing lawyer Kathy Manley (seriously there are some lawyers that are for the people and she is definitely one of them.) We have this info about Troy Davis from Amenesty International. Obama is president now. So no one is too busy to save this man's life. Let's make it happen people.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/good-news/another-stay-execution-troy-davis-20081029
Another stay of execution for Troy Davis

Troy Davis

© Georgia Department of Corrections


29 October 2008

Troy Davis was granted a provisional stay of execution on Friday, just three days before he was scheduled to be put to death. He has been on death row for 17 years for a crime he maintains he did not commit.

Troy Davis had exhausted his ordinary appeals against his conviction and death sentence, and the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles had denied clemency. On 22 October, his lawyers applied to the 11th Circuit Court for an emergency stay of execution and for permission to file a second habeas corpus petition, maintaining that his execution would be unconstitutional.

In its decision issued on Friday, the three-judge panel concluded that Troy Davis had met the burden for a provisional stay of execution. The court then ordered the parties to address the question of whether Troy Davis can satisfy "the stringent requirements" under federal law to get back into court for further appeals on his innocence claim.

Davis’s lawyers have to file their written arguments within 15 days of the 11th Circuit’s order. After receiving this brief, the government has 10 days to file its response. If the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decides that Troy Davis has not met his burden under the federal statute to be able to pursue further appeals, the State of Georgia could again move to set another execution date.

More than 300,000 people in the USA and around the world have appealed for executive clemency for Troy Davis. Among them are former US President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Pope Benedict XVI; the European Union, the European Parliament, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Read More
USA (Georgia): Further information on Death penalty/Legal concern: Troy Anthony Davis (m) (27 October 2008)
Stay of execution for Troy Davis (News, 24 September 2008)

The Election, me, and John McCain

So first things first. My girlfriend Laura, told me I was rude to all you in my last post about Troy Davis. My apologies. In the next couple of days I will write more about Troy Davis so please check in. We have to save this man's life...

So yesterday Jory and I (Jory is my bandmate. That's right I'm in a band that is touring the country as we speak) were driving through Phoenix with a hitchhiker. (Yeah a hitchhiker with in IPhone.) Anyway it's around 6pm and we are passing Phoenix airport. We noticed that traffic stopped slightly in front of us. However the highway was completely opened up just in front of where traffic was stopped. There were two helicopters circling the highway... Although I was unable to see the motorcade. We are fairly certain that we ran into John McCain's motorcade. The police cars that were stopping traffic waited a few minutes and began escorting traffic forward at about 30 miles per hour. The highway in front of them completely open. Than of course we met up with John and Cindy and consoled them through this difficult time.

Well finally the time has come. We have elected the first black president. All I have to say is that I hope I am totally wrong about him. Unfortunately, I don't believe I am...

Troy Davis

Alright, time to take a break from election talk, but first a answer to a previous question.

Who are you voting for?

Well I’m not voting because I forgot that I’m gonna be in Arizona on election day partying with John and Cindy.

But if I were voting it would be for… drumroll…

Cynthia Mckinney and Rosa Clemente of the Green Party.

I don’t have time to give much explanation because we have a very important issue to discuss.

So I will say it like this. Rosa Clemente is a good friend of mine and I know she believes as I believe that the US prison system is a continuation of the US Slave system. Period. No presidential candidate for the republicrats would admit this indisputable fact.

So I will explain this assertion eventually but for now I’ll just let the thirteenth amendment speak for me:

"Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, EXCEPT as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Speaking of slavery, can we speak about Troy Davis. For those of you that have never head of him, it is time to find out. He is an innocent man that could be executed by the State of Georgia in a few weeks. He was scheculed to be executed more than once but he has received several stays of execution.

OK so when I say innocent, I mean INNOCENT. Seven of the nine witnesses that testified against him have recanted their testimony and acknowledged that their original testimonies were a result of police coersion.

Why is an innocent man about to be executed you ask? Well there are a lot of factors, like the horribly racist criminal justice system in “Georgia but for a moment let’s thank one of the people most influential in this total travesty, Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton the great non-republican helped to create the anti-terrorism/anti-death penalty act. What does this have to do with Troy Davis you ask? Well the ATEDP Act made it so it is easier to execute people. It doesn't allow convicts to appeal based on factual disputes rather focuses solely on constitutional and procedural issues. This has resulted in the execution of Innocent People. For example David Wayne Spence was executed in 1997 even though the Police Lietenant that handled the case said: "I do not think David Spence committed this crime." The Supreme Court didn't intervene citing that the ATEDP, tied their hands.

Yeah well Bill Clinton didn’t occupy Iraq but he has been responsible for the execution of hundreds of people since the passing of this act.

What have you done in the past few weeks. Have you spent anytime trying to convince people to vote fro Obama? Campaigning, making phone calls, or donating money. What have you done for Troy Davis?

Well now is the time to forget about the elcction, (news flash: Obama is going to win),

And save Troy Davis’ life. I just went to revisit his website troyanthonydavis.org and it seems to be down. Hopefully that is temporary. Either way read about his case, write letters, develop support committees on his behalf. Save this man's life!!! Please!