Troy Davis and the History of Injustice in America

[tblue]

The history of justice in America is pocked with such deep institutional injustices that time and again we make a mockery of the word. From slavery to the War on Drugs, the powerful have trampled time and again on the weak.

Law and order masquerade as justice, and our prisons fill to the brim with young men, mostly black and Hispanic, mostly poor. Meanwhile, inner cities lie like sunken ruins across the wealthiest nation in the history of civilization, stomped upon by drug warriors and poverty and violence.

And though we accept the limitations of our government and of the good judgment of our leaders, we nevertheless believe in the infallibility of this system we call justice, but which is not justice, to hand down the most final sort of judgment a man could ever know.

Troy Davis, convicted over two decades ago of killing an off-duty cop, though much doubt has been cast upon his guilt and the methods which police and prosecutors used to secure his conviction, will be executed by the state of Georgia tomorrow. The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied him clemency, and there are no other avenues left to save him.

In the end, I am not concerned so much with whether or not Davis is guilty or innocent. I am concerned with the uncertainty of his guilt. “I’m not for blood. I’m for justice,” said the mother of the slain police officer. But we extract one or the other, not both. In a case where the blood may be that of an innocent, how can we call it justice?

Death is tragic. The death of Mark MacPhail is a tragedy that will never be undone. Not by blood, not by prison bars, not by time, not by proof that Davis is guilty or proof that he is innocent. But if we have even a glimmer of doubt about his guilt, there will be no justice in his death. If we have even a hint of uncertainty over whether this man did the deeds he was accused of, but which most of his accusers have since recanted, we should stay his execution.

But the history of justice in America is scarred across by such tragedies.


E.D. Kain http://blogs.forbes.com/erikkain/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/09/20/troy-davis-and-the-history-of-injustice-in-america/

[Dawson Leery]

1. Chuck Canterbury, President of the FOP on Troy Davis:

http://www.fop.net/servlet/display/news_article?id=3973&XSL=xsl_pages%2fpublic_news_individual.xsl&nocache=22811795

Before we join hands, consider this.

[tblue]

2. NO.

Don't you have anything constructive to do?

[ingac70]

3. All they had was eyewitness testimony...

and those people have recanted. Doesn't matter how much the FOP whines, this guy should not be put to death.

[tblue]

4. Oh ingac70...

Thank you. It's so sad...

[handmade34]

5. consider this??

Chuck Canterbury can not prove beyond a reasonable doubt what he has said... what I will consider is that the police and Mark MacPhail's family want someone to pay and they don't care who

[Dawson Leery]

7. Clarify. What I meant to say

is that we must reconsider joining hands with the FOP on other matters. We agree on benefits standards, that is all.
There are many other issues where most on the left cannot come to agreement with the FOP, such as their disregard for civil liberties. The police unions support immunity for illegal wire tapping as well as supporting the failed drug war.

Canterbury is a simple bastard.

[bemildred]

6. Justice requires that you punish the right persons.

If you fail in that, if you are not sure, you fail the test of justice.