Troy Davis got a stay of execution!

[EFerrari]

Supreme Court issues stay of execution for Davis

By BILL RANKIN

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The U.S. Supreme Court today issued a stay of execution for Troy Anthony Davis less than two hours before he was to be put to death by lethal injection.

Davis, 39, sits on death row for the Aug. 19, 1989, killing of Savannah Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail. He was scheduled to be executed at 7 p.m.

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/stories/2008/09/23/davis_stay_execution.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13

[thereismore]

1. Thank you SC! nt

[Venceremos]

2. WOW

I'm very surprised (pleasantly).

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. Great News... Thank you Pres. Jimmy Carter for your effort too n/t

[EFerrari]

6. Jimmy Carter is a treasure. n/t

[otherlander]

87. YAY JIMMY CARTER!

:party: !!!

[nachoproblem]

91. I admit it

I don't pay very close attention to the news. I am not that good of a citizen. But I did recommend the other thread because the Jimmy Carter got my attention.

That's a good thing for Troy Davis.

[EFerrari]

. . .

Thank you, DUers, for all you did.

:cry:

[malaise]

4. Great news

K & R

[slipslidingaway]

5. Great!!! n/t

[roguevalley]

7. Oh god. what a relief.

[aquamarina]

8. This is fantastic news.

[Pushed To The Left]

9. You just made my day! This is very good news.

This man was convicted with no physical evidence. He shouldn't even be in prison, let alone on death row. It looks like everybody's phone calls/letters may have finally paid off!

[Mabus]

10. K&R

Whether Davis was still alive was the first question my husband when I picked him up this afternoon. I had to tell him "I don't think so." It was a great relief when we walked in the door a few minutes ago and saw the breaking news on CNN.

[PeaceNikki]

11. Great news!

Thanks for posting!

[EFerrari]

12. DUer Gregorian needs a big thank you here, for keeping this case front and center.

:hug:

And bean fidhleir as well.

Thank you from the bottom.

:applause:

:toast:

[fla nocount]

13. So today's news wasn't all bad...that's good.

But what happens for Mr. Davis from this point?

[EFerrari]

15. I haven't even read the decision, don't know yet. n/t

[PeaceNikki]

19. Here's a more detailed story

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/23/davis.scheduled.execution/?iref=hpmostpop

In summary, SC will decide whether he gets a new trial. If they decide against, stay is lifted immediately.

From http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/09/23/davis_stay_execution.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
In its order, the U.S. Supreme Court said if the justices decline to accept Davis’ appeal, “this stay shall terminate immediately.” If the appeal is granted, the stay will remain in force until the high court issues its ultimate ruling on Davis’ appeal, the order said.

[EFerrari]

26. Thank you, Nikki. n/t

[EFerrari]

14. dupe.

[billyoc]

16. Thank God. I can't believe they were even CONSIDERING executing him

5 days before his Supreme Court appeal! :grr:

[EFerrari]

18. Maybe there's still a little good hiding out here, somewhere.

:)

[otherlander]

88. And now I have to rain on the parade...

by saying look how many people reply to this thread, compared to the number who replied to the "please sign the petition" thread. It's like the story about the hen that made bread. Still, I'm extremley happy. :)

[aikoaiko]

17. I had given up. Job well done to all those who didn't.

:applause:

[EFerrari]

21. I admit, I had no hope at all. Thank you to the DUers that did have some

and that kept working no matter what.

:applause:

[CatWoman]

20. this is WONDERFUL news!!!

thanks, Sfex!!!

:hi:

I was driving home, listening to the radio, and feeling so depressed.

again, WONDERFUL news :)

[EFerrari]

24. We need to get this young man back to his family.

We will. :toast:

[countryjake]

22. Now we still need to demand that he gets a new trial!

Thank the stars for all the people who have spoken up and pleaded for justice for this innocent man, Troy Davis.

The details of his case, the evidence not presented, the circumstances of his defense, require that this be reheard by the court!

The stay of execution is not enough...the doubts of this judgment cry out for a new trial for Troy Davis!

[AllieB]

23. Great news!

Thank you for posting.

[TuxedoKat]

25. Thank God!

What good news! What do we do now to help him?

[EFerrari]

29. His web site hasn't updated yet but let's keep an eye out for that.

http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/

:hi:

[TuxedoKat]

32. OK, I'll be visiting it.

Waving back at you -- I don't know how to do those animated smileys! :)

[countryjake]

33. Also keep an eye here...

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGUSA20080923002

Amnesty International Praises Stay of Execution for Troy Davis - September 23, 2008


(Atlanta) – Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) today welcomed the order from the Supreme Court of the United States to stay the execution of Troy Anthony Davis hours before his scheduled execution. The state of Georgia scheduled Davis’ execution for today, in effect circumventing the U.S. Supreme Court before it had time to decide whether its justices would consider Davis’ case.

“For reasons that are unfathomable, Chatham County officials seemed doggedly determined to ram this execution through before justice could fully run its course,” said Larry Cox, executive director for AIUSA. “We are grateful that the U.S. Supreme Court has shown the foresight to stay the execution. We hope that it takes up the case and looks at it with fresh eyes, marking the first time that evidence pointing to Davis’ innocence will have been heard in a court of law.”

Davis was convicted in 1991 of killing Savannah police officer Mark Allen MacPhail. Authorities failed to produce a murder weapon or any physical evidence tying Davis to the crime. In addition, seven of the nine original state witnesses have since recanted or changed their initial testimonies in sworn affidavits. In March 2008 the Georgia Supreme Court decided against a new evidentiary hearing for Davis in a narrow 4-3 ruling. Last Friday, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Davis’ request for clemency.

Since the launch of its February 2007 report, Where Is the Justice for Me? The Case of Troy Davis, Facing Execution in Georgia, Amnesty International has campaigned intensively for clemency for Davis, collecting well over 200,000 petition signatures and letters from across the United States and around the world. To date, internationally known figures such as Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter have all joined the call for clemency, as well as lawmakers from within and outside of Georgia.

[EFerrari]

48. Thank you.

:loveya:

[Sebastian Doyle]

94. I heard somewhere that even Bob Barr was pleading for clemency

That had to be the first time he and Jimmy Carter agreed on anything (aside from a general view that the Chimp administration sucks ass)

[katty]

27. good news

[Donald Ian Rankin]

28. I think this is a good thing.

From the little I've heard, it looks as though the balance of probability is that he did it, but that's a hundred miles short of the standard of proof needed to justify killing someone.

[tomnjoy]

30. Hallelujah!! Oh this is such good news!

I have been looking and looking for an update. Thank you! Now I pray that they will give him a new trial - our work isn't done yet!

[EFerrari]

34. That's right. We're not done yet. n/t

[hedgehog]

31. I haven't read any of the postings about Davis because I

didn't think there was any hope!

But really - waiting until 2 hours before execution - talk about cruel and unusual punishment!

[EFerrari]

35. Kick so our friends can see.

:)

[countryjake]

36. K&R!

[Pithlet]

37. Good news! n/t

[countryjake]

38. Kick and nominating this "Must Read"!

Troy Davis has been waiting to be killed since 1991!

With little more than an hour of hope left, a stay has been granted!

This is undeniably a "Must Read" case!

[countryjake]

72. again!

[readmoreoften]

39. That is fantastic. This is really good news. Let's keep up the pressure!

[barbtries]

40. that's great

and only fair.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

41. Good. Let's Hope He Gets The New Trial. He Deserves It.

There are way too many questions about this case to be able to say he's guilty beyond reasonable doubt to the point that execution would be justified.

If he's guilty, then so be it. But I think he most definitely deserves a new trial.

Glad to hear the news!

[EFerrari]

42. This thread just went from 19 to 8 votes. lol. While we figure out the new system.

Please kick it up!

[hunter]

43. kick

:kick:

[Mandate My Ass]

44. Hallelujah!

I was just in tears watching Democracy Now and listening to his sister who had all but given up hope.

Thanks to all who helped. What do we do now?

[EFerrari]

45. We have to get him a new trial or the stay is lifted.

[Jack Rabbit]

46. Now this is good news.

It's about time we had some.

[nc4bo]

47. oh thank God. nt

[EFerrari]

58. A little light in a dark time.

:)

[EFerrari]

49. Kick

[ColbertWatcher]

50. The Supremes finally did something not disgusting. n/t

[Mandate My Ass]

52. I think it was only one justice, Clarence Thomas

Davis' sister was on Democracy Now saying they were rushing the execution before SCOTUS reconvened next week but Clarence Thomas was "on call" or something like that and he could stop it. He came from the same city and even the same neighborhood as Troy Davis but still, Slappy isn't known for clemency in death row cases.

I'm floored if that's the way it really went down.

[ColbertWatcher]

61. Maybe we should start calling Palin "Slappy" too? n/t

[kaygore]

51. I have been praying all day for a stay of execution and

a serious review of his case.

Thank you for this post!

[AtomicKitten]

53. I am as stunned by this decision as I am pleased.

[Gregorian]

54. YES! YES! YES!

This is absolutely wonderful, Beth!

I lay awake last night thinking of how I was going to post that he...well, I won't have to post that now.


I want to say how angry I am, though. But maybe it's best for another thread. Basically, why do we punish people twice. Once with life in prison, and then execution? And why did this take so long. And why does our system have to have rabid prosecutors. And then just our stupid "system" in general.


I've been pretty damned upset lately. This has had me very upset. Both by the lack of interest on this forum. Oh nevermind. YAY!!!

[EFerrari]

57. I know. And, thank you.

:hug:

[FourScore]

55. My faith in mankind has been restored.

I couldn't bring myself to say that my faith in the Supreme Court has been restored. Besides, they wouldn't have done jack if there hadn't been such a public outcry. so definitely my faith in mankind.

Phew. I am so relieved.

[madmax]

56. Thanks to all of you who work

so hard on behalf of the forgotten and desperate. :cry:


O8) :toast: :toast: :woohoo: :applause:

[vanderBeth]

59. Great News!

[Kitty Herder]

60. That's good news.

[dana_b]

62. Best news of the day!! n/t

[EFerrari]

63. Kick

[Mandate My Ass]

64. Holy crap! It was Clarence Thomas who did this!

"The US high court was not in session this week and the request was heard Tuesday by just one member of the court, conservative justice Clarence Thomas.

Amnesty International USA also welcomed the Supreme Court order to stay the execution, and slammed the state of Georgia for trying the "ram this execution through."

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hJF8VnAbOXUp0DiPlt75n7Pa4YeA

Does this mean when SCOTUS reconvenes they'll make another recommendation regarding a retrial or does it automatically go back to the lower courts? Even with C. Thomas unexpectedly on the side of angels, I fear for Troy Davis' chances with the current make-up of SCOTUS. :scared:

[Brewman_Jax]

68. Justice Thomas has a poor record regarding civil rights and discrimination cases

but in matters of law and procedure, he does not always follow his neo-con colleagues. Shocking, I know.

[countryjake]

76. I'd appreciate some expert to come in here and explain procedure, also.

What a stunner that Thomas is the sole justice responsible for this!

I have the same fear, that this stay may be fleeting.

[dailykoff]

78. Amazing isn't it?

Apparently he's Catholic (I just looked it up) and I imagine he has strong ideas about this issue.

[tekisui]

65. This is very good news!

I have just become aware of this thanks to Amnesty International and ACLU. I have written and texted.

I hope they can stop it alltogether.

[K Gardner]

66. K&R

[Hepburn]

67. Oh, thank, gawd!

What was happening with this was sooooooooo fucking wrong!

[pacalo]

69. Wonderful, wonderful news!!!

[jberryhill]

70. Scalia is pretty clear about...

Innocence-in-fact is not a ground for overturning a conviction, so long as the convicted was afforded due process.

That gets Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, and Alito.

I'd bet Thomas wanted to take this for review for the purpose of nailing down that point.

[Swamp Rat]

71. Great!

O8)

[shireen]

73. excellent!

I hope the Supreme Court takes this case and gives it the attention it deserves. The monsters in Georgia who are doing this to him must be held accountable for their cruel actions.

Mr. Davis has come close to death several times now, I can't imagine what's going on in his head. I really feel for him.

[beac]

74. Great news!

I hope he will finally get a fair hearing re: the 7 witnesses who have recanted.

[D23MIURG23]

75. That's great news. Kick and (whatever it is now)

[Richard Steele]

77. Great news. K&MR!

[FVZA_Colonel]

79. 7 out of 9 witnesses recant, no weapon, no DNA evidence, and no finger prints.

Explain to me how this case can even come close to the standard of "beyond reasonable doubt?"

[EFerrari]

80. Kick

[nofurylike]

81. ...

thank you

[nofurylike]

82. +

k + m.r.

[npk]

83. Unfortunately in the state of Georgia

The Governor cannot grant clemency. So unless Davis gets a new trial, he will likely be executed. It is a shame considering the new evidence that has come to light that may prove he is innocent. I will pray for him.

[EFerrari]

85. Yes, he needs a new trial. And, the governor does have influence

on the board -- they are his appointees.

Let's see how we do. :)

[SeattleGirl]

84. I saw that!

Now, I hope they will take up his case.

[otherlander]

86. OMFG AWESOME!!!

:woohoo: :D

[OakCliffDem]

89. K & R Capitol punishment is just plain wrong

[Chorophyll]

90. Oh, thank God.

And thanks for posting this!

"Less than two hours before..." Jesus.

[Dystopian]

92. wonderful news....

Hopefully he will be a free man soon. What a horrific crime committed against him.


peace~

[quidam56]

93. Prayers answered !

What have we become ? It's shameful ! www.wisecountyissues.com

[Joe Chi Minh]

95. Great news.

[pleah]

96. It is great news!!!!!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Lilyeye]

97. Thank God!!!!

I heard about this yesterday and I was sooo happy. My mom and I were praying for this man all yesterday and we felt so horrible about it. I just hope he can get a new trial and I will passing the word along. What can be done to get this man a trial? If there is anymore petitions or letters that need to be written, I'm on it.