Although 48-year-old death row inmate Duane Buck may have been recently granted a 30-day reprieve without challenging his guilt, another black man can only wish for a similar fate.
Troy Davis, a Georgia death row inmate since 1991, has been issued his fourth execution date of September 21, 2011 (SEE OUR PREVIOUS POST). Davis was convicted of the August 19, 1989, murder of Savannah, Georgia, police officer Mark MacPhail.
No physical evidence connects Davis to the crime, and seven of the nine original witnesses have changed their stories, some citing pressure from law enforcement for the initial testimonies. He has always maintained his innocence, but state and federal courts seem determined to take his life even though Sylvester “Red” Coles is the alternative suspect and nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating him as MacPhail’s murderer.
Continue
