Being accused and convicted of a crime eligible for the death penalty is a scary scenario to find yourself in. Such is the case of Troy Davis, who was convicted of the 1989 murder of Savannah, GA, off-duty police officer, Mark MacPhail.
It can be said for any and every state that employs the death penalty as a means of justice–there is a very steep curve for individuals to prove their innocence through the legal system of appeals.
There is little doubt that more than a few states have executed people who were not at all guilty of the crimes committed warranting the death penalty.
At the time of the Davis murder trial in 1991, several witnesses testified that Davis was an individual at the scene, one of many involved in an argument with several others in a Burger King parking lot. After the crime, he was implicated as the trigger man who killed MacPhail after the off-duty police officer, working as private security, attempted to intervene in the argument.
No physical evidence was necessary to convict Davis–in fact, no physical evidence that could hold up in a present day appeal existed. False ballistics–that’s it. The conviction was based on the accounts offered by 9 witnesses, including individuals who were involved in the argument. 7 of the 9 witnesses have since recanted or contradicted their accounts, and one anonymous individual eventually claimed that he was the one who pulled the trigger during the altercation.
Davis has always maintained his innocence, and has gained support from over 700,000 strong, in the form of activists, clergy and even former president Jimmy Carter. The parole board denied a final plea for clemency, and the execution remains scheduled for Wednesday night. The storm of protest continues to stir.
The MacPhail family? His widow has stated that it is time for justice to be served. She believes that Davis is lying about his innocence. MacPhail’s children were very young at the time of his murder, but they’re also ready to proceed as planned.
If you’re curious about Davis’ choice of a last meal–he declined, opting for what’s on the weekly menu.
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