US: Georgia Should Commute Death Sentence of Troy Davis

Update: On October 24, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit stayed Davis’ execution until further notice.  
 
(October 20, 2008) -- Georgia should commute the death sentence of Troy Anthony Davis, who is scheduled to be executed on October 27, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Related Material So Long as They Die: Lethal Injections in the United States Report, April 24, 2006 Death Penalty Focus Page Thematic Page, October 20, 2008 Letter to Governor Sonny Perdue and Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles Letter, October 20, 2008 Free Email Newsletter

Davis was convicted of the 1989 murder of an off-duty police officer, but has always maintained his innocence. Many of the witnesses who testified against him at his trial have since recanted, and no physical evidence links him to the crime. Pope Benedict XVI, former President Jimmy Carter, and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu are among those who have spoken out against executing Davis.  
 
Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty and finality.
 

 

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