00:00
00:00
PhoenixGodwin
My name is Phoenix Godwin. I'm 28 and I still want to do a lot for the world.

Phoenix Godwin @PhoenixGodwin

Age 33, Male

Long Story...

Savannah, GA

Joined on 6/29/05

Level:
18
Exp Points:
3,260 / 3,600
Exp Rank:
16,571
Vote Power:
5.96 votes
Audio Scouts
1
Rank:
Police Officer
Global Rank:
10,214
Blams:
235
Saves:
686
B/P Bonus:
10%
Whistle:
Bronze
Medals:
84
Gear:
2

Reasonable Doubt: The case of Troy Anthony Davis

Posted by PhoenixGodwin - September 18th, 2011


"Reasonable doubt". It's a phrase most are familiar with in regards to the criminal justice system. It started with early British Christians who were wary of taking judgement upon another person- something which they felt was only God's place to do so. By the 1780's it became a standard beyond which all guilty convictions must be held- something the American justice system didn't hesitate to officially adapt. Today, when an American juror is instructed the legal rules of how to decide a criminal case, they are told to apply this standard of being 'guilty beyond a reasonable doubt'. The rule is there specifically to preserve the court's "Presumption of innocence". Basically, it's what makes everyone innocent until proven guilty. This system was originally meant to to protect innocent people from conviction. This system has failed.

Troy Anthony Davis has been sentenced to death. As much as I would like to, I'm not going to tear into the moral hypocrisy of the death penalty right now. Because right now I think it's more important that people know his story.

Troy Davis grew up in Savannah, Georgia, in a mostly black, middle class neighborhood called Cloverdale. His neighbors knew him as a decent young man, and the children of the area looked up to him. He would fix children's bikes and help them set up their basketball stands. When his younger sister Kim became wheelchair bound from multiple sclerosis, he often dedicated himself to her aid, and eventually helped her as she took her first steps without crutches. One warm August night in 1989, Troy Davis and his friend Darrell Collins went to a pool party. Along the way back, they met up with Sylvester 'Redd' Coles at a Burger King, who was arguing with a homeless man over a beer. What happened next has been a matter of debate for over twenty years.

It was originally testified by Coles that Troy joined in and pistol-whipped the homeless man, at which point off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail (working as a security guard) came to the scene. MacPhail was shot before he even drew a weapon, and shot again after he hit the ground. People testified to having seen Troy commit the crime. Since then however, most of the witnesses have recanted their testimony. Many of the available witnesses have since said that they were intimidated by police into identifying Troy as the killer. Obviously this grievous act against an officer in uniform could not go unpunished- the police at the time probably didn't want any of that 'reasonable doubt' crap getting in the way of their revenge execution.

Even more, since then there have been three legal statements made by people who claim that Coles since confessed to having committed the murder himself- a sentiment Troy's lawyer shares as well. At this point we even know that Coles was in possession of the same caliber pistol which shot MacPhail (though he claims to have 'given it to a friend' the night before the incident). It's not my place to accuse Sylvester Coles of scapegoating his crime to Troy, but I don't need to. The fact is, the reasons for doubting Troy's guilt are clear and evident. However, Troy can no longer make an appeal due to the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty act of 1996, which was designed essentially to quicken and finalize death penalties.

Let me break it down: If our criminal justice system fails just one of us, it is in truth failing ALL of us. If our legal system kills innocents, then it is no longer OUR justice system- or even a JUSTICE system. It is the bureaucracy's, and it is just a system. A system with no morals, no ethics, and no principles. A processing system designed to keep people in line that can't be bothered with taking the time to observe things like actual truth and justice. I'm not okay with this because I care about truth. I care about justice. And right now there is a battle going on between Truth and Bureaucracy, and one of them has a hell of a lot bigger stick.

-Phoenix Godwin

9-18-2011

Troy's not dead yet, but he will be if people don't do something about it. Here are small things you can do to help preserve justice in regards to this case:

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Sign the Amnesty USA petition, asking the GA Board of Pardons & Parole to grant Troy clemency, and forward it to others.

2. Collect signatures on a download-able version of the petition.

3. If you are a lawyer or a legal professional: add your name to the legal professional sign-on letter

4. If you are a member of the clergy: add your name to the clergy sign-on letter.

5. If you have contacts with legal professionals or members of the clergy, forward them the sign-on letters and urge them to sign.

6. If you have contacts in Georgia, urge them to sign the petition or, sign-on letters (if they are legal professionals or members of the clergy.) It is important that the Board know that this issue matter to folks around the country and around the world-but especially that it matters to folks in Georgia.

7. 1 million Tweets for Troy!
If you are Twitter user than please consider tweeting for Troy.
Some sample tweets include:

When in doubt, don't execute!! Sign the petition for #TroyDavis! www.tinyurl.com/troyepetition

Too much doubt! Stop the execution! #TroyDavis needs us! www.tinyurl.com/troyepetition

No room for doubt! Stop the execution of #TroyDavis . Retweet, sign petitionwww.tinyurl.com/troyepetition

Case not "ironclad", yet Georgiacould execute #TroyDavis ! Not on our watch! Petition:www.tinyurl.com/troyepetition

No murder weapon. No physical evidence. Stop the execution! #TroyDavis petition:www.tinyurl.com/troyepetition

7 out of 9 eyewitnesses recanted. No physical evidence. Stop the execution of #TroyDaviswww.tinyurl.com/troyepetitio n

("What You Can Do" List compiled by Jen Marlowe via http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/call-t o-action.html)

Information sources:

http://multimedia.savannahnow.com/medi a/DavisMcPhail/1989/198908AUG24NEIGHBO RSREACT.pdf

http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/troy.p df

http://troyanthonydavis.org/troy2.pdf

http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/News-c overage.html

http://hnn.us/articles/47018.html

-UPDATE-

Rest in peace Troy Anthony Davis
10/9/1968 - 9/21/2011

Reasonable Doubt: The case of Troy Anthony Davis


Comments

Comments ain't a thing here.