Troy Davis’ petition to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied for the second and last time on March 28. Today, the Georgia State Board of Pardon’s and Paroles may have sealed his fate by denying him clemency in his capital punishment case. Davis is scheduled to die Wednesday at 7 p.m. by lethal injection.
His most recent bid for clemency could be the final chance for Davis to avoid execution. Defense attorney Jason Ewart has said that the pardons board was likely Davis’ last option, according to the Associated Press. But, Amnesty International, the NAACP and the National Action Network are drawing attention to one last effort to keep him alive. The groups say the man who prosecuted Davis could ask a judge to block the execution.
Davis received his death sentence in the 1989 murder of Savannah police officer Mark A. McPhail in Chatham County. Since then, major inconsistencies in witness testimony have emerged creating widespread doubt about the original guilty verdict.
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The five-member state parole board issued a statement following their decision on Tuesday saying they, “have not taken their responsibility lightly and certainly understand the emotions attached to a death penalty case.”
Georgia grants clemency through an independent parole board. There have been 51 men executed in Georgia since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1973, according to the state department of corrections. Davis would be the 29th person executed by lethal injection in the state.
Click here to view a Grio slideshow of protesters seeking justice for Troy Davis
The NAACP has been a strong supporter of Troy Davis, offering facts about the case, and calling for people to help in the fight for justice. The organization formed the website Iamtroy.com. Since Monday’s clemency decision, the organization has put up a new page “Clemency Denied: Last Chance for Troy”. The page highlights that Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm is the only one at this point who can petition a judge to withdraw the death warrant.
Amnesty International is also fighting for Davis, with its own online petition as well. The human rights group lists the telephone number for the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office on a page titled “Stop the September 21st execution of Troy Davis!” Amnesty International has supported Davis’ clemency cause in many ways, including short videos.
The Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network plans a countdown vigil at death row in Georgia, starting at noon on Wednesday. The group has dedicated most of its homepage to reminding people about Davis. Sharpton first heard of the clemency board’s decision a few hours after it was handed down and responded via Twitter. “I was just notified that clemency was denied Troy Davis. This is the most blatant example of injustice I have seen in years. This is WRONG,” he wrote.
