FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2011
For More Information: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137
Amina Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700
Jennifer Marsh, Legal Redress Coordinator, 919-682-4700
DURHAM, NC - The North Carolina NAACP, along with local branches from across the country, is mobilizing its members to travel to Atlanta on Friday, September 16 for a march in downtown Atlanta that will end with a service at Ebenezer Baptist Church as part of the "Too Much Doubt" campaign to save the life of Troy Anthony Davis. A likely innocent African American man on death row, Davis will be executed on Wednesday September 21st at 7:00pm unless the Georgia Board of Pardon and Parole votes to give Troy Davis clemency or District Attorney Larry Chisholm calls for the withdrawal of Troy Davis' death warrant. The march begins at 6 pm at Woodruff Park and ends at Ebenezer Baptist Church with a service beginning at 7 pm.
"Executing an innocent man is not only morally wrong but is an injustice for the victim's family who are denied their right to have the true killer brought to justice. It leaves a murderer in our community and casts a shadow of shame over our justice system," said Rev. Dr. William J Barber, II, President of the NC NAACP. "It is fitting that the march will end with a service at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where Rev. King served as pastor. In his own words, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'"
Davis has been on death row in Georgia for nearly 18 years for the murder of Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia. There is no physical evidence linking Davis to the crime and seven of the nine witnesses have recanted or contradicted their original testimony, several saying they were coerced. Of the two witnesses who have not contradicted their trial testimony, one (Steven Sanders) could only identify Troy Davis at trial, two years after he told police that he "wouldn't know the shooter again if I saw him." The other witness who has not recanted is the prime alternative suspect in the case. NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, who recently met with Mr. Davis for two hours on death row said, "There is too much doubt in Troy's case to execute."
"The NAACP has opposed capital punishment since its inception 102 years ago, in a time where black men were lynched at a rate of one per day," said Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood, HKonJ Coalition Coordinator for the NC NAACP. "Troy Davis's case is a clear example that racism still persists in death penalty cases. We have no choice but to be for the abolishment of the death penalty."
"The Troy Davis case, and the hundreds like it, should send the NC General Assembly and all North Carolinians a clear message: racism is alive and well in death penalty trials and North Carolina's Racial Justice Act must be vigorously defended and promoted," said Rob Stephens, Associate Director of the Anti-Death Penalty Project of the NC NAACP. "This year in North Carolina, the extreme right-wing leadership in the General Assembly attempted to repeal the Racial Justice Act. Due to efforts by the NAACP and our partners, the ultra-conservatives were defeated in these efforts. The fight for the RJA is not over yet, and we are going to Atlanta to fight for Troy Davis and to fight for the defense of the Racial Justice Act."
Troy had no prior criminal record and since he has been in prison, Davis has been a model prisoner and a valuable mentor to his young nephew, whose mother has breast cancer.
The five panel Board of Pardon and Parole is set to hear Troy's case on Monday, September 19th and will make a decision to either execute Troy or grant him clemency. The new Savannah District Attorney Larry Chisholm, an African American, could also call to withdraw the death warrant and ask that Troy receive clemency.
"It not only is morally wrong to put an innocent man to death, it does not bring justice to the victim's family and allows a dangerous criminal to go free. We have witnessed scores of people wrongfully sentenced to death in our nation. Justice requires we not turn a blind eye to killing another innocent man - a travesty that can never be rectified." Jealous said.
Prominent politicians and leaders, including President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Presidential candidate Bob Barr and former FBI Director and Judge William S. Sessions have all called for Davis to be given a new trial or evidentiary hearing.
The NAACP is asking for people to send letters to the Board of Pardon and Parole and for Savannah residents to contact the local district attorney.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
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