Supporters of death-row inmate Troy Davis say they have the will power and will not rest until they prevent his scheduled execution later tonight, despite a decision by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to deny clemency.
“We’re calling on anyone who has any power to stop this grave injustice from occurring,” said Laura Moye, who is campaign director for Amnesty International USA. Although supporters realize the chances are slim and their options are nearly depleted, they continue to hold out hope.
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Davis has been scheduled to die 3 times before, including an October 2008 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, which granted a stay just 2 hours before he was to be executed. Supporters are hoping for another last minute miracle, saying they will call on Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisholm to ask a superior court judge to cancel the death warrant against Davis. Their only other option is to hope for the involvement of President Obama.
Former district attorney Spencer Lawton, who originally prosecuted the case against Davis in 1991, said those who do not believe there is physical evidence in the case are wrong. “There are two Troy Davis cases,” he said. “There is the legal case and the public relations case. We have consistently won in court, and consistently lost in the public relations battle.”
But several hundred Davis supporters remained upbeat and hopeful, as they rallied last night at the state capitol building in Atlanta to voice their support. Among the crowd were placards, banners, and blue T-shirts emblazoned with the words “I am Troy Davis” in white letters. The supporters repeatedly chanted, “Stand up, testify — we won’t let Troy Davis die,” as they planned to stay on the capitol steps until the hour of tonight’s scheduled execution.
