Execution of Troy Davis- some thoughts

[Aimeey7]

Got into a debate about this on Facebook- which really isn't a place for debates so I ended it there but couldn't leave some thoughts unexpressed so here they are, whether or not anyubody cares:

I've looked at a few current articles and from what I read, the reasons why so many people seem to think Davis is innocent-- or at least shouldn't be executed-- are:

1.7 of 9 “witnesses” recanted.
That's it. That's all I see. My questions to that are , what are the details? What exactly is it they are recanting, what was their testimony? Are they now saying they weren't really sure, or sure it wasn't him? Or, are they saying they lied back then. If the latter, well, they are then liars and how can we know which time to believe them?
Did they have motives to lie, then or now? Did perhaps people such as defense attorneys and other Davis advocates contact them and maybe wear them down, work on their conscius about condemming a man to death?

That leaves 2 out of 9 that didn't recant. Are they any more or less credible than the 7 recanting witnesses?

Maybe some have really delved into the case, the original testimony along wit the recantations. Maybe there is really reason to doubt his guilt-- but you sure can't logically, reasonably base it on the mere statement that “ 7 of 9 have recanted”. I think to reasonably reach doubt, one would have to explore exactly what the original testimony was and what the their new version is, along with the rest of each witnesses particular circumstances.

But, then I read where 7 of the 9 testified that they saw Davis shoot the officer, while the other two testified that Davis confessed to them that he had killed the officer. So, which ones recanted and what did they recant?

Then, what about the man shot in the face earlier by Davis? Apparently that Davis did that one is not in dispute. Then, experts matched the shell casings from a gun known to have been in Davis' possession to  the one that killed the officer. So, there is more than just eyewitness testimony, there is physical evidence as well, perhaps 1 + 1 = 2. Yes, I'm aware that some new expert hired by the defense challenged the original physical evidence, and certainly it is proper for the court to assure the original expert testimony was credible and not substantially refuted by any new information.

It just seems to me that a lot of people are taking very limited, highly selected information in the press and substituting their judgment for various courts and boards who presumably would have meticulously examined ALL of the evidence. Whats in the press seems heavily one sided to me, and most likely the story was driven and marketed by the defense as a strategy to bring the public on Davis' side to overturn the death sentence. And, to a degree it worked. Not to overturn the sentence of course, but the attention it drew in the grand scheme of things- with all due sympathy to the actual parties involved, far outstripped its actual importance at the national and international level. In other words, it really wasn't a big story until the defense cleverly made it one. I don't blame them, when you're sinking, you reach out for any stick, for sure.

I've seen some comparisons made to OJ and Casey Anthony-- without it being said, there is a critical difference- namely, in OJ and Anthony's cases, they convinced ONE jury at ONE trial that there was reasonable doubt. In the Davis case, SEVERAL courts and judges have ruled that there is NO reasonable doubt as did the parole/pardon board. A federal judge thoroughly dismissed the defense claims calling them “smoke & mirrors” I guess this judge is just dumber than all the experts that read the press accounts and proclaim Davis' innocence? Are all the Supreme Court Justices dumber too, that they couldn't see Davis as innocent?

[Chicken Charlie]

Dude iz dead az a mofo yo.

[yoyo]

...That leaves 2 out of 9 that didn't recant. Are they any more or less credible than the 7 recanting witnesses?...

One of the two was the other guy who could have been implicated, he also had a gun of the same caliber that he had given away earlier that day.

I didn't want to delve to deep into this because it always seems like the info out there is already spun, and i would have to spend too much time cutting through the bs.  I did hear an opinion from a pro death penalty guy who wanted the execution halted.  I am guessing if there are too many questionable executions, getting they guys who really deserve it in line becomes harder.

[beeker]

I didn't want to delve to deep into this because it always seems like the info out there is already spun, and i would have to spend too much time cutting through the bs.  I did hear an opinion from a pro death penalty guy who wanted the execution halted.  I am guessing if there are too many questionable executions, getting they guys who really deserve it in line becomes harder.

I agree with that, everything about this case is wrapped in some type of BS.  Regardless, I respect the Defense attorney for doing all that he could to save his client.   I don't believe it was planned this way, but there was an execution in Texas on the same day and it was the jackass racist that drug a black guy down the road tied to his truck.  That moron earned his death penalty and it makes it tough for the anti-death penalty people to have too much room to scream, only because of the timing. 

[pbal]

A thorough and methodical refutation of Davis' appeal by Clinton appointee Cheif Judge William Moore:

http://multimedia.savannahnow.com/media/pdfs/DavisRuling082410.pdf

[escapeman]

I agree with that, everything about this case is wrapped in some type of BS.  Regardless, I respect the Defense attorney for doing all that he could to save his client.   I don't believe it was planned this way, but there was an execution in Texas on the same day and it was the jackass racist that drug a black guy down the road tied to his truck.  That moron earned his death penalty and it makes it tough for the anti-death penalty people to have too much room to scream, only because of the timing. 

I dont think the "racist" meant to drag the black guy to death. The black guy tied a chain to the back of the truck so he could steal it. Just so happens the innocent white guy needed to get drive into town for cigs not realizing what the damned black guy intended to do.

[Aimeey7]

A thorough and methodical refutation of Davis' appeal by Clinton appointee Cheif Judge William Moore:

http://multimedia.savannahnow.com/media/pdfs/DavisRuling082410.pdf

Thanks! That's just what I was looking for.

[Alfred E. Neuman]

.....speaking of executions, who paid iran $1mil for the release of 2 goofball hikers.....they found the appalachcian(sp) trail too boring??.........'hey shane, for our next hike, let's check out the iran border'......'ok josh, can i bring my girlfriend?'....

[Wiener]

Probably the same guy who funded her freedom train. Wasn't it some Shek or something like that.

[yoyo]

this guy?

[Aimeey7]

I'm glad they're back, safe and sound, but, really, just who in the hell would think it would be a good idea, being an American, to go for a hike in Afghanistan, and, worse yet, if you're stoopid enough to do that, go anywhere near the Iranian border??

What's next, picnicking in Pakistan?

[Wiener]

this guy?

No that shrek and I did spell it wrong it should have read shiek  you know some really rich dude from a middle east nation.  Lives in a tent has camels and many wives, holds belly dancing contests. 

[Wiener]

I'm glad they're back, safe and sound, but, really, just who in the hell would think it would be a good idea, being an American, to go for a hike in Afghanistan, and, worse yet, if you're stoopid enough to do that, go anywhere near the Iranian border??

What's next, picnicking in Pakistan?

No they are gonna host a gay pride parade in Uganda.