Take action: Troy Davis’ execution scheduled

The execution date has been set. On September 21, 2011, Troy Davis is scheduled to die. Davis, 42, was convicted of killing an off duty police officer, Mark MacPhail in 1989.

During his trial nine witnesses testified that they saw Davis shoot MacPhail. And since the 1989 trial seven of those nine witnesses have recanted saying that they were mistaken and that Davis was not the shooter. Without any physical evidence linking Davis to the murder there are many prominent civil rights activists and even former President Jimmy Carter who believe Davis might be innocent.

The execution has been stopped before but it seems that now after all the back and forth, Troy Davis needs a political leader to grant him clemency to stop it. As the President of the NAACP, Ben Jealous told The Grio:

This case exemplifies why we give governors and pardon boards the power to commute death sentences. Two wrongs don’t make a right. All debates over the death penalty accounted for, our nation never intended for a person to be executed amid so much doubt.

I agree with Mr. Jealous. Davis’ case is exactly the reason why I am personally against the death penalty in all circumstances. The chance that an innocent person is executed is just too great a risk to take.

Amnesty International is calling on Georgia authorities to stop the execution of Troy Davis. You can sign their petition here.