Court rejects appeal of death row inmate

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ATLANTA --- A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal by Georgia death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis in the killing of a Savannah police officer.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which earlier heard arguments in the case, denied a claim by Mr. Davis that executing him for the 1989 murder of Officer Mark MacPhail would violate his constitutional rights.

The 11th Circuit stayed Mr. Davis' execution last October to hear arguments on his claim that he was innocent of the killing. Several witnesses have recanted their testimony.

A majority of the judges found that in view of all the testimony and other evidence, they did not think Mr. Davis could establish that a jury would not have found him guilty.

Pardons board reviews white supremacist case

ATLANTA --- Georgia's pardons board is reviewing the case of a condemned inmate who is set to be executed later this month.

The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles on Thursday heard testimony from representatives of white supremicist William Mark Mize, who is set to be executed on April 28 for shooting to death one of his followers.

The board will likely issue its decision after Mize speaks to the panel on April 21.

Mr. Mize, who is 52, was convicted in Oconee County Superior Court for the 1994 murder of Eddie Tucker, who was shot at close range three times after he failed to burn down a house Mr. Mize considered a crack house in nearby Athens.

He would be the second person in Georgia put to death this year.

Clayton County gets more time for review

JONESBORO, GA. --- The Clayton County school district got two extra days to prove why it should regain its accreditation.

A team from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was scheduled to wrap up a visit Wednesday, but the group requested to extend its review period until today.

SACS officials say most of the work was by phone.

The 48,000-student district lost its accreditation in September for reasons including a dysfunctional school board, which has been replaced.

If the schools win back certification with the Atlanta-based agency, students who graduate next month will have accredited diplomas.

The agency's national accreditation commission is expected to vote in coming weeks based on what the team found during its visit.