JACKSON, Ga. --- Two congressmen said Friday that they are considering legislation that would address the death penalty case of Troy Davis, who is on death row for killing a Savannah policeman.
At the same time, the NAACP announced it is making the call for Mr. Davis' freedom a national cause and is training 300 organizers in Atlanta this weekend for the campaign.
The news came shortly after Atlanta Democrats John Lewis and Hank Johnson finished a two-hour meeting with Mr. Davis at the prison where he is awaiting either his execution or word of success from an appeal his lawyers filed May 19 with the U.S. Supreme Court. The men released copies of letters the Congressional Black Caucus sent this month asking for a new trial addressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm.
Mr. Johnson said legislation is planned that would repeal a 1995 law that limits the number of appeals condemned inmates can file. He said Congress might pass a bill specifically granting relief to Mr. Davis.
"That's a possibility," Mr. Johnson said. "We're not just waiting for a ruling from the Supreme Court. ... The highest legislature in this land, the House and the Senate, have yet to weigh in, and it's going to happen."
Mr. Lewis said he has been considering requesting a presidential pardon.
"In meeting with Troy for almost two hours, I came away convinced that this man is an innocent man," Mr. Lewis said.
NAACP President Ben Jealous said his organization has sent e-mails to 400,000 supporters urging them to campaign for Mr. Davis.
"We are here because this case stands out," he said. "When Chatham County is one of 159 counties in the state of Georgia but has produced one third of the 12 people who have been exonerated ... on DNA evidence, something's wrong in Chatham County."
A Chatham County jury convicted Mr. Davis of the 1989 fatal shooting of off-duty officer Mark MacPhail and shooting another man earlier the same night. Mr. Davis claims it was a case of mistaken identity.
Comments
"In meeting with Troy for almost two hours, I came away convinced that this man is an innocent man," said John Lewis, Dem. House of Representatives.
What an arrogant attitude by Lewis , and the NAACP.
May officer MacPhail's blood be on their heads.
This case has been scrutinized twice by the US Court of Appeals.
Now the NAACP tries the strong man tactics.
this thug is as dead as disco. good riddance - hope the cheerleaders for this [filtered word] get a good cry on when the cameras are rolling.
Not one word from either Congressman or the vaunted NAACP about the welfare of the officer's family or what might have happened to him. The only important fact here is the criminal is black and the dead officer was white. Instant innocence for the criminal.
boo hoo - wish this thug had just gotten capped at the scene so no tax dollars would have been wasted preserving this human waste product.
Suppose Troy Davis is guilty as charged. How will the taxpayers or Officer McPhail's survivors be harmed by his having another day in court? And how will his death make the life of anyone else better? If one can not give a satisfactory answer to these two questions, then I do not see how one can argue that he should not have every opportunity to exonerate himself or why he should not live out his natural life in any case.
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