Davis' supporters hold 'Die-In'

"Die-In" protesters laying at the foot of a war memorial, in front of the Slappy Floyd White Building in downtown Atlanta, Sept. 23, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Supporters of death row inmate Troy Davis held a “Die-In” in downtown Atlanta today. Davis is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7 pm.

A group of demonstrators called “Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty,” collapsed in deathly poses at the entrance to the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles at the Slappy Floyd White building, downtown.

Police requested they move their protest away from the entrance of the structure, where they blocked an entryway. The protesters got up and walked over to a war memorial several yards away, where they re-enacted their protest, and spoke with reporters.

The 15 college-aged protesters carried signs and wore tee-shirts saying, “Don’t Murder In Our Name.”

Organizer Asha Lyon says their protest’ is meant to send an eleventh-hour plea:

“It is not too late for them to change their mind and issue a stay or clemency for Troy Davis today before seven p.m.”

A State Police patrolman escorts protest group leader Asha Lyon away from the entrance of the Slappy Floyd White building in downtown Atlanta, Sept. 23, 2008. One of the protesters is seen at the lower left, laying at the foot of the entrance, as part of their "Die-In" protest. (Dave Bender)

Davis was sentenced to death in 1991 for the killing of a Savannah police officer two years earlier.

7 of the 9 witnesses in the trial have changed their stories and Davis’s lawyers have tried to get a new trial.

Davis’s sister, Martina Correia, says, “My brother Troy is in a very strong place and he’s very faithful and close to God. Even though it’s very hard, we’re very blessed because we’re still holding on to hope.”

Their last hope is the U.S. Supreme Court where a stay of execution request is pending.

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Convicted cop killer's execution suspended

Troy Davis has been granted a 90-day stay of execution. Davis was convicted in 1991 of murdering a Savannah Police officer. His execution had been scheduled for 7 PM tonight.

The order from Georgia's Board of Pardons and Paroles suspends Davis' execution until October 14th. Between now and then, his lawyers will try to convince the Board to remove Davis from death row altogether.

His older sister, Martina Correia talked to Davis as soon as she heard the news.

"He was sitting alone in a room, and they actually had already moved him to the death chamber, and when he said 90 days, he said all the guards started coming down there, thanking him, and telling him they were getting ready to move him out of there and put him back in his
cell," she said.

Correia is elated, but she is ready to hit the pavement to galvanize support for full clemency. Since reinstating the death penalty in 1973, 47 cases have come before Georgia's parole board. Clemency was granted in eight.

Troy Davis gets stay of execution

Troy Davis has been granted a 90-day stay of execution. He had been scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7pm tonight. Davis was convicted in 1991 for the murder of Savannah police officer Mark McPhail.

The order from the state's Board of Pardons and Paroles late Monday suspends Davis' execution until October 14th. Between now and then, his lawyers will try to convince the Board to remove Davis from death row altogether.

Davis' older sister, Martina Correia, talked to her brother as soon as she heard the news.

"He was sitting alone in a room, and they actually had already moved him to the death chamber, and when he said 90 days, he said all the guards started coming down there, thanking him, and telling him they were getting ready to move him out of there and put him back in his cell".

Correia is elated, but she's ready to hit the pavement to galvanize support for full clemency. Since reinstating the death penalty in 1973, 47 cases have come before Georgia's Parole Board--clemency was granted in eight.

Board of Pardons debates Troy Davis' case

Today, the State Board of Pardons is deliberating whether or not Troy Davis should live or die. Davis is convicted of killing a Savannah Police Officer in 1989, and is scheduled for execution tomorrow evening.

The Parole Board may grant Davis clemency, deny him clemency, or give him a 90-day stay of execution while they renew his case. The board was clearly weighing those options carefully.
They listened to over six hours of testimony on Davis' behalf. Board spokesperson Scheree Lipscomb says hearings rarely take more than two hours:

"This has been a very long hearing, I'm sure that the board is concerned because some people have recanted their statements, and the Board just wants to make sure that they're doing the right thing and they have all the information available."

The Board is also hearing from the family of the victim, Officer Mark MacPhail. They are pleading for the execution to go on as scheduled.

Clemency hearing set for convicted cop-killer

A clemency hearing has been scheduled for a man set to be executed for the murder of a Savannah police officer. Human rights advocates claim Troy Davis may be innocent. Supporters say Davis, who is black, was convicted of killing Mark MacPhail, who was white, without any physical evidence. Davis’ lawyer will tell the state Board of Pardons and Paroles on July 16th why his client's life should be spared. Davis is scheduled to be given a lethal injection the next day at the state prison in Jackson.