Philadelphia Sunday SUN,
Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
It’s the foundation of our justice system, built to serve and protect the wrongly accused. But in the case of Troy Davis, it’s a principle that has been defied, ignored and trampled on.
I’m writing to you once more, friend, because Troy’s execution is scheduled for next week, and there is simply too much doubt in his case for us to allow this to happen.
A week from today, on Monday, September 19th, Troy has his final hearing in front of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. They have the power to halt the scheduled execution and commute Troy’s sentence, permanently preventing what could be a wrongful execution.
It is now up to us to make sure the Board hears our voices loud and clear. Send a letter to the Board asking them to grant clemency for Troy Davis, and make sure it’s something from the heart:
http://action.naacp.org/write-the-board
Earlier this month I visited the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison, where Troy Davis awaits his fate.
Troy spoke to me about the pain of life on death row: his uncertain future, the isolation from his family, and the frustration that comes from being unable to tell his side of the story.
It is hard to fathom that our justice system would sentence a man to death when there is so much doubt. Consider this:
- Seven of the nine original witnesses in Troy’s case have recanted or changed their story;
- One eyewitness testified for the first time in 2010 that he saw his relative, not Davis, shoot Officer MacPhail; and
- At least 10 individuals have implicated the alternative suspect as the actual perpetrator.
Right now we have two options. We can admit defeat and accept that some things are too big to change. Or we can stand behind our brother, like the NAACP has done for generations, and demand justice.
I, for one, cannot sit idly by as a justice system that is supposed to protect the most vulnerable among us imprisons and executes a man like Troy Davis. And as part of the organization that has led every major civil rights battle for generations, I know you feel the same.
Now is our chance to speak out and save Troy’s life. The members of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles have the power to do this. Write to them and ask for clemency now:
http://action.naacp.org/write-the-board
Together we can save a life.
Ben Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP
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