NEW VOICES: Executing Troy Davis Would Be "Unconscionable and Unconstitutional"
Former Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia has called for a full court hearing on the new evidence offered by death row inmate Troy Davis regarding his possible innocence. Davis's attorneys have submitted a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court requesting such a hearing. Barr noted that part of the basis the lower courts have used in refusing to hold a hearing is the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, a law that he helped write. Barr, who also served as a U.S. Attorney in Georgia, wrote in an op-ed in the New York Times that, “There is no abuse of government power more egregious than executing an innocent man. But that is exactly what may happen if the United States Supreme Court fails to intervene on behalf of Troy Davis.” Barr continued, “This threat of injustice has come about because the lower courts have misread the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, a law I helped write when I was in Congress.” He emphasized, “But nothing in the statute should have left the courts with the impression that they were barred from hearing claims of actual innocence like Troy Davis’s.” The full op-ed may be found at Death Penalty Info dot org here
2 comments:
Former Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia concern for the hearing of Troy Davis’s capital punishment case in the U.S. Supreme Court draws light on how our current capital punishment system is dysfunction. Congressman Barr, being an advocate of the death penalty but coming to the conclusion that our judicial system is allowing for innocent persons to be executed is an abuse of government power. You cannot ignore the problems our appeals and sentencing systems are facing. The issue Congressman Barr stated was the lower courts are misinterpreting the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act which he helped to write.
Since Troy Davis’s conviction, seven out of the nine witnesses have recanted their testimonies and there was no substantial evidence to have convicted Mr. Davis from the start. Mr. Barr points out many issues that constitute for an appeal to the higher court. Scott Turow and Mr. Barr both share similar stances on the death penalty; by you can not sentence someone to capital punishment if the judicial system they are sentence by is broken. Reviewing Mr. Barr claims, you can not ignore the failures of our safeguards against wrongful convictions and the country’s effort to fix them. Mr. Barr is absolutely correct to say that if Troy Davis is killed, our rights and protections guaranteed by the constitution will be damaged.
Thanx so much, Andrew, for posting your comment on this site and re. the travesties and injustices in the case of Troy Davis!
Please keep reading, commenting and sending your concerns, heads up and other items our way.
Post a Comment