Troy Anthony Davis Hearing Held
In a hearing today for the convicted Troy Anthony Davis, a witness testified he saw Sylvester "Redd" Coles fire the shots that killed a Savannah, Georgia, police officer. Benjamin Gordon was a primary witness for the defense, which said enough evidence was presented to get a new trial for the convicted Troy Davis. Ultimately, a judge will make that decision.
Davis was convicted of the 1989 killing of Mark Allen MacPhail. But according to Davis' attorneys, most of the witnesses against him recanted their testimony, some saying they were coerced by police. "I was so scared I told them anything they wanted to hear," Jeffrey Sapp said on Wednesday. Sapp testified that police told him, "Just say Troy told you. Just say Troy told you."
Kevin McQueen also said in the 1991 case that Davis admitted he killed MacPhail. But in the hearing, McQueen said, "He never told me nothing like this. ... He never confessed to shooting anybody to me."
While Coles was named as a possible suspect in the killing, Savannah lead detective Greg Ramsey said Coles, who had been a witness against Davis, was not a suspect in the case.
The defense team did not call Coles to the stand nor all of the witnesses they said recanted their testimony. They presented a possible case against Coles and their claim that police had focused on Davis as the suspect to the exclusion of others.
The U.S. Supreme Court had decided in August that a federal judge should hear evidence to see whether it "clearly establishes (Davis') innocence." The defense is hoping that the judge will call for a new trial so evidence can be presented in court.
District Judge William T. Moore Jr., who listened to testimony Wednesday and Thursday, 23 and 24 June 2010, will announce his decision later.
LINKS
To see all our entries on Troy Anthony Davis, click on http://loveshade.org/blog-mt/mt-search.fcgi?IncludeBlogs=1&search=troy+anthony+davis
For more information on the hearing, see http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-06-25/troy-davis-hearing-ends-no-date-yet-decision-new-trial and http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/witnesses-helped-convict-man-death-row-now-recant/story?id=10995816 and http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=12760334 and http://www.wtoc.com/global/story.asp?s=12699354
To see more on Troy Anthony Davis, visit http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/
Updated 7 July 2010 and 29 June 2010.
Comments
I'm so glad they had the hearing. But it won't really mean anything unless they give him another chance with another trial. I hope the judge makes the right decision.
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | June 25, 2010 06:04 AM
He has to get a new trial. Anything else would be wrong.
Posted by: Marie Gilbert | June 26, 2010 05:26 AM
Kill the man and get it over with.
Posted by: Tom T. Trucker | June 26, 2010 04:54 PM
That's in Georgia, right? That's a good old boy, let's string him up state. America ought to kick Georgia out.
Posted by: Argo the Mad | June 27, 2010 01:35 PM
How can they prove him innocent without a trial? And a trial doesn't prove you innocent just not guilty. This don't make sense.
Posted by: Eric Boulder | June 28, 2010 03:22 AM
They have to give him a new trial. The witnesses said the police made them lie to convict him? Those police should go on trial. They could have sent an innocent man to his death!
Posted by: Dharma | June 29, 2010 07:47 AM
I believe that Mr Davis should get another trial. He's earned it. As for those who would lynch Mr Davis no matter whether he is innocent or guilty; This ain't the old west and you cant hang people cause you're bored or its Tuesday. I hope we have grown out of the mob mentality. Good luck Troy.
Posted by: Vernon Avaritt | July 6, 2010 05:53 PM