Petition to Exonerate Troy Davis

September 21 will be the first anniversary of Troy Davis's execution. Davis was never given a new trial by jury to hear his claim to innocence. Davis requested that we "continue to fight this fight" to clear his name. Will you do that? Please sign the petition requesting re-investigation of Officer Mark MacPhail's murder. The petition is addressed to Georgia Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Petition to re-investigate the murder of Officer MacPhail 

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/re-investigate-officer-macphail-s-murder.html 

We, the undersigned, hold that Officer MacPhail's murder should be thoroughly investigated in light of recanted and tarnished witness testimony, a faulty initial investigation that was highly prejudicial toward Troy Davis, and his poorly financed defense during the original trial and appeals process. These factors led to the conviction and execution of Troy Anthony Davis without proof of guilt and the possibility that Officer MacPhail's murderer thwarted justice. A thorough investigation is warranted and hereby demanded.

Hear Troy Davis's last words, affirming his innocence and carrying his final request:

"All I can ask is that each of you look deeper into this case, so that you really will finally see the truth. I ask my family and friends that you all continue to pray, that you all continue to forgive. Continue to fight this fight. For those about to take my life, may God have mercy on all of your souls. God bless you all."

Troy Davis' Last Words Released By Georgia Department Of Corrections (AUDIO)  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/07/troy-davis-execution-last-words_n_1000648.html

If the world's largest initiative for justice can be ended simply by killing the principal, then no justice quests will be given more regard than children's tantrums in the future. Let us "keep fighting this fight" for the sake of Troy Davis and everyone who is or will be incarcerated or executed without proof of guilt. 

Visit the official Troy Davis website: http://troyanthonydavis.org/

Google "Troy Davis Mary Neal" for more articles by this writer.

Mary Neal, director of the Davis/MacPhail Truth Committee, an online advocacy against the death penalty, especially for persons whose guilt has not been irrevocably proved and for inmates who should be exempt from capital punishment because of their mental illness or juvenile status

Lawsuits Following Warren Hill Execution

Warren Hill's Execution Would Be Completely Unconstitutional

As Georgia prepares to execute Warren Hill on Tuesday, an offender with intellectual disabilities, it shows complete disregard for justice, state law and, the Supreme Court.

(659 words in this article) WESLEY SNIPES is currently incarcerated and serving a three-year sentence on allegations that he failed to file a tax return timely. If Snipes were made a cellmate for an untreated, mentally ill killer who beat Wesley to death while he slept, using a thick board of wood with nails driven through it, wouldn't Wesley's lawyers sue the state for GROSS NEGLIGENCE? If that sick killer was then EXECUTED, shouldn't the executed man's family sue for GROSS NEGLIGENCE and CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT? WHY wasn't the mentally challenged man sent to a mental hospital before or after his first murder instead of prison? Why wasn't his mental illness being treated behind bars? Why was security so slack at the prison that he had access to a weapon? Why was a mentally ill inmate who had already committed a murder given a cellmate? Those questions apply to the murder for which Warren Lee Hill faces execution on  July 23, 2012 February 19, 2013. 

Thousands of people express outrage about Hill's execution because it is illegal to execute the mentally ill according to state and federal law. Georgia executed another mentally ill man in 2010, Brandon Rhode. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled such killings unconstitutional, but Texas also kills mentally ill people regularly. Executioners have no regard for pleas for justice and compassion, but money can sometimes change things. Death penalty cases cost taxpayers millions more than when prosecutors seek life sentences. Several states where capital punishment was repealed cited the cost as one deciding factor. Abolitionists plan candlelight vigils for Warren Lee Hill and other death row inmates to protest capital punishment, but more must be done. Lawsuits after executions would make DP cost much more than it already does and deter capital punishment. 

Hill's cellmate's death clearly resulted from the prison's negligence. Inmates should not be locked in cells with armed homicidal mental patients to be killed in their sleep, and the state should not ignore its own culpability in such murders and execute sick men. A similar incident occurred in Georgia a couple of years ago when a mentally ill inmate in DeKalb County Jail also killed his cellmate. A former jail guard at Memphis Shelby County Jail reported a shocking jail death to the radio audience of a Rev. Pinkney Blogtalk Show. Apparently, jail guards released two acute mental patients from isolation to watch them have a "dog fight" to the finish. Jailers have a duty to provide a secure environment for incarcerated persons, but the responsibility is not always taken seriously. 

Millions of Americans are concerned about prisoners' human rights and object to capital punishment, but officials do not care as much about citizens' protests as they should. It would be more effective to examine death penalty cases to identify a reason to sue the state following execution. For instance, Hank Skinner begged for a DNA test for years to prove he is innocent, but his requests were denied. Finally, Texas approved Skinner's DNA test, but the bloodstained jacket that Skinner counted on to exonerate him was suddenly reported "missing" from the state's evidence storage. If Skinner is executed, Texas should be sued for negligence regarding the lost jacket. 

Every execution, especially when victims are mentally ill, should be followed by a lawsuit if any valid fault against the state can be established. 

Consider that almost no mentally ill people who are receiving proper psychiatric care do violent crimes, but states usually withhold treatment until a mentally challenged person PROVES (often through violence) that he is a danger to self and others. That standard has led to numerous avoidable murders and suicides. In such cases, the affected families may be able to sue for damages. Please help the families of Warren Hill and his victim to hold the prison responsible for the inmate's death that should not have happened in a controlled environment. LAWSUITS FOLLOWING WARREN LEE HILL'S WRONGFUL EXECUTION MAY DETER FUTURE STATE KILLINGS OF THE MENTALLY ILL.