UPDATE #2: Killer Mike tells HipHopDX of his plans to protest Troy Davis' scheduled execution.
Protesters will gather in Atlanta, Georgia this morning (September 19) to halt the execution of Troy Davis, scheduled for this Wednesday (September 21).
Davis' representatives will be presenting their case for clemency at 9:00 AM this morning at a hearing in front of Georgia's Board of Pardons and Paroles, reports the Ledger-Enquirer.
Davis was convicted 20 years ago and sentenced to death for the 1989 murder of Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail.
However, hundreds of thousands have signed petitions urging the board to spare Davis due to the controversial nature of the case. Former President Jimmy Carter and Pope Benedict XVI are among those who have asked that Davis get a new trial.
"The case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial," says Amnesty International's website. "Since then, all but two of the state's non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony."
"Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis."
Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the case is the fact that one of the two witnesses who has not recanted his testimony, Sylvester "Red" Coles, is the principle alternative suspect. Amnesty International reports the nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating Coles in the crime.
To sign Amnesty International's petition to stop the September 21 execution of Troy Davis, please click here.
More on this story as it develops. Below, watch Jasiri X's "I Am Troy Davis (T.R.O.Y.)," a track dedicated to raising awareness about this issue.
(hiphopdx)
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