A message from Troy Davis

Wow....WOW. Troy makes it clear that what ever his outcome is, he wants us to keep fighting to end this.

Nice letter. Great sister.

alive today, as I look at my sister Martina I am marveled by the love she has for me

That choked me up. I have a sister just like that.

Thanks for posting this Vas.

I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must be for his family. His sister is amazing and through her, Troy's voice has been heard throughout the world.

I'm so nervous abut today...

The past has passed. I have a welling up of love for all the people involved in this endeavor. Thanks Vas and Martina and Troy. Thanks for being here.

Vas,

Thanks for passing this on. He has been on my mind for days since your first post. I particularly paid attention to his mannor of speach. This is a man that has been beaten down and still standing, what a remarkable example of the fight and faith that should reside in all of us.

We will all face death at one point in our lives, but his ability to speak about his feelings of our support and if this doesn't save him maybe it will save the next is a man that has already dealt with his demons and is ready. The lack of selfishness in his words and his humility should tell everyone this is worth a second trial.

A very strong and positive message, Vas. I can only imagine how it must feel to be in Troy's shoes. It's wonderful to see all the support he is receiving from friends, family and well-wishers. Thanks for posting and sharing with us. Voted & clipped.

What a lovely and moving letter. It certainly provides encouragement and vindication for what is being done. He is quite a guy to find the courage to write this. We can only keep the fight going on his behalf. He deserves nothing less.

Thanks for publishing, vas. :o)

I can't imagine the hardship this man is going through, nor of those who so obviously love him. Well, I've come to know something of the man, not everything, blessedly, but enough to inform myself of suffering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtjIf1iSbB8&feature=related

Troy embodies the strength and hope of the human spirit. I hope he will be free on Earth before he is free in spirit.

I was going to post something about some related issues within myself that Troy's case has brought to the surface. It occurs to me that many of us might be struggling with some of these same issues and perhaps a thread to ventilate about those issues would be helpful to all concerned. I am going to take the comments I was going to post here and write an article instead. Call it Troy's Troops Group Therapy or something of that nature. This has been such an intense two weeks for us. Maybe we will all benefit from having a place to ventilate issues that may not be completely appropriate on our update articles. I'll let all know when it is done.

Troy's resilience in the face of injustice is a lesson to us all. I just want to make sure I have this straight...he is probably innocent, he has been sentenced to death, he has arrived at the brink of death more than once, the system has refused to acknowledge the evidence of his innocence, the warden has punished him for talking about his innocence and has prevented him from seeing or talking to his loved ones in the darkest of hours, the parole board tried to execute him before the Supreme Court could hear his appeal...

...and yet Troy spends his time encouraging us to be strong.

A very impressive letter. My heart goes out to Troy and his family.

Thanks for sharing that letter with us, Vas.

My thoughts go out to Troy and his family.

We have all been doing our best to give Troy the hope, strength, and fortitude he really needs at a time like this... and here he goes giving all of US the encouragement and lift at this time!

He really knows what it's all about.

David C. Kanz
sorry jbdaad----had a tough day at work today... : )
Kyanna:re registration initiatives: yes there are---but I am afraid this is the old south----the county has become an "escape" for folks who lived in Florida---due to insurance and hurricanes---and the white populas doesn't let go of power too easily.What I am trying to say is----the black populus fears (with cause) and is dependent on the whites economically. It really is like being transported back in time.
The racism is hidden well publicly but believe me---we are not "out of the woods" down here so to speak with regard to racism. It is real. It is potent. It is dangerous. (I have been threatened by whites publicly.....a damn yankee...)
My step dad has been a civil rights activist for many years----and as a city councilman helped make it possible for city government to begin to hire black people---and that was only 15 years ago----yes only 15 years ago---and it hasn't gone very far since!In the particular instance, he "encouraged" (in the interests of diversity) the city to hire its first black asst. Fire Chief back then---so he could be in a position where he would be up next for the Chief position.
Jump forward to last year when the white Fire Chief retired and the black assistant was ready to fill the post---HA!----the city wasn't even going to consider him until we put together a statement re the intent of the former city council members re the Asst. Chief.My step dad took the statement to the city council---that night packed with 300 people in attendance in a room that seats 50-----it was GREAAT!My step dad received a standing ovation from the audience--and the black Assistant Chief was hired as the Chief----HOWEVER---less than a year later the new Black Fire Chief resigned----And you can guess why.......we were so disappointed---but the discrimination was just more than the poor guy could bear.
I think he actually feared for the well being of his family---but of course would NEVER say such a thing here anyway....Welcome to SW Georgia, USA----and the letter from Troy's sister tells the story here as well...
And I have many more...like stories.
I think we do not get much attention down here for such acts because it is one of the poorest counties in the State of Georgia, quite frankly.
One block away from my house is a street that still has old slave shacks---yes actual honest to god 10 by 10 slave shacks---in which several generations of the same family have lived since they were built----
Don't get me started!!
And BTW---if Troy Davis were white we would not be having this discussion---he would have been exonerated a long time ago.
So goes Republican politics in Georgia----and unfortunately---alot of Democrats as well.
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#2.9 - Wed Oct 1, 2008 9:57 PM EDT

I hope this sickens everybody like it does me. Thes is a story all by itself. Good job David. Hope you don`t mind the repost.

  How's it going Vas?

You and I are in agreement I this general issue as you well know. Having the death penalty here in America in this day and age is barbaric no matter the cause. Our justice system is a joke and seems hell bent on becoming tougher instead of studying the problem to figure out a fairer and more holistic system that regards human rights. Hell they still use the electric chair and if that doesn't frighten us then I just don't know what will.

Keep fighting the good fight and I will talk to you soon!!

Forest

Thanks Vas for bringing this very very tragic case to me and others at Newsvine that might have been unaware of it.
There is huge potential for error and negligence when it comes to capital cases like this which involves the use eyewitness accounts. Eye witness accounts are always problematic. This is even more so when there is little or no other evidence to speak of. There is also serious issues when it comes to the defence of the defendent in capital cases and the way the trials are conducted with differences in the trial and the sentencing part...

For the arrogance of "officers of the court" to cloud the halls of justice is criminal in itself.

To manipulate, alter and / or ignore evidence when human life is at stake is criminal.

When "officers of the court" who's soul purpose is to interpret and administer the "LAW" are so quick to turn a blind eye to the truth, therefore the LAW and the Constitution is criminal.

How can ones arrogance be so overwhelming that they would allow someone to be incarcerated and even executed when they know the person to be innocent?

This is what burns my ass. Time and again, we have heard of evidence surfacing that exonerates people - and I can think of quite a few cases in which race was not really involved - yet these D.A.s and prosecuting attornies lack the personal depth of character to admit to their own mistakes, or, sometimes, their outright wrongs even in the face of overwhelming evidence.Just as disturbing as the unwillingness to admit they convicted the wrong man, is their willingness to allow the innocent to suffer for these crimes that they never committed all in the name of saving their own reputations. That represents, to me, character so bad that I would not trust one of them to dog-sit for me.

I need to add something to this: I have also seen cases where the prosecuting attornies AND the investigating officers rallied to get wrongfully convicted persons freed, too. That, my friends, IS character worthy of emulation!

In ragard to your comment on the character issue.

Do you think DA's get paid more for felony covictions as apposed to misdemeaner convictions?

There being the reason for lack of character?

No D.A.'s are paid a flat salary, so when they are trying to rack up a won/lose record with class A felonies as the main trophy, it is not a strive for extra money as compared to their arrogance and "their" inability to admit when they have erred in a case that brings the character issue to the forefront.

What drove M. Nifong to railroad the 3 college students?

Is it not an extreme lack of character if one is willing for another to be put to death or incarcerated if there is ANY question of innocence?

 While Mr. Davis's case proceeded through the courts, the budget of the Georgia Resource Center stated in an affidavit that, "We were simply trying to avert total disaster rather than provide any kind of active or effective representation."

Sorry for the confusion.
The source is the blog entry recently posted (October 2nd) by William S. Sessions, (former FBI director and advocate of the death penalty) for the American Constitution Society for Law and Society.  He provides insight into some of the legal problems Troy has encountered throughout his case.