July 11, 2007

Dear friends,

We need your help!

Troy Davis is at risk of being executed on July 17 in Georgia despite strong evidence suggesting he is innocent!

Davis, an African American, was sent to death row fifteen years ago for the shooting of a white police officer in Savannah, Georgia. The conviction was based on no physical evidence. The murder weapon was never found.

Some years after the initial trial, when the tense environment in Savannah calmed, seven of the prosecution's non-police witnesses recanted or contradicted their testimony. One witness who has not recanted has been implicated as the actual murderer by nine people! The other remaining witness said he could only recall the color of the shooter's clothes. Most of the witnesses who have recanted alleged that the police coerced them to implicate Davis, despite not having witnessed the crime.

Mr. Davis has no more appeals. The appeal courts did not hear the new evidence because of a series of technicalities. The last stop for Troy Davis is the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, which can grant clemency and prevent the execution. They meet Monday (July 16) in the morning in a closed meeting to consider clemency.

Please go to www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis to send a message to the Parole Board before their Monday meeting. More information about the case is also on that page.

You could also join activists at Little 5 Points (Moreland/Euclid) for a demonstration Thursday, July 12, 5:00pm - 6:30pm.

Thank you for your support - it is critical!

Amy & Emily

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