Just after 8 AM on Tuesday morning, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole denied clemency to  Troy Davis.

According to the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty the decision reflects the reality that “the system is profoundly and unalterably broken.” Affirming the NCADP’s sentiments, Amnesty International USA president Larry Cox said that “allowing a man to be sent to death under an enormous cloud of doubt about his guilt is an outrageous affront to justice.”

Unlike in Tennessee, Georgia does not give the Governor the authority to grant clemency in death penalty cases. The final decision rests in the hands of the Board of Pardons and Parole.  But, despite the disappointing decision this morning, there is still an opportunity to petition the Board to reverse their decision. In the event that the Board does not overturn its decision, Mr. Davis’ execution is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 PM.

With the cloud of doubt still looming heavily over Mr. Davis’ guilt, it seems clear that “the only way to prevent an innocent man from being executed… is to end the death penalty [in the United States] once and for all.”

Photo courtesy of Curtis Compton

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