Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq.
(San Francisco, CA, September 22, 2011)—Late last night, the State of Georgia executed Troy Davis for the 1989 murder of Savannah Policeman Mark MacPhail even though seven witnesses from his trial recanted their testimony and no physical evidence linked him to the crime, and despite petitions signed by hundreds of thousands of people on his behalf.
Davis maintained his innocence up until his execution.
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq.:
“This is a sad and shameful day for justice and democracy. With scant and tainted evidence the State of Georgia proceeded with its scheduled execution of Troy Davis. Every barrier to protect a possibly innocent man from death fell away and now we all bear some measure of responsibility for Davis’s death. As a nation, we have lost a bit of our decency and humanity with Davis’s execution. It is long past time for our nation and everyone committed to a just and fair system to renounce the death penalty. It is no deterrent, and as the body count rises of men and women who may well have been innocent, our democratic ideals and faith in justice are tarnished.”
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.
