This isn’t about AMG, but I wanted to throw this topic out there.
Troy Davis was executed in Georgia for what many believe was a crime he didn’t commit.
But I find the news reports somewhat misleading.
The constant refrain is that “7 of 9″ witnesses recanted. Well, that isn’t exactly true- seven changed their stories somewhat, but many were far from recantations on key facts.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court did grant Troy Davis his chance to prove the need for a new trial. They ordered a Federal Judge hear the case and decide whether the evidence required another criminal trial, which generated a nearly 200 page decision going over every little detail. It was very thorough. The Judge shoots down all of the issues raised by Davis.
Very importantly, Troy Davis did not call most of the “7 of 9″ recanters as witnesses, despite them being available. One was even outside the courtroom in the lobby, but was not called in to testify.
Why not? The implication is that Troy Davis’ attorneys believed the recantations (which, to repeat, were often less than a full reversal) would not stand up to questioning from the prosecutor.
Given that hearing, it should have been obvious the Supreme Court would let the execution go forward. It is not unheard of for them to put an execution on hold briefly while they read a new court filing, but in cases like this where the Defendant has really had his case reargued already, they are not going to stop it. The media, however, didn’t bother to tell anyone this during it’s 24-hour coverage.
I’m not a fan of the death penalty because I think, eventually, innocent people will be convicted who otherwise might have been released later. But I think Troy Davis was not one of those men.
Troy Davis gets sentenced to death in August 1991. That is 7,300 days the guy wakes up to the nightmare of death by the state. That’d suck, big time. Georgia was intent on taking his life, 20 years is a long time to get about it.
Then, you’d think the state might get used to housing this convicted murderer over 20 years and work it out so they don’t have to kill him.
State killing is a bad idea all around. Glad I live in Maine where we have not carried out capital punishment since 1887 and it doesn’t look like anybody is lining up with laws for it’s return (unless they can somehow link it to polygamy and parakeet marriage) but I am not at all happy about being connected by citizenship to a bloody state like Texas. Disgusted actually.
“State killing is a bad idea all around”
It sure is.
Someone over there must be reading here.
http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/restoring-captol-punishment-maine
There is already some gallows “humor” about how green the electric chair is. Lovely.
Revolting – but the only end that is consistent with their statist logic – giving the state power to determine which lives are worthy, let alone the power to execute is brutal totalitarianism – be it communistic, fascist, or – as we see here – the totalitarianism of the democratic mob.
Such a fine display of liberty-loving Christian Patriots.
Can’t wait to see who gets booed/cheered at the next Republican debate. They cheered executions and death for the uninsured.
Maybe abortion clinic bombing? A death trifecta.
from the AMG thread:
“People need to stop thinking of humans who do these things as people, at that point they’ve become nothing but an animal and should be destroyed.”
To fight evil is to become evil?
I’m sure these Christians are familiar with the Sermon on the Mount, yes? And would recognize the speaker of these words:
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45.)
Not to worry – the goons at AMG know better than God himself. What a comforting thought.
Indeed; I believe they’re paid consultants for God – he generally checks in with them before making any sorts of decisions about things like insurance, abortion, capital punishment, and voter fraud.
They are, after all, the most authoritative aggregate ‘news’ source in Maine!