I would like to interrupt your daily scheduled life to give you the following information: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
19 September 2011
CONTACTS:
Kimberly Davis, Petition Author, contact Wende Gozan Brown (212) 633-4247 wgozan@aiusa.org
Jonathan Perri, Change.org Senior Organizer for Criminal Justice (401) 265-9445 jon@change.org
***MEDIA ADVISORY***
GEORGIA PAROLE BOARD TO VOTE TODAY ON TROY DAVIS
Death row inmate Troy Davis’ last chance to avoid a September 21 execution to take place this morning at a hearing before the Georgia Board of Paroles and Pardons. Nearly a quarter million people join Davis’ sister Kimberly’s campaign on Change.org asking for clemency.
ATLANTA, GA – Death row inmate Troy Davis will face the Georgia Board of Paroles and Pardons this morning at a clemency hearing in Atlanta. Nearly 250,000 people from around the world have joined an online campaign on Change.org created by Davis sister Kimberly, calling on the board to grant Davis clemency.
“In the past two decades, seven of the nine witnesses in this case have recanted their testimony or changed their stories,” said Kimberly Davis, who launched the campaign on Change.org. “There is too much doubt to execute Troy.”
Last week more than 650,000 signatures from multiple petitions seeking to stop the September 21 execution were delivered by supporters to the Georgia Board of Paroles and Pardons at a press conference in Atlanta. Over 220,000 of these signatures came from the campaign created on Change.org by Kimberly Davis, a Savannah, GA resident and Troy Davis’ sister.
“When Troy saw that more than 650,000 signatures had been delivered to the board in his name, he called to tell me he was deeply moved,” Kimberly Davis said. “He told me he knew that he had supporters around the world, but he had no idea that the support was that widespread.”
Convicted in 1991 of the 1989 murder of a Savannah, GA police officer, Davis’ case has attracted international attention because of recantations of witness testimony and a lack of physical evidence tying Troy to the murder. Seven witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony against Davis and others have implicated another man as the killer.
Georgia Representatives John Lewis and Hank Johnson sent the parole board a letter signed by over 50 members of Congress supporting clemency for Davis. In addition to that letter, other public figures who support commuting Davis’ death sentence include Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop of Atlanta Wilton Gregory, President Jimmy Carter, activist and singer Harry Belafonte, the European Parliament, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and many others.
Pro-death penalty figures have also voiced their opposition to the execution, including former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr, former Texas Governor Mark White, and Norman Fletcher, a former Georgia Supreme Court Justice.
Kim Davis’ campaign has been one of the most popular ever launched on Change.org” said Jonathan Perri, Senior Organizer for Criminal Justice at Change.org. “Change.org is about empowering anyone, anywhere to demand action on the issues that matter to them, and it’s clear that there is overwhelming support for granting Troy Davis clemency.”
At 7:30 a.m. today, supporters will gather outside the Parole Board meeting in the "Sloppy" Floyd Building, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30334 for a day long vigil.
Live signature totals from the Kim Davis’ campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/7-of-9-witnesses-say-my-brother-is-innocent-stop-troy-davis-execution-on-sep-21
Journalists interested in interviewing members of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles should try doing so through:
Steve Hayes
Director of Public Affairs, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
(404) 657-9450
Members of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
James E. Donald
Chairman, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
404-651-6667
Albert R. Murray
Vice Chairman, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
(404) 651-6599
L. Gale Buckner
Member, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
(404) 651-6595
Terry Barnard
Member, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
(404) 651-6667
Robert E. Keller
Member, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles
(404) 651-6695
For more information on Change.org, please visit:
http://www.change.org/about
Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 400,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country."
Carry on.
No comments:
Post a Comment