Equal Justice USA

Write a Letter to the Editor about Troy Davis' Case

The case of Troy Davis, and the Supreme Court's refusal to hear his appeal, shows us that so long as the death penalty exists, the risk of executing the innocent can never be eradicated.

Troy Anthony Davis was sentenced to death for the murder of Police Officer Mark MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia. According to Amnesty International, the case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony that contained inconsistencies, even at trial. Since then, all but two of the state's nine non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony. Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced into testifying or signing statements.

Write to the editor of your local paper about the Troy Davis case and why all executions should be halted.

How to write your letter online:

Use our form to create a custom letter to the editor about Troy Davis to one of your local papers. We've included sample talking points, but be sure to put your letter in your own words.

NOTE: Your complete contact information is required as most newspapers will not print a story they cannot verify.

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DNA and death row exonerations across the country illustrate the grave potential for error in the death penalty. It is alarming that the Supreme Court would allow the execution of Troy Davis to go forward despite strong doubts remaining in the case.

With the Supreme Court unwilling to consider whether it is unconstitutional to execute someone with a strong claim of innocence, how can we safely use the death penalty at all?

In July 2007, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles stayed Davis' execution, saying they "will not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused." No jury has yet seen the new evidence of innocence in the Davis case, including the statements by several witnesses recanting their testimony and asserting they were pressured or coerced into testifying the way they did. At the very least, Troy Davis should be retried with the new evidence.

Like most people on death row in the country, Troy Davis could not afford his own attorney. Executions should not be allowed to continue so long as no state has yet met the ABA's standards for indigent defense.