Politics & Government
Southwest Atlanta Faith, Civil Rights Leaders Pray for Peace in Davis Case
Decision by Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles in death row case expected today.
Members of southwest Atlanta's faith and civil rights communities joined demonstrators Monday outside the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles' headquarters to stand in solidarity for the clemency of Troy Davis.
The demonstration was in response to a hearing held by the 5-member board to decide the fate of Davis.
Davis was convicted in 1991 for the murder of a Savannah police officer, Mark Allen MacPhail in 1989.
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The board began its meeting at 9 a.m. and finished hearing testimony after 5 p.m. The board made no decision as to whether Davis will be granted clemency or whether his execution should be carried out as scheduled on Wednesday. Reports in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and on the WSAV Savannah News 3 website.
According to WSAV, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles spokesman Steve Hayes said that board not only can grant clemency but it can change the sentence.
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The board can proceed with the death sentence, issue a stay to further consider the case, decide on clemency with the possibility of parole or commute the death sentence to life without parole, according to Hayes.
Rev. Kim Jackson, of the Episcopal Church of Atlanta University, the host of the Monday interfaith prayer vigil, said her group was praying for peace for both families in the case.
Said Jackson, "I am present today to stand in behalf of Troy Davis and the MacPhail family, calling on Justice, Mercy, and Peace."
Meanwhile, the MacPhail family equested the board of pardons to not halt the execution.
"What a travesty it would be if they don't uphold the death sentence," MacPhail's widow, Joan MacPhail-Harris, said, according to the AJC.
Davis’ family members were present, as well at the hearing, according to the newspaper.
"We believe we have established substantial doubt in this case," Stephen Marsh, one of Davis' lawyers, said after a three-hour hearing. The execution should not be allowed to go forward,” he said.
According to Atlanta and Savannah reports, the pardons board will reconvene this morning to deliberate the case further. Each board member will vote in solitude. The lawyers for the board will tally the votes and report the results today or Wednesday.