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<h1><b>Indie Rock Band Joins in Fight to Save Troy
Davis</b></h1><font size=3>Published: February 4, 2009<br><br>
Indie rock group State Radio has joined forces with Amnesty International
USA (AIUSA) to produce a short, hard-hitting animated Web video about the
plight of death row inmate Troy Davis. Davis has been on death row for 18
years and has received three stays of execution, twice coming within 24
hours of his death. <br><br>
The genesis of the Web video came when lead singer Chad Stokes, an
Amnesty International member, wrote a song about Davis called “State of
Georgia.” The band donated the song to be used in the video. The
video can be watched at
<a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis">
www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis</a>. <br><br>
“Troy Davis’ case is one example of a major malfunction within the
justice system in this country,” said the band. “We believe that
every person deserves the right to a fair trial, and because of scenarios
like this, we believe the death penalty should be abolished nationwide.”
<br><br>
“The band has been following the case for quite some time and even
organized their own rallies while touring through Georgia, so this
partnership made perfect sense,“ added Karen Scott, director of AIUSA’s
Music for Human Rights program.<br><br>
Davis was convicted in 1991 of killing Savannah police officer Mark Allen
MacPhail. Since the launch of its February 2007 report, Where Is
the Justice for Me?, Amnesty International has campaigned intensively for
a new evidentiary hearing or trial, as well as clemency for Davis,
collecting hundreds of thousands of clemency petition signatures and
letters from prominent individuals around the world. Davis’ case is
now pending before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.<br>
**********************************************************<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>via: Sis. Sankofa Uhuru<br>
------------------------------------<br><br>
</font>The state of Georgia seems determined to kill Troy Davis. But your
thousands of calls, faxes and emails have sent a powerful message that
such an injustice is totally unacceptable. Georgia officials need to keep
hearing your voice: Ask Governor Perdue to stop the execution of Troy
Davis.<br><br>
You’ve heard the facts already:<br><br>
* 7 of the 9 witnesses have recanted their testimonies<br>
* No murder weapon nor any physical evidence has been found to link Troy
to the crime<br>
* One of the remaining two witnesses has even been implicated as the real
killer<br><br>
Watch and share this new Troy Davis video:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooPHNsFqb8M" eudora="autourl">
htt</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooPHNsFqb8M" eudora="autourl">
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>
p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooPHNsFqb8M<br><br>
</a></font>A new animated video, featuring original music by State Radio,
illustrates the injustice of Troy Davis' case. Video produced by
Citizen.<br><br>
Despite this mounting evidence in favor of Troy’s freedom, he continues
to wait on death row.<br><br>
Watch and share the story of Troy Davis by forwarding this new video to
friends, family and supporters of human rights.<br><br>
We are anxiously awaiting the court’s response to the latest round of
arguments in Troy’s case that could be handed down at any moment. So the
fate of Troy Davis is still very much in limbo. We need you to continue
rallying support by spreading this video of Troy’s story any way that you
can.<br><br>
Each time you forward this video to a new person, you help build a
stronger case for Troy and help tip the scale in favor of
justice.<br><br>
In Solidarity,<br><br>
Sue Gunawardena-Vaughn<br>
Director, Death Penalty Abolition Campaign<br>
Amnesty International USA<br>
==================================<br><br>
You can also fax Governor Perdue at:<br>
(404) 657-7332<br><br>
Subject: Please Stop an Unjust Execution<br><br>
I am writing to urge you to exercise leadership, as Governor of the state
of Georgia, to see to it that the death sentence of Troy Davis is
commuted, in order to ensure that Georgia does not put to death a man who
may well be innocent. I believe you have the power to do so, and I
believe you must use it in this case.<br><br>
In this extraordinary case, where a man with a strong claim to innocence
may well be executed without a court ever holding a hearing on his
claims, I urge you to act in the interests of justice and support
clemency for Troy Davis. An execution in this case, without a proper
hearing on significant evidence of innocence, would severely compromise
the integrity of Georgia’s justice system.<br><br>
As you may know, Mr. Davis was convicted of the 1989 murder of police
officer Mark MacPhail, a conviction based solely on witness testimony,
and seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted or contradicted
their trial testimony. The courts, citing procedural rules and time
limits, have so far refused to hold an evidentiary hearing to examine
these witnesses. Executive clemency exists, and executive action is
required, to preserve justice when the protections afforded by our
appeals process fail to do so.<br><br>
I strongly urge you to take such action now and ensure that the death
sentence of Troy Davis is commuted. Thank you for your attention to this
extremely serious matter.<br><br>
<br>
Sincerely (Your Name)<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#0000FF">
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.Freedomarchives.org</a></font><font size=3> </font></body>
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