"The incident that night was not my fault, I did not have a gun. I’m sorry for your loss, but I did not personally kill your son, father, and brother. I am innocent." Troy Davis, September 21, 2011
On Sept. 21, Troy Davis was executed for the 1989 murder of a Savannah policeman, despite the fact that many of those who had testified against him had recanted their testimony, and despite pleas from citizens, death penalty supporters and opponents, and human-rights organizations. Davis's story caught the attention of thousands of people around the world, and his funeral service drew 1,000 guests to the Jonesville Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia.
As many people debate the decision to execute Troy Davis, Wagner College's Center for Intercultural Advancement invites you to be a part of this important national conversation on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 12 noon in Foundation Hall's Manzulli Boardroom at the monthly Social Justice Dialogue.
This case is difficult for many to digest because, in the view of some, it so clearly contradicts the principle that people cannot be found guilty without "proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” The following four panelists will be joining the Oct. 20 discussion via Skype from their offices in Arkansas, Texas, Illinois and California:
- Dana Harrison, Investigator , Federal Public Defender’s Office, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Maiesha Baptise, Esq., Assistant State Attorney, Cook County State Attorney’s Office, Chicago
- Shannon Humphrey, Esq., Larson and Associates, Los Angeles
- Patrick Metze, Esq., Associate Professor, Texas Tech University School of Law, Lubbock, Texas
Lunch will be provided. For more information, or to RSVP, email the Center for Intercultural Advancement.