URGENT Adventist Believer condemned to die

[Lauralea]

Adventist Troy Davis is scheduled to die on Tuesday September 23, 2008 for the death of a Georgia Police officer. Amnesty International held a rally in his behalf. Filmmaker Terry Benedict and Adventist Mission Pilot David Gates proclaim his innocence.

What can we do?

Pray.

Read more about the case here

http://religiousliberty.tv/on-september-23-2008-an-innocent-man-is-scheduled-to-die.html

and email the Georgia Appeals Board here:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis

this weekend.

Lauralea

[Guest truthseeker007]

Hey it is terrible to hear this. I don t want to raise false expectations, i have never been able to do something valuable in my life before, but maybe there is something we can do.

At university i am studying human rights. I just happen to know that states actually don t give a damn about human rights except when it is in their own interests to do so. From a legal international point of view it is very likely that the USA, after the circumstances in Guantanamo Bay, Irag etc. is not willing to suffer more international prestige damage. So in order to safe Troy davis we have to make this case public internationally, then they will cancel the execution because it is in the USA its own interest to do so. In 2006 the Human Rights Commission was exchanged for the improved Human Rights council. In this council it is possible for individuals and Non governmental organisations to come up with possible violations of Human rights. It is too bad the USA is not a member of this new body, but this does not really matter because it is about prestige. So somebody, David Gates, the Adventist Church, Amnesty international, or any person should contact the human rights council as soon as possible and tell them what is going on. Then this council will examine this case, meaning other states, like Cuba, are able to criticize the USA internationally. The only way the USA can prevent this, is if they cancel the execution.

Please, i don t know much, but i do know this. Don t count on the concious of local authorities, go to the human Rights Council. It is the only chance you have got. Of course we need Gods help with this, but i think this is a very good possibility.

So if anyone wants to tell some authorities what i have just written down here and keep contact with them, in the meantime i will look for further info. I think you better can contact David Gates and Amnesty int. so they can both contact the human rights council. David Gates should also use his international television stations to draw international attention to this case. In this way people from all countries will send letters to the human rights Council and the US government, exposing the USA to further criticism.

[carolaa]

Here is a link to Amnesty International that tells about the case and some contact information for writing letters, etc.:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/...11032008en.html

[carolaa]

I have followed this case for a few months through Amnesty International, but I didn't realize he's an Adventist. Surely there are people on this forum who can write a letter and forward the information to others.

[Lauralea]

Thank you both of you. Amnesty International held a meeting of support there in Georgia for him. I do not know if the Human Rights Foundation has more impetus or not, but it looks like they have members from different countries, but the countries are not members themselves. I will pray about it.

And let's pray for him. I guess it could take a commutation of his sentence, which the Georgia parole board did in May 3 hours before a scheduled execution.

We could also email the governor, here http://www.emailyourgovernor.com/georgia-governor-sonny-perdue.html

Laura

[phkrause]

I guess I'll ask a stupid question.... Is he guilty? Which doesn't mean that I won't pray for God's will to be done.

pk

[carolaa]

Did you read the case? I don't know that anyone can say for sure, but most of the witnesses have recanted their testimony against him. And I believe there was no other evidence against him besides the witness testimonies.

Amnesty International's primary concern in these kinds of situations is that people get a fair trial. They are against the death penalty, but they do not normally get involved unless it appears the trial was not fair. It appears pretty strongly that Troy Adams did not get a fair trial and is probably innocent of the charges.

[olger]

Gates is a decent individual.

[phkrause]

thanks for the info, and no I did not read the case. I'm going to google him and see what I get.

pk

[carolaa]

You can start by clicking on the links that Lauralea provided. Let us know if you find out anything interesting.

[John317]

Do you know when Troy Davis became a Seventh-day Adventist?

[carolaa]

As I said, I did not even know he is SDA until Lauralea posted it. I had been following the case through Amnesty International for a few months. Of course, AI's work for him has nothing to do with his being SDA, but the fact that there are serious questions with the proving of his guilt.

[phkrause]

Well I googled and read some interesting things. After reading I'm convinsed that he is innocent. Its almost if not worse than the ruben carter coverup. And he's going to be put to death on my birthday no less. This is really sad.

pk

[carolaa]

Yet another good reason to be against the death penalty.

I heard last week that Dallas is going to re-evaluate all their death row cases because of the number of death row prisoners nationwide who have been set free based on DNA evidence. So they are going to submit all the evidence to DNA scrutiny. On the other hand, Houston's crime unit is so corrupt that all the evidence has been destroyed, so there is not much hope for those death row prisoners.

Until I have a lot more faith in the court system, I can't support the death penalty.

[rush4hire]

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty. That's weak. How are they going to have any influence at all in this case? They have no credibility if they have such ridiculous ideals.

Is there any other organization that can try to help? This guy doesn't have a chance if his fate depends on how many people Amnesty International can convince that we need to abolish the death penalty.

I believe the guy deserves a re-trial. It would be a tragedy if he dies. The other guy is probably guilty.

We know the accusers don't want to look like they made a mistake, especially if the man lost 17 years of his life. How do you depend on his forgiveness? How do you pay the restitution. You take 17 years of a man's life. Now you really look like the bad guys who don't care about anyone but yourselves, and who have no compassion at all.

It's easier for them to harden their hearts and fabricate a reality and stick to their story and just condemn an innocent man, whom they have fully convinced themselves is guilty.

I've seen this before. It's like if you step on a baby bird that was kicked out of his nest. You think about how much trouble it would take to fix the damage you caused and to nurse it back to health. Then you think: "It's just a bird. There are so many.", so you just stomp on the bird and finish him off and save yourself alot of trouble.

Especially if it's just a black bird.

Troy Davis, may your death not be in vain. Let the people know that you forgive your accusers, so you can represent Jesus:

[color:#BF0000]Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Acts 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

[carolaa]

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty. That's weak. How are they going to have any influence at all in this case? They have no credibility if they have such ridiculous ideals.

Is there any other organization that can try to help? This guy doesn't have a chance if his fate depends on how many people Amnesty International can convince that we need to abolish the death penalty.

Maybe you need to read my post again to see what I really said. Yes, Amnesty International is against the death penalty, but they normally do not try to influence a judgment once it is made except if they think it was not a fair trial. The reason they are involved with this case is because it does not appear to have been a fair trial - not because they are against the death penalty. They are not trying to tell the State of Georgia to abolish their death penalty. They are asking them to review the case.

[carolaa]

It looks like Jimmy Carter is weighing in:

"Jimmy Carter Urges Georgia to Stay Execution of Troy Davis

"Former President Jimmy Carter has called on the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to reverse its decision to deny clemency to Troy Davis who is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday. Since Davis was convicted of allegedly killing a police officer in 1991, seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted. No physical or DNA evidence ties Davis to the crime. Jimmy Carter said, "This case illustrates the deep flaws in the application of the death penalty in this country. Executing Troy Davis without a real examination of potentially exonerating evidence risks taking the life of an innocent man and would be a grave miscarriage of justice.” In Atlanta, Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and the NAACP are planning to hold a rally today in front of the State Capitol.

"Georgia is planning to execute Davis on Tuesday, even though the US Supreme Court is scheduled to decide next week on whether to hear a last-minute appeal in his case."

[Democracy Now!]

[phkrause]

Yes I agree with you about the death penalty in most cases, unless its absolutely without question the person commited the crime.

pk

[phkrause]

With God's will I hope that President Jimmy Carter can stop it.

Seems to me that if they wait until next week it will be to late!!!!!

pk

[carolaa]

With God's will I hope that President Jimmy Carter can stop it.

Seems to me that if they wait until next week it will be to late!!!!!

pk

I know, that doesn't make sense.

[rush4hire]

Maybe you need to read my post again to see what I really said. Yes, Amnesty International is against the death penalty, but they normally do not try to influence a judgment once it is made except if they think it was not a fair trial. The reason they are involved with this case is because it does not appear to have been a fair trial - not because they are against the death penalty. They are not trying to tell the State of Georgia to abolish their death penalty. They are asking them to review the case.

I realize Amnesty International is involved because it's not a fair deal, and not necessarily because they oppose the death penalty. I was just saying their opposition to the death penalty seems unrealistic and could impair their credibility.

However, given time to think about it a bit, it seems their views are just for political reasons. People just expect a group like that to be against the death penalty. And I'm sure people understand that even if they wanted to change their views, they couldn't, cause it's what people expect from them. And it's hard to change things like that.

I'm not opposed to the death penalty for cases that are proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt.

It makes sense.

It provides justice to those who have been very seriously hurt in some cases.

It saves money.

And it's the oldest penalty on earth:

[color:#BF0000]Gen. 2:17 ...in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

And we see God imposing the death penalty and we justify God. We don't apologize for God, as if He was just in a bad mood back then.

We also see secular authority justified in the death penalty:

[color:#BF0000]Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil.

It's really not that evil. It's really normal.

I just want to be honest and biblical, not emotional. And I don't care about being popular.

Is that OK with everyone?

[phkrause]

I agree with this statement 100%.

"I'm not opposed to the death penalty for cases that are proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt."

Did you read the case? I went to one of the links from above and read all I could. It's pretty obvious to me that he's not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt! It's worse than the case againist Ruben Carter. So I am praying that President Carter can help.

pk

[rush4hire]

Ya, I read the case. From the start I thought there was a good chance he's probably no guilty. I read the facts and was convinced all the more. I have told why I think sometimes innocent men are condemned. It's a conspiriacy.

[color:#BF0000]John 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

[Nightingale]

Great to hear the Supreme Court has granted a stay! We'll see what happens next.

[carolaa]

Thanks for sharing the good news. I hadn't heard it yet.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/amnesty-international-praises-stay-execution/story.aspx?guid=%7B566E0FEA-F03C-437B-ADFF-392A61D80385%7D&dist=hppr