Death Warrant Signed for Troy Davis

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – Troy Davis will be executed on September 23rd, according to a death warrant signed by a Chatham County Judge today. Davis was convicted of killing a Savannah police officer in 1989, but seven of the nine witnesses against him have since recanted.

Months ago, Georgia's Board of Pardons and Paroles started looking at evidence that questions whether Davis was rightfully convicted, but suspended its review until Georgia's Supreme Court heard an appeal. The high court declined in March to grant Davis a new trial.

EWART: So we hope the Pardons and Parole board will pick where they left off and be the first body to hear our case and hear our witnesses.

That's Jason Ewart, one of Davis's lawyers.

But still, the Davis's sister, Martina Correia, is devastated by the news:

CORREIA: I feel that Troy should be exonerated, I mean, I truly believe in his innocence, and so do thousands of other people, and the best the Parole Board can do is give him is life, or life without parole.

Davis's lawyers have also appealed for a new trial to the U.S. Supreme Court, which comes back into session in October.