U.S. executions up since 2008; Troy Davis could be next

(Photo of Troy Davis, awaiting execution in Georgia for 20 years. Provided by ColorofChange. His mother, Virginia Davis, died while napping earlier this month, some say from a broken heart.)

The death penalty, or capital punishment, was instituted in the Untied States as punishment for crimes and as a societal deterrent for committing crimes.

Since it was established, thousands of criminals have been placed on death row and later executed. Some have been saved by groups working to make sure justice has been fair and prosecutorial accountability has been rendered.

Some groups against capital punishment include the Moratorium Campaign (http://www.moratoriumcampaign.org/), People of Faith Against the Death Penalty (http://www.pfadp.org/), Change.org (http://www.change.org/), and National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (http://www.ncadp.org/).

History of Executiions in U.S.
The first execution recorded in the British American colonies occurred at Jamestown in 1608. The crime: spying. Method of death: firing squad.

Other methods of execution have involved burning at the stake, hanging, electrocution, cyanide gas, and lethal injection of drugs. Some states have commuted the death penalty to life without chance of parole.

According to Wikipedia, "There were 37 executions in the United States in 2008, the lowest number since 1994...There were 46 executions in 2010, 44 by lethal injection, one by electric chair (in Virginia), and one by firing squad (in Utah)."

Troy Davis Case
Waiting for death by government sanctioned execution today is a long process, involving appeals, one after the other. Such has been the life of 42-year old Troy Davis, a convicted police murderer who was first sentenced to death 20 years ago in Georgia.

Throughout his incarceration, he has maintained his innocence. Former President Jimmy Carter, former FBI Director William Sessions, Pope Benedict XVI, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have asked for a new trial.

On March 28, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Davis' appeal to prove his "actual innocence", and set aside all appeals. This means a new execution date will be set. Many groups are frantically waging campaigns to help Davis avoid imminent execution and find the real killer.

Do you believe Davis is innocent? Do you believe in the death penalty, and if so, by what method?

For more information on the Troy Davis case, go to http://aipdx.org/2011/04/14/urgent-action-troy-davis-imminent-execution/.

©2011 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.