Troy Anthony Davis

Unless there is a last-minute stay, Troy Anthony Davis will die Wednesday by lethal injection, raising the distinct possibility that the state of Georgia will have executed an innocent man. His is perhaps the highest-profile death penalty case in the country, attracting the attention of such public figures as former President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and former FBI Director William Sessions, all of whom have called for clemency, as...

Unless there is a last-minute stay, Troy Anthony Davis will die Wednesday by lethal injection, raising the distinct possibility that the state of Georgia will have executed an innocent man. His is perhaps the highest-profile death penalty case in the country, attracting the attention of such public figures as former President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and former FBI Director William Sessions, all of whom have called for clemency, as...

In an extremely rare move, the Supreme Court today granted a new evidentiary hearing for Troy Anthony Davis, the Georgia death row inmate convicted of killing an off-duty Savannah, Ga., police officer in 1989. Davis, 40, has exhausted his appeals in the state court system and is awaiting execution, despite the fact that seven of the key witnesses in his trial have since recanted their testimony. Davis' case has gained worldwide attention. A number of public figures -- including former President Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa -- have called for him to have a new day in court.

Whatever their views about capital punishment, most Americans probably assume that a convicted defendant will be released from prison if he can prove that he didn't commit the crime. In fact, the Supreme Court has stopped short of endorsing what lawyers call the "actual innocence" doctrine. But an unexpected order in a Georgia death penalty case may indicate that the justices are coming around to a common-sense view about the due process of law. Last week, they ordered a federal court in Georgia to reconsider the case of death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis, convicted of murdering an off-duty police officer 18 years ago. Since then, seven prosecution witnesses have recanted their testimony, and dignitaries including former President Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Pope Benedict XVI have pleaded for clemency, with the pope's representative providing Georgia officials with a detailed critique of the evidence used to convict Davis.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a reprieve to a convicted murderer less than two hours before his scheduled execution for the 1989 slaying of an off-duty police officer. Family and advocates of Troy Anthony Davis, 39, contend that he deserves a new trial because seven of the nine witnesses who helped put him on death row have recanted their testimony.

Georgia's parole board on Friday denied clemency for a man set to be put to death for killing a police officer, even though seven of the nine witnesses who testified against him have since changed their stories. Troy Anthony Davis, 38, is set to be executed at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at a prison in Jackson, Ga. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Davis' appeal Sept. 29. On Friday, Davis' attorney, Jason Ewart, said he would file an emergency stay with the high court, asking the justices to take up the case as soon as possible.

Whatever their views about capital punishment, most Americans probably assume that a convicted defendant will be released from prison if he can prove that he didn't commit the crime. In fact, the Supreme Court has stopped short of endorsing what lawyers call the "actual innocence" doctrine. But an unexpected order in a Georgia death penalty case may indicate that the justices are coming around to a common-sense view about the due process of law. Last week, they ordered a federal court in Georgia to reconsider the case of death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis, convicted of murdering an off-duty police officer 18 years ago. Since then, seven prosecution witnesses have recanted their testimony, and dignitaries including former President Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Pope Benedict XVI have pleaded for clemency, with the pope's representative providing Georgia officials with a detailed critique of the evidence used to convict Davis.

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday turned down a death row inmate's request for a new trial, even though most of the key witnesses in the case have recanted or contradicted their earlier testimony. Troy Anthony Davis, 39, was convicted of killing a Savannah police officer after a 1991 trial based entirely on witnesses' accounts. Seven of the nine who implicated Davis have since changed their story in sworn affidavits, with several claiming they were pressured by police in their earlier statements.

A judge in Savannah has denied a bid to halt the execution this week of Troy Anthony Davis, refusing to hear evidence the defense says would show he is innocent and identify the killer. Defense attorneys said they would appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. Davis, 38, is to die by injection at 7 p.m. Tuesday for the 1989 killing of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail, who was shot while working at a second job as a security guard.

A Georgia man scheduled to be executed tonight for killing a police officer in 1989 won a temporary reprieve Monday evening after key witnesses from his trial recanted their testimony before the state's parole board. After a nine-hour clemency hearing, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles granted Troy Anthony Davis, 38, a 90-day stay while it evaluates and analyzes evidence.

In an extremely rare move, the Supreme Court today granted a new evidentiary hearing for Troy Anthony Davis, the Georgia death row inmate convicted of killing an off-duty Savannah, Ga., police officer in 1989. Davis, 40, has exhausted his appeals in the state court system and is awaiting execution, despite the fact that seven of the key witnesses in his trial have since recanted their testimony. Davis' case has gained worldwide attention. A number of public figures -- including former President Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa -- have called for him to have a new day in court.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a reprieve to a convicted murderer less than two hours before his scheduled execution for the 1989 slaying of an off-duty police officer. Family and advocates of Troy Anthony Davis, 39, contend that he deserves a new trial because seven of the nine witnesses who helped put him on death row have recanted their testimony.

Georgia's parole board on Friday denied clemency for a man set to be put to death for killing a police officer, even though seven of the nine witnesses who testified against him have since changed their stories. Troy Anthony Davis, 38, is set to be executed at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at a prison in Jackson, Ga. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Davis' appeal Sept. 29. On Friday, Davis' attorney, Jason Ewart, said he would file an emergency stay with the high court, asking the justices to take up the case as soon as possible.

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday turned down a death row inmate's request for a new trial, even though most of the key witnesses in the case have recanted or contradicted their earlier testimony. Troy Anthony Davis, 39, was convicted of killing a Savannah police officer after a 1991 trial based entirely on witnesses' accounts. Seven of the nine who implicated Davis have since changed their story in sworn affidavits, with several claiming they were pressured by police in their earlier statements.

With a Bible under her arm, Virginia Davis on Tuesday led human rights advocates to the building that houses Georgia's Board of Pardon and Paroles. All she wants, she said, is for someone to listen to the facts in her son's case before it's too late. Troy Anthony Davis, 38, convicted of the murder of a Savannah police officer, is scheduled to be executed next week. Yet a growing number of human rights activists are urging Georgia officials to consider new evidence that might prove his innocence.