I told you I was not guilty
"I myself have never had a real opinion on the death penalty either for or against it. Undecided. On one hand, if someone does a hideous crime they should pay the ultimate price.
But for me the question is what is the "ultimate price" In many of these cases such as those against women and children I always felt that death for them is an easy way out. BUT if they had to live with life in prison w/o any chance of parole, I would think that their lives would be lived in constant fear. The code even with prisoners is these types of crimes are a big no-no. NOT to be tolerated. Set these inhumane humans in the same yard with the rest of the population and things would get taken care of.
Of course it does not happen like that. The molesters and rapists end up segregated from the rest of the inmates for "their own protection" which of course I don't see any reason to protect them since there was no one there to protect the victims from them."
But for me the question is what is the "ultimate price" In many of these cases such as those against women and children I always felt that death for them is an easy way out. BUT if they had to live with life in prison w/o any chance of parole, I would think that their lives would be lived in constant fear. The code even with prisoners is these types of crimes are a big no-no. NOT to be tolerated. Set these inhumane humans in the same yard with the rest of the population and things would get taken care of.
Of course it does not happen like that. The molesters and rapists end up segregated from the rest of the inmates for "their own protection" which of course I don't see any reason to protect them since there was no one there to protect the victims from them."
Waiting for justice
Georgia man gets last-minute stay, but questions about identifications remain
For nearly two decades, Troy Davis has sat in a cell on Georgia’s death row proclaiming his innocence to anyone who would listen. On Tuesday night, he came within two hours of being executed before the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay. In what could have been his final hours, he said goodbye to his mother and sister and recorded his final statement. It was the second time in two years that he had come within a day of execution.
The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision in the next week, and if they refuse to hear the case a new execution date will likely be set.
For nearly two decades, Troy Davis has sat in a cell on Georgia’s death row proclaiming his innocence to anyone who would listen. On Tuesday night, he came within two hours of being executed before the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay. In what could have been his final hours, he said goodbye to his mother and sister and recorded his final statement. It was the second time in two years that he had come within a day of execution.
Can you imagine saying good-bye to your mother and your sister , not once but twice in 2 years. If this man is innocent and it sure looks that way, has he not been through enough along with his family!The Supreme Court granted the stay in order to decide whether it would hear Davis’ appeal for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence of his innocence. Davis was sentenced to death for allegedly killing a police officer in Savannah in 1989. Seven of the nine non-police eyewitnesses who testified against Davis at trial have recanted, many of them saying their statements were coerced by police. Despite this and other evidence of Davis’ innocence, the Georgia Supreme Court denied Davis a new trial. The Innocence Network filed a brief in the case, highlighting the unreliability of eyewitness identification evidence, which has been a factor more than 75% of the 220 wrongful convictions overturned with DNA testing to date. Last year, the Georgia Legislature took steps to begin improving eyewitness identification procedures statewide, a move which could help prevent future wrongful convictions based on eyewitness misidentification.
The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision in the next week, and if they refuse to hear the case a new execution date will likely be set.
Thomas McGowan - The innocence project
By Thomas McGowan, Texas ExonereeI am the one writing this in Italic Bold in red print just to show you how forgiving some people can be. To think this man is not mad as hell at the world is something I find incredible. As I have written in this blog before I look at these sentences by way of my son's lives. One of my sons is a little over 23 years (the amount of time Thomas McGowan served for a crime he did not commit) In those 23 years of my son and my life , my son was born , premature I might add 2 lbs 12 oz. dropping to 2lbs, 2 ounces, grew up saw a younger brother be born,at 13 watched his dad die, went to college , joined the military , was a combat veteran in Iraq for 16 months , came home, went to college, got married to a wonderful girl, became an uncle 3 times, and just recently is buying his first home. Obviously I could go on and on even further. My point being all those years a man was in prison doing none of these things wrongly convicted. Wow. Unbelievable that this man sounds as if he is not even bitter!I am not sure I would feel that way!!!
Thomas McGowan served 23 years in Texas prison for a rape he didn't commit. DNA exonerated him, and the real perpetrator was identified. Today on the Innocence Blog, McGowan writes about finding the person whose crime stole 23 years of his life. DNA testing has exonerated 218 wrongfully convicted people to date, and in nearly 40% of those cases, the actual perpetrator of the crime was subsequently identified.
I never saw Kenneth Wayne Woodson; I don't know if he ever saw me. He went to prison a year later than I did. I'm glad he confessed, but I think the only reason he did is because of the DNA hit. If Woodson had been caught at first, then he wouldn't have had time to assault anybody else. Now the word is out, even though he can't be punished for this crime.
For years I was thinking, how could the witness make a mistake? Last week I learned that Woodson's photo was in the same lineup that my photo was in. When she pointed to my picture she said she thought I was the perpetrator, but the police told her she had to say "yes" or "no." The police pressured her and told her that she had to be sure. Everybody makes mistakes. I don't hold anything against her.
Woodson is probably one of those people that just doesn't care. I used to see guys like him sometimes. Guys like that get out of prison two or three times and then they come back. Six months later the same guy comes back and asks me: "Hey, you still here?" Those guys got two or three chances. I couldn't get one chance and I was innocent. I think the hardest thing was when I came up for parole after doing 20 years. I had two life sentences stacked. I was looking to make it out of there alive. But they weren't going to let me out. I used to pray to God, "Please, if nothing else, I don't want to die in prison. I don't want to go to my grave with my family and friends thinking I did a crime like this."
DNA is the truth. In my case, we also have a man that confessed that he did the crime. You can't get the truth any better than that. I served Woodson's time for him. Ain't no telling what else he did. I don't even know what I would say to the dude other than, "It was your fault." I know everyone can change, but he might be one of those men who finds it real hard to change. People have got to want to do the right thing. For a while, I thought the whole world was crazed and lost. But I can see now that there are still good people in the world.
Lots of other things are coming into focus now, too. Having a job would make me feel like I have a full life. I would like a job where I can work with people, like at a nursing home or a hospital. It's just a matter of time until somebody feels like they want to give me a chance. Since three months ago when all of this started happening, it keeps getting better and better. That's really what I'm working towards. I'm trying to have a life.
