Well its been big in the news today about the execution of Troy Davis. A convicted cop killed who was put to death yesterday in Georgia. Now I know little about the case, except what I read on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Davis_case

Abd by clicking on various Google links. I know there is a lot of Americans on here, so it will be interesting to get more peoples opinions. Was he guilty or not guilty? This is not about the rights on wrongs of captial punishment, but just whether he was guilty or not guilty.

My opinion? As someone who is educated in UK Law, I tend to fall on the side of the prosecution when they say;

""We have consistently won the case as it has been presented in court. We have consistently lost the case as it has been presented in the public realm, on TV and elsewhere."

The law has spoken, but like in so many high profile cases (Casey Anthony springs to mind), people tend to ignore the courts, and believe in the media. If the media says they are guilty, then they are guilty (even if proved not guilty) and vice versa.

For me. He had a fair trial, he was found guilty, and therefore as Georgia has the death penalty, he must be punished...

Thoughts?

personally against the death penalty if there is ANY shadow of a doubt. taking a life is permanent and there is no mulligans....

if he was a confessed murderer or was caught red handed. surely put them to death....

I think the case has highlighted some flaws in the US criminal justice system (God knows the UK system isn't much better) - after the first case the appeals process is very limited as to what can and cannot be presented as evidence. No judge has ever allowed the admiession by one of the prosecution's own witnesses to be heard due to the rules of evidence and the nature of the appeals process.There are other flaws in the prosecution too - but honestly, if you've read around on this at all others have said it better than I could here - yesterday's NY Times editorial on the case for one.

Ultimately I think this case has highlighted the problems with capital punishment as it stands in many US states - and the reason I oppose it's wide-scale re-introduction over here. There are questions about the evidence, which is almost entirely that of unreliable witnesses, given that's the case, is it really right to put a man to death? In those cases where there is absolutely no doubt, DNA evidence, caught on video, admission (although even that has flaws) I'm not completely opposed to the use of the Death Penalty (over here, I have no idea why we didn't kill Hindley years ago), but there should be absolute certainty before the state is allowed to take the life of it's citizens.

Wow!  What a charged issue.  Especially the day after he was executed.

I really have no idea about the facts of the case. I know he's alleged to have killed an off duty police officer in some parking lot.  If I were to listen to people around here (most of whom are defense attorneys) an innocent man just died.

Instead, I have no opinion, other than to say - this case was heard in various forms by many courts, including the United States Supreme Court, who had many opportunities to stop this execution and they did not.  Why not?  I assume they know more than the media reports.

I don't know if there is anybody left who knows what really happened.  And two families grieve.  So, just be careful how you address this issue.  That's my advice to those who respond.

I will also say this:

We live in a world of NCIS, CSI, etc, etc.  You can't believe everything you see on TV.  There is very rarely a "smoking gun" in real life.   One of the major problems in our justice system is that people expect things to happen like they do on these shows. 

I agree with a lot of what you have to say Andrew. If there were as many 'mistakes' made by the justice system, surely at least one of the 4 courts would've picked them up? Usual story of the press twisting the facts to create a story. One of the biggest bones of contention is that 5 (i think?) witnesses have since changed their story to say that they did not see Troy Davis. Well its simple. They changed their story after the Death Penalty sentence was handed down. I bet there is a stat out there showing that a very high %age would change their statement if they knew that it would stop someone getting the death penalty. But no, rather then highlight this, the press focus on the changing.

Also, are any of those who 'changed' their testimony up for perjury? I doubt it. And why? because courts are used to witnesses changing their story once someone has been found guilty and sentenced to the death penalty.

To find someone guilty, the evidence has to be 'beyond reasonable doubt.' I would imagine that to sentence someone to the death penalty, the burden of proof must be higher then that. Almost 'beyond any doubt.' Like Drew says, 4 courts, various cases, all found him guilty. all backed up the original courts sentence of the death penalty. If there was any doubt that he did not kill the police officer, he would not of been executed.

I feel most of the 'he was not guilty' bandwagon jumpers do not believe he is not guilty, but are against the death penalty, so trying to create a miscarriage of justice to back up their views, when there isn't one.

"Once people lose faith in the legal system, they are also beginning to lose faith in society."

- Dank, 2011

Life in prison!

I have no idea if he is guilty or not. If he did it he paid for it with his life

If he did not do it, we just condemened a man to die for no reason. 

Whatever the case is, its over now and if they found out he didnt do it theres nothing we can do to fix that...its over and done with

on a semi related not has anyone seen The Life of David Gale? movie was epic!

First ive heard of the case. Havnt saw it in any news here in Scotland. Quite intrigued now though!

Like MJ and OJ Simpson

Not guilty, but guilty by the media...

It's because the media puts in 20 times more publicity into saying what they are then saying that they are the verdict.

i find it interesting how casey anthony was condemned by the public but found not guilty and troy davis was supported by the public and put to death
just a thought

I believe an eye for an eye. I believe he was guilty. Just from all that I've read it wouldve been overturned by now if he wasnt.