TOMORROW (Tu. 7/14): Justice for Troy Davis: A Community Forum

[Julien Ball]

Justice For Troy Davis: A Community Forum
Let the evidence be heard!

Tuesday, July 14, 6:30pm
Chicago Temple Sanctuary
77 W Washington St. (between Clark and Dearborn)

In September, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether to grant relief to Troy Davis. If they do not, he could receive a fifth execution date. With no DNA, no fingerprints, and no gun to tie him to the murder of Mark MacPhail, Troy’s conviction stands entirely on eyewitness testimony. Seven of nine witnesses have recanted their trial testimony, and six people have offered affidavits to suggest that another man, Sylvester Coles, was the killer. Yet no court will agree to hear this compelling evidence of Troy’s innocence, continually denying Troy’s appeals on procedural grounds.  

It is only an international campaign of protest that has kept Troy alive, with thousands rallying around the country. Building on May's successful day of action, when more than 100 Chicagoans joined thousands more around the country to rally in support of Troy, a coalition of grassroots organizations is holding a town hall meeting about Troy's case. Come hear about Troy’s case, and discuss what we can do here in Chicago to help save Troy’s life.   

Confirmed speakers so far include:

*A live call-in from Troy Davis' sister, Martina Correia
*Ronnie Kitchen, Illinois’ most recent (20th) exonerated death row prisoner, and member of the Death Row Ten, tortured by Chicago police under former Commander Jon Burge.
*Anthony Porter, exonerated Illinois death row prisoner; came within 48 hours of execution
*Ronald Jones, exonerated Illinois death row prisoner
*Darby Tillis, Illinois’ First exonerated death row Prisoner
*Nathson Fields, Illinois’ 19th exonerated death row prisoner
*Delbert Tibbs, exonerated Florida death row prisoner
*Marlene Martin, National Director of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty
*Jeremy Schroeder, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
*Kevin Coval, HBO Def Jam Poet and co-founder of teen poetry festival Louder than a Bomb

Sponsoring organizations include: Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Amnesty International, ACLU of Illinois, Families of the Wrongfully Convicted, Francis of Assisi Catholic Worker House, Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, International Socialist Organization, National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Northside Action for Justice, Socialist Workers Party, Tamms Year Ten; and 8th Day Center for Justice.

For more information, email jul...@nodeathpenalty.org or call 773-955-4841. For more information on Troy’s case, visit http://www.nodeathpenalty.org, http://www.troyanthonydavis.org or http://www.amnestyusa.org.