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Former judges push for hearing on Troy Davis innocence claim

Group asks Supreme Court to send death row case back to federal court.Twenty-seven former judges, justices and prosecutors are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow death-row inmate Troy Davis? innocence claims to be heard in federal court. The filing comes a day after Davis? lawyers filed their final legal bid. They are asking the nation?s highest court to send Davis? case back so a judge can consider the recantation testimony of a number of key witnesses who testified for the state at the 1991 trial.Davis sits on death row for the killing of off-duty Savannah Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail in 1989. MacPhail, a 27-year-old father of two and former U.S. Army ranger, was shot before he could draw his weapon. Davis can make ?an extraordinary showing through new, never reviewed evidence that strongly points to his innocence,? the judges? and prosecutors? filing said...continue to full post

Full post as published by Lethal Injection on May 21, 2009 (boomark / email).