Troy Davis was convicted of the August 19, 1989 murder of a Savannah, Georgia police officer

By Rachel Cisto

A Georgia man who was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991 is now on death row, but many people are rallying to save him.

Georgia's original case against Troy Davis relied solely on witness testimony, as there is little physical evidence and no DNA evidence to tie Davis to the crime.

However, beginning in 2007, witnesses began to recant their testimony. Today, seven of the nine state's witnesses have stated that they were pressured by police into testifying or signing false statements against Davis. One of the notable witnesses who has not recanted is the alternative suspect, Sylvester Coles. Coles has reportedly confessed to the murder, and nine people have signed statements against him.

Davis has appealed his case multiple times, only to have it turned down, leading his supporters to worry that he may have exhausted his appeals. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a hearing in the trial court as to whether Davis could prove his innocence claims. But the trial court ruled against Davis, setting him back on a path where a new execution date was only a matter of time.

Currently, the execution date is set for September 21. More information, including statements from the witnesses, can be found at www.justicefortroy.org.