Hi all: so as you know the purpose of this blog stemmed from the need for me to sort of separate the different facets of my life and emphasize the different parts of my identity. I have my one blog that sort of shows what got me to this point in my life, what has been the biggest marks of my life and how I have used these moments to shape the woman I have become. This particular section of my blog "Be the Change" focuses on my activism. The woman I am today is because of the many different topics I am passionate about. They are anything from politics, to social justice issues to many other areas that impact a person's growth or topics that I can use to stimulate discussion.
Well I recognize that I do not post as frequently as I should from this blog primarily because my life is activism- in some way shape of form. I am doing it everyday and tend to forget to utilize the outlets I have.
This week marked a new leap in the U.S Justice System and sort of solidified one, in my opinion, faults of this country in justice-- the death penalty. Whether you believe in the use of the death penalty or not as a form of justice the point is the U.S was thrust into this terrible position as technology began to catch up with the past.
Over the last decade or more we have begun to see a trend in reversals of prison sentences as people who were thought to be guilty were found to be innocent. We have begun to see some of these positions reversed particularly in the area of life in prison. Amongst prisoners on death row, this has sparked a new trend in the increase of appeals as well.
While I understand the many reasons why the Justice System works, I find it personally difficult to grapple with this idea that any error in the system is almost ignored and the same old policies are continued. This last week one case put this flaw under a magnifying glass.
His name was Troy Anthony Davis, in 1989 he was accused of murdering an off duty cop named Mark McPhail. This is not at all to take away from Mr. McPhail or his family as no one's life should be taken away. However, Troy Anthony Davis maintained his innocence through the trial and after he was sentenced to death. For the last 20 years Troy Anthony Davis has spent time on death row. His name picking up speed as he began to appeal this sentence, raising doubt in the fairness of his trial. His story like some others, was left to inadequate lawyers who were unable to properly defend him in such a high profile case.
What was unfortunate is that over the last few years witnesses, former Presidents, former FBI Chiefs and even the Pope among countless others have stepped in to ask the Georgia Courts and eventually the Supreme Court of the United States to rethink Mr. Davis' sentencing and to commute his sentencing to Life in Prison so that a new trial and case could be presented. The Troy Anthony Davis case raised a lot of doubt to his guilt and to ultimately the sanctity of the Justice System itself. Despite the intervention and protests and a few hours of delay Troy Anthony Davis was put to death on Wednesday night.
I do not know if Troy Anthony Davis murdered Mr. Mark McPhail. What I know is that one person was murdered, and that we killed another many who may or may not have been innocent. I think it's heartbreaking and tragic. I think that when this level of scrutiny is being raised we need to pause and reexamine our policies. I think we need to provide a pathway that grants criminals innocent and guilty the best lawyers to adequately defend them. Everyone based on our Constitution deserve the right to a fair trial, and currently that is not something that is being done.
I hope that this country and the activists and protesters that petitioned the Supreme Court to listen to the Troy Anthony Davis appeal continue to fight for the cause. I hope that some day we can correct this system and make it truly work in the way it should.
I think that our Justice System has done it's job most of the time, but there is now an opportunity to correct it, strengthen it and make it better.
R.I.P to Troy Anthony Davis and Mark McPhail may Justice be reached in both of your names.
