This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/8206032.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hearing for US death row inmate | Hearing for US death row inmate |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The US Supreme Court has ordered that a death row inmate should receive a new hearing to see if evidence not heard at his trial proves his innocence. | |
| Troy Davis was convicted in 1991 of killing a policeman in the southern state of Georgia, but key witnesses have recanted their testimony. | Troy Davis was convicted in 1991 of killing a policeman in the southern state of Georgia, but key witnesses have recanted their testimony. |
| In September the Supreme Court granted him a stay of execution hours before he was due to die from lethal injection. | In September the Supreme Court granted him a stay of execution hours before he was due to die from lethal injection. |
| His supporters include Pope Benedict XVI and US ex-President Jimmy Carter. | His supporters include Pope Benedict XVI and US ex-President Jimmy Carter. |
| Lawyers for Davis said in their appeal that seven of nine prosecution witnesses had retracted their trial testimony. | Lawyers for Davis said in their appeal that seven of nine prosecution witnesses had retracted their trial testimony. |
| The lawyers also said several new witnesses had identified or implicated a different individual as the person who killed police officer Mark MacPhail in car park in 1989. | The lawyers also said several new witnesses had identified or implicated a different individual as the person who killed police officer Mark MacPhail in car park in 1989. |
| Attorneys for the state of Georgia had argued that the appeal should be rejected. | Attorneys for the state of Georgia had argued that the appeal should be rejected. |
| They said each court that had reviewed claims by Davis had said he had failed to prove his innocence. | They said each court that had reviewed claims by Davis had said he had failed to prove his innocence. |
| Conservative justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court decision. | Conservative justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court decision. |
| Justice Scalia said the Supreme Court was sending the federal judge in Georgia on a "fool's errand" | Justice Scalia said the Supreme Court was sending the federal judge in Georgia on a "fool's errand" |
| But Justice John Paul Stevens, supported by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, said Justice Scalia was wrong. | But Justice John Paul Stevens, supported by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, said Justice Scalia was wrong. |
| "The substantial risk of putting an innocent man to death clearly provides an adequate justification for holding an evidentiary hearing," wrote Justice Stevens. | "The substantial risk of putting an innocent man to death clearly provides an adequate justification for holding an evidentiary hearing," wrote Justice Stevens. |