In spite of the efforts of his lawyers and supporters, and a temporary reprieve, Troy Davis was put to death Wednesday night. Davis refused to accept the verdict, claiming to the end that he was not guilty of the charges against him. The execution was originally planned for 7 p.m., but a short reprieve was granted while the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the case. Ultimately, they rejected the stay of execution, and Davis was declared dead at 11:08 p.m.
Seven of the nine witnesses in the original case have recanted or contradicted their testimony. It was not enough to cast reasonable doubt in the numerous appeals that were filed. The case was a politically charged one, with people from the national and international community weighing in opinions on the matter, including Pope Benedict XVI, South African anti-apartheid leader Desmond Tutu and former President Jimmy Carter all saying the execution should have been called off.
