SAVANNAH, Ga. --
It's a case that has divided people all over the world. Now a ruling from the nation's highest court may pave the way for the execution of accused Savannah cop killer Troy Davis.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the Georgia death row inmate Monday. The justices, without comment, refused to order the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to examine the case and declined to do so themselves.
Davis was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1989 killing of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail.
The ruling is just the latest in a complex legal battle that has played out in the courts for more than 20 years, a continuing tragedy for the Davis and MacPhail families.
"it is troubling, and it's upsetting but the thing about it is this whole case has been an uphill battle," said Davis' sister Martina Correia.
Correia said she was shocked the Supreme Court's rejection of her brother's appeal came so suddenly.
"It's like everyone wants to pass the buck. Nobody wants to address the issue of actual innocence and new evidence," she said.
Months after U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore in Savannah said Davis failed to prove his innocence, this is the latest blow to the efforts to see him freed.
"His concern is not so much for himself but for the people who are advocating and the people who love him," said Correia of her brother.
Monday's ruling also came as a surprise to the victim's son, Mark MacPhail, Jr.
"[I thought] that they would hear it, hold the verdict til later so they could discuss it a bit more. But to hear that they rejected it completely was a complete shock to me," he said.
http://www2.wsav.com/news/2011/mar/28/supreme-court-rejects-troy-davis-appeal-families-b-ar-1641339/
It's a case that has divided people all over the world. Now a ruling from the nation's highest court may pave the way for the execution of accused Savannah cop killer Troy Davis.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the Georgia death row inmate Monday. The justices, without comment, refused to order the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to examine the case and declined to do so themselves.
Davis was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1989 killing of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail.
The ruling is just the latest in a complex legal battle that has played out in the courts for more than 20 years, a continuing tragedy for the Davis and MacPhail families.
"it is troubling, and it's upsetting but the thing about it is this whole case has been an uphill battle," said Davis' sister Martina Correia.
Correia said she was shocked the Supreme Court's rejection of her brother's appeal came so suddenly.
"It's like everyone wants to pass the buck. Nobody wants to address the issue of actual innocence and new evidence," she said.
Months after U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore in Savannah said Davis failed to prove his innocence, this is the latest blow to the efforts to see him freed.
"His concern is not so much for himself but for the people who are advocating and the people who love him," said Correia of her brother.
Monday's ruling also came as a surprise to the victim's son, Mark MacPhail, Jr.
"[I thought] that they would hear it, hold the verdict til later so they could discuss it a bit more. But to hear that they rejected it completely was a complete shock to me," he said.
http://www2.wsav.com/news/2011/mar/28/supreme-court-rejects-troy-davis-appeal-families-b-ar-1641339/
