Atlanta
(2008-09-24)
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Attorney Steve Bright attributes the stay to timing. According to Bright, who heads the Southern Center for Human Rights, it's considered respectful for the state to allow the Supreme Court to at least consider an appeal before executing the appellant.
BRIGHT: All it had to do was wait about 3 or 4 weeks and then set a date if it were denied. And so the court basically said this execution is going to be put off until we make our decision.
The Supreme Court will consider Davis's appeal on Monday, and could decide as early as then whether they'll accept his case. If the justices deny his appeal that day, Davis could be executed on Tuesday, the final day of the window for his death warrant.
Davis was convicted in 1991 of killing a Savannah Police Officer, exclusively on witness testimony. But since then, 7 of the 9 witnesses have recanted.
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