Troy Davis's Lawyers: We Didn't Tamper with Witnesses ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Troy Davis's lawyers claim the state has all but accused them of bribing or coercing witnesses to recant testimony that led to his conviction. A federal judge is set to hear evidence that may call Davis's 1991 death sentence into question. Davis was convicted of killing Savannah police officer Mark Allen MacPhail, but since then seven of nine witnesses changed their testimony.

The state wants to question those witnesses, and the people close to them, under oath before the hearing. But Davis's lawyers say they're being accused of tampering with witnesses. Criminal defense attorney and WABE legal analyst Page Pate says he understands their objection:

"It is very easy to intimidate an unsophisticated witness," said Pate, "especially someone who is not represented by a lawyer, by implying to them that if you give us a different statement now than you did before, we could charge you with perjury.'"

Davis's lawyers say the state hasn't produced any evidence of witness tampering, and call the request a "fishing expedition." Among the questions that the state has: whether witnesses were given any incentive to testify that Davis is innocent.
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