Attorneys for Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis will have the opportunity to argue before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on December 9 in Atlanta. The Court will hear arguments on whether Davis can file a second federal challenge to his conviction based on new evidence of his innocence. The Court stayed Davis’ execution shortly before he was to receive a lethal injection so that it could review the constitutional issues in his case.

Davis’ case has garnered both international and national attention. Former President Jimmy Carter and the European Union were among those calling for a stay of execution. Davis was scheduled to be executed on October 27 after the U.S. Supreme Court denied review following Davis’ unsuccessful appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.

Davis’ original conviction was based primarily on eyewitness testimony. Since the 1991 trial, 7 of the 9 non-police eyewitnesses have recanted their testimony, with some pointing to another suspect.

(Associated Press, “Federal appeals court to hear Troy Davis case Dec. 9,” November 19, 2008). See also Innocence.

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