Clemency for Troy Davis Discussed

September 19, 2011 Updated: October 1, 2015

Amnesty International activists hold banners in support of Troy Davis in front of the US Embassy in Rome on September 16, during a protest to denounce the death penalty in the United States. Davis was sentenced to death in 1991. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)
Amnesty International activists hold banners in support of Troy Davis in front of the US Embassy in Rome on September 16, during a protest to denounce the death penalty in the United States. Davis was sentenced to death in 1991. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

ATLANTA—The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles met Monday to consider clemency for convicted murderer Troy Davis. Davis is scheduled for execution Wednesday after 20 years on death row. The meeting was not open to the public. Anneliese MacPhail, mother of victim Mark MacPhail traveled to Atlanta for the hearing, to testify that clemency should be denied for Davis. MacPhail has said that executing Davis would be just.

Davis’ sister, Amnesty International, and the NAACP have called for clemency. Davis was convicted of shooting MacPhail based on eyewitness testimony, but several of the witnesses recanted their statements. According to a statement from the board, "The Parole Board is the sole authority in Georgia for granting clemency to inmates. The board may commute a death sentence to life without parole, to life, or deny clemency." Gov. Nathan Deal could pardon Davis.